Due to COVID-19, some library services and policies may have changed or be temporarily unavailable. Please see the Rentschler Library Services during COVID-19 guide or contact library staff for more information.

Checking Out Materials

Your Miami ID card is your library card–Miami students, faculty, and staff use your IDs to check out library materials. Community Borrower cards are available to those who wish to check out items from our library but are not affiliated with Miami. (Please see our Community Borrowers policy for more information.)

There are several ways to get items from the Miami University Libraries (please click on the links provided for details on how to utilize each service listed):

  • In-Person Checkout–visit a circulation desk in one of the libraries.
  • Curbside Pickup–we’ll bring your items out to your vehicle.
  • Home Delivery–we’ll ship materials directly to you through USPS.
  • Department Delivery–faculty and staff can request to have items delivered to their department through campus mail.
  • Limited Online Library Access (LOLA)–Miami students, faculty and staff can request access to works held in the Libraries’ physical collections remotely via Canvas.

Information about loan periods, returning items, and fines/fees are listed below. More information about borrowing items is detailed in our Mission and Policies.
 
 

Book Loan Periods

  • Undergraduates: 3 weeks.
  • Graduate Students: 1 semester.
  • Faculty: Until June 30 of that academic year.
  • All Others: 3 weeks.

Books have unlimited renewals allowed. However, library materials are a shared resource, and all items are subject to Recall after 3 weeks if another user needs them. Items needed for course reserves are subject to immediate Recall. Please check your email and library account for accurate due date information.

Additional Loan Periods

  • Equipment: Varies. See the Equipment You Can Borrow page for checkout periods, late charges, and replacement costs.
  • Audiovisual Materials (DVDs, VHS Tapes, CDs, etc.): 1 week. No renewals.
  • Reserve Materials: Loan periods vary from 2 hours in library use only to 7 days, depending upon the faculty request.
  • Group Study Rooms (for 2 or more people): 2 hours (depending on availability). Can be checked out again if no one else has requested the room. These rooms are heavily used, so it is advised that you reserve one ahead of time by calling (513)785-3235.
  • OhioLINK Requests: Students and visitors can check out books for 3 weeks, with a maximum of 6 renewals. Faculty are able to check out books for 6 weeks, with a maximum of 6 renewals. Renewals will not be permitted if another user requests the borrowed item. Media items can be borrowed for 1 week by all patron types; no renewals permitted.

 

 

Returning Materials

Checked out materials can be returned to any of the Miami University Libraries. On the Hamilton campus, you can return items to the circulation counter in the library, by using the dropbox located just west of the library’s doors (towards the restrooms), or the convenient 24-hour dropbox located outside of Schwarm Hall that faces the parking lot.
 

 

Fines

For Miami University Materials

  • Overdue fines for library books are $.50 per day, per item, to a maximum of $15.00 per item.
  • Overdue fines and replacement costs for electronic equipment vary. Please see the Equipment You can Borrow page for details.
  • Overdue fines for reserve materials are:
    • Library use only and overnight: $2.50 for the first hour and $.75 for each additional hour, to a maximum of $24.25 per item.
    • 1-day, 3-day, and 7-day: $2.50 per day, to a maximum of $15.00 per item.
  • If items are not returned, you will be charged $115.00 for each item, broken down as follows:
    • Replacement cost for each item not returned: $70.00
    • Processing fee for each item not returned: $30.00
    • Overdue fine for each item not returned: $15.00
  • If a book becomes overdue, a courtesy notice will be sent to the email address provided. When the item is 30 days overdue, a second notice will be emailed to you, at which time you will owe $15.00 for the item. If items have not been returned within 60 days of the due date, a bill for replacement fees for the amount of $115.00 will be emailed to you. You are responsible for any incurred fines even if you do not receive notification.
  • Borrowing privileges for Community Borrowers (users not affiliated with Miami University) are suspended the first day any item is overdue and remain so until the materials have been returned. Borrowing privileges are also suspended if the fine amount exceeds $50.00. Privileges will be restored when the fines are paid. If you owe overdue fines for a returned item, a bill will be mailed to you the day after the book is returned. Overdue bills are sent via U.S. Mail.
  • Unpaid fines will be forwarded to the Bursar for collection.

For OhioLINK Materials

Please note that King Library in Oxford handles all overdue notices and billing issues for OhioLINK items.

The overdue charges on all OhioLINK items are as follows: $.50 per day to a maximum of $15.00, plus an additional late fee of $35.00 added to all items which are more than 30 days late.

The replacement cost for all OhioLINK items is a minimum total of $125.00, broken down as follows: $75.00 (minimum) per item, plus a $50.00 cataloging and processing fee.