UNH Library Policies

Borrowing privileges and access to online materials varies by user category, as described below. Contact us or visit a library service desk with any questions you may have about your eligibility for library services (or for information regarding renewing your library card, updating your email address or other contact information, and resetting your patron username or password).

Current UNH Students, Faculty, Emeriti, and Staff

Current University of New Hampshire Students, Faculty, and Staff are eligible to borrow books, media, and other library materials, access online databases, books, and journals from on or off campus, and can use Interlibrary Loan and Reserve services.

Community Members

Library cards for borrowing books, media, and other materials from the UNH Library are issued free of charge at any Library Information Desk. Please provide proof of your eligibility with a photo ID and other appropriate documentation, as indicated below. The following groups are eligible for borrowing privileges:

• Alumni/ae of USNH (photo ID, year of graduation, and campus attended)
• Boston Library Consortium (BLC) Institutions (Present a BLC consortium card from your home institution)
• Adult Residents of New Hampshire (Photo ID and proof of residence)
• NHCUC Consortium members (membership documentation and photo ID)
• US Forest Service Staff (Photo ID and documentation of staff status)
• NH State Employees (Photo ID and documentation of employment status, only necessary if you are not also a resident of NH)
• UNH Faculty Emeriti (Photo ID/Emeriti ID)
• Active Retirement Association members (Photo ID and proof of current membership)
• Oyster River School District Employees (Photo ID and employment status documentation if you are not also a resident of NH)
• UNH Employee Immediate Family Members (Photo ID and documentation of familial relationship)
• Other USNH Institutions - students and faculty (current photo ID from institution)

Members of the public may access many online databases, books, and journals from computer workstations in the UNH Library. They may also browse non-circulating materials and make an appointment to access Special Collections and Archives materials.

Borrowing Items

All borrowers are required to present a valid UNH ID, UNH library card, or valid photo ID to borrow library materials.

Library materials have different circulation times depending on location and type of material borrowed. Upon the circulation of any item, you will be emailed a receipt that includes your due date/time for each item.

• The borrowing period for most non-reserve books is 4 weeks for undergraduate and New Hampshire community members.
• UNH graduate students, faculty, faculty emeriti, and staff are due April of each year.
• Unless recalled, most non-reserve books have a 10-day grace period from the due date.
• Reference books will show a status of NON CIRC in the catalog. These are for use in the library, and cannot be checked out.
• All library materials are subject to recall; the changed due date will be emailed to your UNH email account or email listed in your library account. There is no grace period for recalled items.
• Borrowers are responsible for returning items by the due date, regardless of whether notices were received.

Renewing Items

If an item is renewable, renewals may be done online (Renew UNH Library Items). Items obtained on interlibrary loan may be renewed once unless marked otherwise (Renew Interlibrary Loan (ILL))

If you have trouble renewing your items online, please call the Information Desk in Dimond Library at (603) 862-3125 or contact us.

Proxy Borrowing

Proxy borrowing is a service that allows designated individuals to borrow materials on behalf of faculty members or patrons with disabilities.

Eligible users may authorize a proxy borrower by email, from your UNH email account. Be sure to include the following information:

• Your name and role at the university
• The name of your proxy
• Date you would like the arrangement to end

After receiving your permission, we will place a note in our records listing the names of those individuals you have allowed to borrow for you. Once the note is in your record, the people on your list need only present their own UNH or government issued photo ID when they borrow under your name.

Contact Us at the Dimond Library Information Desk if you have any questions about proxy borrowing at (603) 862-3125.

Overdue & Lost Items

• Recall fines: $10 per item
• Overdue Course Reserves: $1/hour or fraction of one hour for most items, up to a maximum of $50 per item
• Clerical/processing fee for items sent to the USNH Financial Center for invoicing: $20/item
• Replacement cost: varies by item
• Additional charges: assessed at the discretion of the Billing Supervisor for material returned damaged

Have questions or concerns about library fines or fees on your account?

Please contact our Information Desk staff for further information at (603) 862-4539 or ask@unh.libanswers.com.

The Library's Materials Management Program Lead is responsible for monitoring and updating this policy as needed. Questions about this policy can be sent to ask@unh.libanswers.com.

Updated by H. Castle: 8/24

Reviewed by UNH Library Faculty: 8/24

Approved by the Dean of the UNH Library: 12/24