Access Services
(Circulation, Library Accounts, and Reserve)
(210) 999-8127
3^rd floor, Coates Library

The department of Access Services, or Circulation, is primarily responsible for the circulation of Library materials, maintaining patron records and processing of fine and fee payments, offering electronic and traditional course reserves, and maintaining the collection in the Library’s main stacks.

Frequently Asked Questions

General questions
Loan periods and overdue policies
Renewing items
Placing a hold or recall on items
TexShare Card Program
Submitting materials to be placed on reserve
Check-out of materials by non-Trinity patrons
Finding items in the Stacks
Fees for Microform Equipment Instruction or Research
Circulation desk hours
Library entrance/exit and food/drink policies
More information

Whom can I contact with specific Access Services questions?

• For Library account questions (fines & fees and overdues), contact Ernest Martínez, Circulation Accounts Supervisor at (210) 999-8180 or by e-mail.

• For reserve and copyright questions, contact Mary González, Copyright and Reserve Manager, at (210) 999-8189 or by e-mail.
   

• For general Circulation questions, call the Circulation desk at (210) 999-8127.

• To speak with the Manager of Access Services, contact Jason Hardin at (210) 999-8181 or by e-mail.

What are the Library’s loan periods and overdue policies?

This depends on the patron category (i.e., student, faculty, staff, alumnus, etc.) and the type of item being circulated.  For a comprehensive explanation of a specific policy, please select one of the following patron categories:  

Trinity Alumni
Trinity Classified Staff
Trinity Faculty and Contract Staff
Trinity Students
Trinity Summer Program patrons (Special Privileges card)
Trinity Trustees
Associates and Business Affiliates
Continuing Education Participants
CORAL (This program has been discontinued, having been replaced by the TexShare Card Program.)
Researchers (Special Privileges card)
Spouses and Children of Trinity faculty/staff

How do I renew items that I’ve checked out?  

Direct your Web browser to Quest, the Library’s online catalog, and click on “My Account”, then follow the log-on instructions that appear.  You’ll be able to check your Library account, see charged items and their due dates, and renew items that have not reached their renewal limit.  Or, go directly to the My Account log-on screen by clicking here.

Please note that we do not offer renewals over the phone.

Alternately, you may wish to bring your currently charged items to the Circulation desk and request that they be discharged and checked back out to you.  This procedure has the advantage of resetting the limit on the items’ renewals.  Please note, however, that if an item has an outstanding hold or recall request, we cannot check it back out to you.  Additionally, all returned items marked as “lost” must be processed to remove the lost status and to remove any related fines and fees (if appropriate) before being checked back out to any patron.

How do I place a hold or recall on an item?

A hold request will flag a book to held at the Circulation desk for the requesting patron when it is returned to the Library.  A recall request will generate a notice to the patron currently using the item to return it within four days.  

Holds and recalls may be placed by clicking on the “Item Request” tab when an Item Record is displayed in Quest.  Forms are also available at the Circulation desk which may be filled out and submitted to place hold or recall requests.  

Hold and recall requests may only be placed on an item that is charged (checked out).  Non-charged items from the Stacks (excluding all periodicals and Reference items) will be held at the Circulation desk for a maximum of twenty-four hours at a patron’s request.  

How do I submit materials to be placed on reserve for my classes?  

Learn all about the Library’s reserve and copyright policies by clicking here.  You may also contact the Library’s Copyright and Reserve Manager, Mary González, at (210) 999-8189 or by e-mail.  

Can I check out materials even if I’m not part of the Trinity community?  

As Trinity University is a private institution, our funding is limited and we must restrict the circulation of Library holdings to those patrons who are either directly affiliated with the University (faculty, students, staff, etc.) or who directly support the mission of the University and the Library.  There are several programs, however, that permit certain off-campus patron groups to check materials out.  Please see the descriptions of these services, below.

Coates Library is private, but always open to the public.  Off-campus patrons who are ineligible for any of the below programs are still welcome to use our materials and  resources “in-house”.  

CORAL patrons (This program discontinued; replaced by TexShare.)

 

 

Alumni

Graduates of Trinity University may establish a permanent Library account (permitting the check-out of up to eight books at any one time) by bringing their valid Trinity Alumni card to the Circulation desk and paying a one-time, non-refundable fee of fifteen dollars.

Special Researchers

Under very limited circumstances, the Library may choose to grant check-out privileges to individuals whose legitimate research needs cannot be met by other area institutions, and whose particular situation warrants the granting of such privileges.  An Special Researcher Card Application must be obtained from the Circulation desk, completed, and submitted for such a request to be considered.  Currently, the fee for this service is a one-time, non-refundable payment of thirty-five dollars.  The check-out limit for Special Researchers is four items, with a three-week loan period.

Associates and Business Affiliates

Individuals and institutions who participate in business arrangements with the University and/or who help to support the mission of the University are eligible to receive Associate/Business Affiliate Library cards.  Requests for this privilege should be made through the Development Office (210) 999-7415.

http://lib.trinity.edu/servcols/circ/index.shtml

Last update Friday, 29 Feb 2008