Library Policies

A detailed set of guidelines have been establish to provide the framework for a collection that reflects present needs and anticipates those of the future, to establish provision of collection development services, and to acknowledge the need to implement the goals in a cost-effective manner.

The privilege and responsibility for suggestions for the selection of all instructional materials for purchase belongs to every member of the college staff and faculty. Representatives of each faculty serve as liaisons to the library. Each representative is expected to solicit book requests from members of the faculty and forward the requests to the Collection Development Librarian.

It is the responsibility of the Collection Development Librarian to place orders for appropriate requests and to supplement those orders in order to maintain a balanced collection. The library cannot reimburse MC faculty and staff for purchase of library materials except by prior arrangement with the Acquisitions Librarian. Students may make acquisition recommendations through their advisors

MC Library users who wish to know the details of the Acquisitions Policy may request a copy of it from the Library Director.

This policy governs the circulation of AIU Library materials and attempts to balance three goals: basic fairness to all borrowers, facilitation of research, and efficient use of library resources, including staff time. All users are responsible for knowing and following the rules stated in this circulation policy. Users fined or suspended under these rules may not use ignorance of the rules as the basis for an appeal.

Who can use the library? All faculty, staff, and students of Asia-Pacific International University have the right to use the library facilities and resources. However, AIU users must have a valid ID to enjoy borrowing privileges. Persons not affiliated with AIU do not have borrowing privileges, but they are welcome to use the resources in the library only.

Application for Library ID Card. An official ID bearing the College President’s signature will be issued to all new students by the Registrar’s office. This ID can be used to borrow library materials. Please collect your ID from the Circulation Supervisor’s office in the library. Report to the Director of Admissions & Registrar immediately if you have lost your ID.

Checking Out Materials. All Library materials must be checked out at the Circulation Desk. Unless designated “Reference Only”, all materials circulate. Patrons need to present University ID cards when borrowing library materials. The Circulation Desk staff has the right to stop patrons from borrowing any library materials without a valid ID card. Items are due on the last date stamped on the date due slip in the back of the book.

Renewals. Books can only be renewed online once, and any further renewals must be done at the circulation desk. To avoid fines, they should renew materials on or before the due date.

Materials Borrowing Limits table

Period Borrowing Limits

Penalty per Library Material

Overdue Fines. The library management system, ALIST, will automatically send email notifications to patrons a day before their books are due. Patrons are responsible for regularly checking their email and keeping track of due dates to return books on time. Teaching faculty will also receive email reminders to return their books to the library. All patrons, including students and AIU staff, are subject to overdue fines.

Non-Circulating Materials. The following items do not circulate:

• Original CDs
• Current Journals
• Reference Materials
• Heritage Collection

Recall Requests.  Teaching faculty can request the librarian to recall any book any time for “Reserve Use”. Users have 3 days to return a recalled item. Privileges will be blocked if the recalled item is not returned and will be lifted once the overdue recalled item is returned.

Reservation Requests.  A reservation request may be placed only on items which are checked out. This can be done online through the Patron option on OPAC. A reservation request allows the requestor to be “next in line” to check out the book. The requestor will be notified when a requested book is returned to the library. Books are held for 5 days from the notification date at the Circulation Desk. Books not claimed within 5 days are returned to the stacks or are made available to the next requestor

The Media Center has a number of policy statements in place that govern the operation of its services, such as the following:

• Desktop Publishing
• EMC Photocopy Charges
• Penalties
• Rental Arrangement
• Transfer/Borrowing/Lending
• Use of Equipment and Facilities

Please contact  for more information. Thank you.

Library users are responsible for knowing and adhering to all current rules of the library. Users fined or suspended under these rules may not use their ignorance of the rules as the basis for an appeal.

• Library users are responsible for all materials checked out with their ID.
• Library users must return all borrowed materials to the library on or before the due date.
• A quiet atmosphere must be maintained for those who wish to study. Failure to cooperate may result in the loss of library privileges.
• Library users are required to dress appropriately.
• Bags and briefcases containing laptops are allowed in the library.
• Bags and briefcases containing books and other personal belongings are not allowed in the library and should be stored in the provided lockers. Lockers can be reserved at the library circulation counter at the beginning of the semester.
• Users may be required to present their belongings for verification at the circulation counter upon leaving the library.
• Seats in the library may not be reserved. Library staff will remove any books, files, or other personal belongings left on study tables to make room for other users.
• No food or sweetened drinks are permitted in the library.
• Mobile phone use is allowed in the library for emergencies only.

