Purpose

The purpose is to facilitate and monitor the circulation of resources within and outside the library, within certain rules, to meet the educational, research, scientific, and cultural needs of Kocaeli University members.

Membership

1. Academic, administrative staff, and students of our university are natural members of Kocaeli University Central Library and its affiliated libraries.
2. Members must activate their membership by applying to the Circulation Services unit with their University ID or equivalent document, and then approve the "Membership Agreement" through the library automation system.
3. External users cannot become members of Kocaeli University Libraries but can benefit from resources within the library. For details, see External Users.

Loan Services

4. Only individuals who have completed membership procedures can benefit from loan services.
5. Members intending to use library resources must perform a loan transaction for each item they wish to borrow.
6. Valid identification must be presented during loan transactions at the circulation desk.
7. Some library resources are not loaned out: Reference materials (dictionary, index, encyclopedia, etc.), Reserve materials, Periodicals, Theses, and special resources determined by the library.
8. The library may determine different loan limits and durations based on member groups. Loan limits are restricted to 10 books and 5 non-book items for all members; loan durations are 60 days for academic staff and 30 days for other members.
9. Members with overdue items or account balances exceeding the designated limit (25 TL) cannot benefit from loan services.
10. Members are obligated to comply with loan unit rules announced by the University Senate and Library Documentation Department.
11. Library automation system records are used for loan services.

Return

12. Members are responsible for returning borrowed items on time and checking if the return transaction has been completed by logging into their account.
13. Members must return items to the library from which they borrowed.
14. Identification is not required during return transactions.
15. Members wishing to receive reminders about return dates must provide their email addresses (preferably @kocaeli.edu.tr) through the library automation system. The library is not responsible for undelivered emails.
16. Delay procedures are applied for items not returned on time.
17. Items not returned after 1000 days are considered lost.
18. Lost or damaged items are subject to loss procedures.

Recall

19. The library reserves the right to recall any item in an appropriate manner.
20. Recall dates assigned by the system are invalidated for recalled items.
21. If a recalled item is not returned to the library within the specified period, delay procedures are applied.

Renewal

22. Members can renew borrowed items through the library automation system by logging into their account.
23. Renewal can only be done within the last 2 days of the loan period.
24. The renewal period is the same as the loan period set for members.
25. Members can renew each item a maximum of 2 times.
26. Items reserved by others cannot be renewed.
27. Members with overdue items or account balances exceeding the designated limit cannot renew items.
28. Renewals are done only through the automation system; renewal via email or phone is not accepted.
29. Members cannot personally renew items during collectively announced renewals by the library.

Reservation

30. Items currently borrowed by another member can be reserved by logging into the library automation system.
31. Reservation cannot be made for items on the shelf, in process, or overdue.
32. Members receive notification via email regarding the return of reserved items within the specified period. To receive notifications, members must enter their email address into the system.
33. Members with overdue items or account balances exceeding the designated limit cannot make reservations.
34. Reserved items are kept at the loan unit under the name of the reserving member for 3 days.
35. If a reserved item is not picked up within 3 days, the loan right transfers to the next reserver. If there are no other reservers, the item is returned to the shelf.
36. The number of items that can be reserved is equal to the number of items a member can borrow.
37. The library is not responsible for reserved items not returned by the specified date.

Termination of Affiliation

38. Termination of affiliation for student members is automatically processed through the Student Information System (OBS).
39. Affiliation termination for staff members is processed at the Central Library.
40. Affiliation is not terminated for members with outstanding borrowed items or account balances exceeding the designated limit.

Late Returns

41. Members are solely responsible for returning borrowed items on time. Members can check return dates by logging into the library automation system; tracking dates is not the responsibility of the library.
42. Members who do not return borrowed items by the end of the loan period without extending it will incur a daily late fee for each delayed day, without further notice.
43. The late fee is 1 TL per day for each item. For hourly loaned items, the late fee is applied at a rate of 0.50 TL per hour.
44. Members are required to comply with the late return procedure rules announced by the Library Documentation Department.
45. Members must deposit the specified late fee into the current bank account of Kocaeli University Strategy Development Department, indicating "TC ID" and "Library late fee" in the explanation section; a copy of the signed receipt must be submitted to the Library Loan Unit.

Lost Items

46. Members are entirely responsible for returning borrowed items intact.
47. In case of loss, members must contact the Central Library Loan Unit as soon as possible.
48. Lost items will not be returned without the current replacement cost (original, latest edition, or equivalent item determined by the library) being allocated by the member.
49. The cost of lost items is 150 TL per item.
50. For lost items, in addition to the replacement and late fees, if applicable, the member's account will be charged.
51. Items with physical damage or deterioration will also be considered lost.
52. Members are obligated to comply with the lost item procedure rules announced by the Library Documentation Department.
53. Members must deposit the specified replacement cost into the current bank account of Kocaeli University Strategy Development Department, indicating "TC ID" and "Library replacement cost" in the explanation section; a copy of the signed receipt must be submitted to the Library Loan Unit.

Reserve Collection

54. The library may restrict the use of certain information resources in the collection, referred to as the Reserve collection, two weeks before the academic term, upon request by faculty members. These resources can only be used within the library during the term and/or borrowed for 2 hours.
55. The duration, number of copies, and terms of use of items included in the Reserve collection may be changed by the Loan Unit.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL)

56. Interlibrary circulation services are offered only to academic staff members through affiliated libraries. For details, see Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Service Rule