Patron Services

Recalls
Holds
Searches
Renewing Items
Intercampus Express
Boston Library Consortium
Fine Appeal Processes
Proxy Patron
Honors Students

Recalls

Recalling a book that is charged out is a service available only to UConn faculty, students, retirees, staff and affiliates of the University. To avoid a $5.00 per day fine, return recalled books promptly. Borrowers who are temporarily unable to respond to recall notices should contact iDesk staff at (860) 486-2518 to make prior arrangements and avoid overdue charges.

Procedures for placing RECALLS online are as follows:

From a HOMER book title record, click on the Request Recall button at the top of the screen.
From the NetID/Single-Sign-On page, click on the blue box.
Enter your NetID and Password.
Click on Login.
Click on OK to select Recall.
Click Submit Request at bottom of screen.
If the Recall was completed the following message will appear: Your Patron Initiated Request was successful.

For any other messages or complications call 860-486-2518 or email Askcirc@uconn.edu

Holds

Any borrower may request that a circulating item be held for patron pick up when it is returned to the main iDesk on the Plaza Level of the Library.

Searches

For items that cannot be located in the collection, please visit the Library’s iDesk on the Plaza Level to submit a Search request. The item will be searched for 60 days. The patron will be notified of its availability when found. If the item is urgently needed, it is recommended that you place an ILL request.

Renewing Items

180-day Loans: renewable five times unless requested by another borrower.

30-day Loans: renewable twice unless requested by another borrower.

Renew online through HOMER using MyHomer, in person at the library, or over the phone 860-486-2518.

Procedures for processing Online Renewals:

From the UConn Libraries Home Page
Click on HOMER-Library Catalog.
Click on MyHOMER.
From the NetID/Single-Sign-On page, click on the blue box.
Enter your NetID and Password.
Click on Login.
Under the Renew? column, click on the boxes of the titles you wish to renew.
At bottom of Items Checked Out window, click on the RENEW ITEMS box.

The NEW DUE DATE will appear in the right column of the page under RENEWAL STATUS. If the items have not renewed, contact the iDesk at (860) 486-2518.

InterCampus Express (ICE)

THE INTERCAMPUS EXPRESS (ICE) PROGRAM IS A SERVICE OF DOCUMENT DELIVERY/INTERLIBRARY LOAN SERVICES.

Books or videos that are located at any of the Regional Campus Libraries are available for loan through the Document Delivery/Interlibrary Loan Services. Members of the University community may request to have those books or videos delivered to the Homer Babbidge Library for pick-up and check-out.

To initiate requests for books or videos located at any of the Regional Campus Libraries, either:

1. Use the online ILL Request form, or

2. Request via HOMER, by searching for the title in HOMER and then placing the order by clicking on Request ICE.

If the Regional Campus Library book is currently charged-out, you can process a Recall on that item (See Recalls, above).

Boston Library Consortium Card Program

The University of Connecticut Libraries is a member of the Boston Library Consortium (BLC). As a membe,r the University community is offered privileges associated with the Boston Library Consortium Card Program.

Eligibility

University of Connecticut (Health Center and Law School communities excluded) faculty, staff, visiting scholars, graduate and undergraduate students, and retirees are eligible for a BLC Card. Applicants must have an active unblocked patron record in the University of Connecticut Library's (UCL) patron file.

Registration

Applicants may register for the BLC Card at the Babbidge Library iDesk or at any of the Circulation Desks at any of the Regional Campus Libraries. BLC Cards are issued to faculty, staff, visiting scholars, graduate students, and retirees with an expiration date of August 31st of the current year. BLC Cards are issued to undergraduate students with an expiration date of the current semester. Cards may be renewed as long as the applicant still meets eligibility criteria. Consortium Cards are non-transferable.

Borrowing Privileges and Borrower Responsibilities

Borrowing privileges vary at each member institution. There are different loan periods and fine structures at each library. Cardholders are responsible for any charges accrued. Failure to abide by lending library rules may result in the loss of library privileges at all BLC libraries. Borrowers should return materials to the home library.

Member Libraries

See the BLC User Guide on the BLC website http://www.blc.org for a list of member libraries and information on individual library policy, library fees, as well as hours and directions.

Fine Appeal Processes

Use the Fine Appeal Form to contest any library fines or fees. State your reasons, including any extenuating circumstances that prevented you from returning library materials on time. The information you provide will help us reach a decision that is fair to you and other users of the library collection.

Once the Access Services billing staff have reviewed the Fine Appeal Form, you will be notified via email as to the status of those charges. Use the uconn.edu or huskymail addresses only. Incomplete information will suspend the processing of the Fine Appeal Form.

You may mail, email, fax or hand-deliver the completed form. (For delivery information - See Fine Appeal Form)

Proxy Patron Program

Faculty, University administrators and staff may employ students (both graduate and undergraduate) to serve as research assistants. Duties of these research assistants include locating items in the library and subsequently checking them out on behalf of the employer (aka Proxy Grantor.) These students are registered as Proxy Patrons at the iDesk.

Any items charged out of the library on behalf of the Proxy Grantor will be charged to the Proxy Grantor's record. The students must show iDesk staff their own UCONN photo ID when registering and checking out items.

Use the Proxy Borrower Permission form in order to set up privileges as a Proxy Patron. The Proxy Grantor must sign the form in order for it to be valid. The form should be brought to the iDesk by the research assistant/Proxy Patron for processing.

Honors Students

Undergraduate students participating in the Honors Students Program receive graduate student/faculty borrowing privileges for books at the Babbidge Library and the regional campuses libraries. These enhanced borrowing privileges provide Honors Students with extended access to resources for their academic courses, thesis work, and undergraduate research.

The privileges are as follows:

180-day loan period for books
Five 180 -day renewals that can be conducted on-line
Books may be recalled by other users, and would have to be brought back to the library after a student receives a recall notice
Books may be borrowed beyond the 5th 180-day renewal period if they are brought back to the library for discharge and inspection and have not been requested by other patrons.