Students may request to use the Discussion Rooms on the Third Floor for group studies and class project discussions or activities. The policy for the use of the discussion rooms are:

1. The minimum number of users in the group must be at least four and the maximum six. Groups beyond this number must seek special consideration from the library staff.
2. The use of the discussion room is strictly on an HOURLY basis. If students need to extend their time after ONE hour, they are to go to the Circulation counter to request for an extension. Their time will be extended for another hour if there is no other request.
3. Only a staff/student worker is authorized to open the door.
4. Students/users are NOT allowed to add or remove chairs from the discussion room or multi-purpose room unless the library officer gives permission.

Interlibrary loan of books is not a popular library trend in this modern age of technology. Rather, a Document Delivery Service (DDS) is recognized and regularly practiced by academic libraries.

AIU researchers can request the librarian for a DDS of articles not available in AIU library holding from other libraries elsewhere. The librarian will take the initiative to locate and communicate with a library supplying locally or overseas that he/she thinks would have the materials requested. The library or libraries asked need not be one that AIU library has resource sharing cooperation with. 

The researcher will have to pay for the service and materials, and the cost varies from library to library. The time involved in receiving the requested materials depends on how fast the supplying library retrieves the materials and sends it to the requesting library.

To request for a DDS of scholarly articles from other academic libraries, AIU researchers should see the librarian at the Reference Desk or send email and request for assistance to obtain resources from other libraries.

The following details must be supplied to the librarian: 

• Name of researcher: ________________________________________
• Department/Faculty: ________________________________________
• YES, I am willing to pay for the materials and services: ____________
• Date/Materials needed: ______________________________________

The librarian requires additional information on the following: 

 For Book Request: 

• Authors of the book: _______________________________________
• Title(s) of the book: ________________________________________
• Place of publication: _______________________________________
• Publisher: _______________________________________________
• Year of Publication: _______________________________________

For Article Request: 

• Authors of the article: _____________________________________
• Title(s) of the article: _______________________________________
• Source (Name of Journal): __________________________________
• Volume, Issue No., date/year of publication: ____________________
• Page numbers: ___________________________________________

AIU library has engaged the Interlibrary Loan Service, which has 106 memberships of Universities in Thailand by UC-TAL, as the inter-bibliographic library of Thai higher education institutions. This is a result of the cooperation between libraries of higher education institutions and the working group of the Information Resource Analysis Group to provide accurate and complete bibliographic record information. The library has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Chulalongkorn University Libraries for the exchange and sharing of materials.

The library computers are all connected to the photocopier machine at the front desk. When the student has completed her work, she can tell/ask the computer to print her work at the photocopier at the front desk. The student will have to go to the counter to claim her papers and show her ID to the counter staff who will send the charges to the student’s account electronically.

Library books can be photocopied but limited to 20 pages at one time.

A staff member or student assistant will handle all copying. No materials may be taken out of the library for copying. Some items may not be copied because of their physical condition or size.

The photocopy charge is 1 Baht per side of A4 paper. The charge for both sides of the A4 paper is 2 Baht.
The printing charge for a color page is 10 baht per A4 paper.

Only A4 paper is used by the library for photocopying and printing.

The Reference Service Department of Mission College Library provides patrons with free access to informational, and educational resources. The reference staff endeavors to respond to each request promptly, courteously and accurately. Our challenge is to provide a consistent pattern of service excellence, to convey trust and competence, to provide training and access to new information technologies and to create an environment that invites our patrons to use and enjoy our facilities and resources.

Codes of Ethics / Performance
Reference Service staff subscribe to the Librarians’ Code of Ethics.

General Guidelines
Assisting users [faculty and students] is a primary purpose of MC Library. A good reference service attitude includes approachability, awareness, sensitivity, courtesy, and a positive frame of mind.

Priorities of Service
All users are to be treated equally with attention and care. However, requests from individuals acting in their official capacity [President of the college, Vice-Presidents, and Deans, certain government staff] are priority requests.

Reference Interview
Reference interview techniques will be used at every available opportunity. More extensive questioning will often be necessary to get into the specific need of the user.

Verification of Answers
In order to provide accurate and authoritative information, staff members should always cite the source of the information given.

Reference Service Guidelines Attitude
Staff approachability should be apparent so that the user feels comfortable in seeking assistance. Demeanor should indicate earnest, cheerful, business-like eandeavor.

Responsibility for Providing Reference Services
The accountability for reference and information service resides at the Reference Desk. To ensure quality service, only staff trained in information services and resources should provide assistance at the Reference Desk.

Other Work at the Reference Desk
Work performed at the Reference Desk should be work-related in nature to reference and information retrieval. Using desk time for purely personal interests is prohibited.

Personal and Business Calls at the Reference Desk
Personal telephone call should not be placed at the Reference Desk. Incoming personal calls should be kept very brief, if they cannot be totally avoided.

Time Spent with User
Ten minutes is a reasonable amount of time to spend with one client. Three to five minutes is appropriate when others are waiting. Additional time may be spent with users who have special difficulties in using library resources.

Answering Complex Questions
The librarian may need at least between half an hour to an hour to search the library resources for the information asked, and will then call the inquirer.

Instructions Vs Answering Questions
It is the librarian’s responsibility to give users the choice of either having the information found for them by library staff, or learning how to find it for themselves. For questions requiring extensive or repeated use of sources, it may be advisable to instruct the user and then check back with them. Patrons are encouraged to return to the librarian if further assistance is needed.

Directing Vs Accompanying to the Shelf
Whenever possible, staff should accompany users to the stacks when location directions are requested or given. If users must be directed to the shelves, they should be encouraged to return to the Reference Desk for additional help if it is needed.

Misinformation
When overhearing a fellow staff member give misinformation, one can tactfully offer better or newer information. Users should not leave the library with incorrect information, nor should staff ever embarrass one another. Some suggested phrases are:
i.] “We have some new information on that………”
ii.] “I was just working on that and found……..”

Telephone References
Telephone reference service is usually limited to supplying information that is readily available. If the question cannot be answered within 3-5 minutes, write down his name, address and telephone numbers on the Inquirer Form, not forgetting the inquirer’s questions. Call the inquirer as soon as the answers are available.

Reference Service Limits
When an inquirer has a list of titles to be checked the librarian should take the decision to teach him the basic skills of searching so that he could go on his own, and advise him to come back to the reference desk if he has further questions. Librarians are available to advise, direct and aid in such work as information retrieval, but not to do the work.

Circulation of Reference Materials
Reference materials do not circulate. Exceptions should only be made on rare occasions when there are extenuating circumstances. Permission from the Library Director is required.

Complaints about Library Materials, Staff & Services
Complaints received at the Reference Desk always deserve careful consideration. The person making the complaint should be referred immediately to the Library Director.

Document Delivery Services
Similar to DDS that is provided by the library at the moment is to help inquirer retrieve information from the Internet and deliver it by email attachment.

Library materials will be reviewed regularly to determine if they remain within this policy’s scope. Those items that present information that has superseded or has been presented in newer, more comprehensive, or more accessible formats will be withdrawn from the active collection and will be placed either in storage or discarded. Any library materials that have been damaged beyond reasonable repair will receive similar treatment. The following criteria are used for de-selection of materials not covered by specific policies:

• Nature of programs supported
  • Materials supporting undergraduate program should be evaluated every five years by the assigned liaison librarian in consultation with departmental faculty. Materials supporting graduate programs should be evaluated regularly, but the research needs of students and faculty should be considered before removing materials.
• Physical condition of the items
• Multiple copies that are no longer in demand
• Low usage
• Materials in support of discontinued programs
• Mistakes in selection
• Weeding of audiovisual materials

The non-print media collection is weeded on a regular schedule just like the print material. Much time is used to watch or listen to the items to judge the content and quality. Other issues to consider when evaluating non-print materials are as follows: 26

• Is the format still available? If not and the materials are not replaceable, you may want to investigate transferring unique materials to current formats (DVD).
• Watch for broken cases, missing pieces, poor sound or visual quality of tapes or CDs.
• Tapes that become twisted should be discarded.
• Videocassettes should be examined for wear after 100—150 circulations. They will need to be replaced after 200—250 showings. CDs are relatively sturdy, but they can be chipped, cracked, or scratched.

Outdated information or superseded knowledge

The library will consider weeding out technical information in the print and non-print collection with copyright dates that go back the following number of years as shown in the following table: