Rights and responsibilities
Contents
Learning and working together in the
library: MMU Library Customer Charter
Library staff are committed to providing high-quality services for all
customers, but an excellent educational experience depends on a close and
effective partnership. MMU Library’s Customer Charter, as outlined
below, describes the expectations, standards and responsibilities of both
partners, and sits alongside the Library Rules and Regulations and
the University
Student Agreement (PDF, 36k).
Our commitment to you
- To be approachable and treat all our customers fairly, with courtesy and
respect, taking individual needs into account as appropriate;
- To provide an efficient service, publicise the facilities we offer,
and seek our customers’ views as we design and constantly seek to
improve services;
- To provide access to resources to support the University’s study
and research activities and to help our customers use them effectively;
- To provide a safe, pleasant and welcoming environment with designated
zones for group, silent/quiet work and mobile phone use;
- To guarantee the confidentiality of personal information in accordance
with the Data Protection Act;
- To ensure observance of the Library’s Customer Charter.
Your commitment to us
- To treat library staff and fellow customers with courtesy and respect
at all times, and to use the facilities provided appropriately;
- To carry your own current/valid University/Library ID card whenever
you visit the Library, be prepared to show it on request; also to keep
it safe, ensuring that you do not permit/enable others to use it;
- To respect the designated zones for group, silent/quiet work and mobile
phone use;
- To treat books, journals and other library resources and equipment with
care, and pay for any lost or damaged material;
- To follow library guidance about copyright and licensing law when photocopying,
scanning, printing and using electronic resources, DVDs, etc.
- To use the MMU network and e-resources appropriately and never for commercial
purposes, keeping your MMU network ID/password secure, and not allowing
use by others;
- To keep belongings with you at all times - unattended items are at risk
of theft but may also be regarded as a security risk or safety hazard
and removed by security staff;
- To use plug sockets only for laptops and not for charging phones and
MP3 players etc, to avoid trailing wires, and to avoid unplugging or otherwise
tampering with equipment;
- To bring only bottled soft drinks with screw tops into the Library -
food is not allowed except for packet sweets, other than in designated
areas;
- To ensure that all items are issued before leaving the Library and to
bring them back promptly;
- To check your University e-mail account regularly for library messages.
Our commitment to customer satisfaction
We welcome your feedback or suggestions to improve the service. Please
speak to a member of staff, complete a comments card or submit feedback
via the Library’s website.
Ensuring observance of the Customer Charter
In order that the Library continues to provide a welcoming environment where
customers can learn effectively, library staff will ensure that the above
measures are observed at all times by, as necessary:
- Reminding customers of the provisions of the Charter
- Requesting to see appropriate identification
- Asking customers to adjust their behaviour or leave.
- Filing a misconduct report when they consider it appropriate. This
may lead to a fine, temporary exclusion from library premises and/or disciplinary
action; it may also lead to customers not being permitted access to other
academic libraries through cooperative schemes such as SCONUL Access.
September 2008
^ Top of page
Library rules and regulations
General
Use of the Library is conditional on observance of the Rules and Regulations. Users
must familiarise themselves and comply with these, and with any reasonable
request or instruction issued by library staff. Anyone failing to
do so may be temporarily excluded from the Library and/or incur a fine.
The Head of Library Services or other member of staff on duty at the time
has authority to require any person he/she considers to be in breach of
the Library’s Rules and Regulations or otherwise behaving inappropriately
to leave the Library immediately. A student who refuses to obey an
instruction to leave the Library, given by a librarian or other member
of library staff on duty at the time, may be summarily suspended from the
University by the Vice-Chancellor pending further disciplinary action against
them under the University’s Student Disciplinary Procedure.
The Head of Library Services has the right to refer any breaches by students
of the Rules and Regulations and/or verbal abuse or improper behaviour
towards library staff, other library users and the Library in general to
the relevant Head of Department (or equivalent) or Dean of Faculty for
dealing with under the University’s Student Disciplinary Procedures. Students
banned from the Manchester Metropolitan University Library following such
a disciplinary action within the University may be permanently banned from
all of the other university libraries in the North West.
Students who fail to pay their tuition or accommodation fees, library or
other fines, or to repay any loans made to them by the University within
the time specified for so doing, will have their library facilities suspended
until such time as satisfactory payment/repayment arrangements have been
made and agreed by the University.
Specific rules and regulations
Access
- Access to the University Library is restricted to staff and students of
the University who are in possession of a current valid identity card issued
by the Manchester Metropolitan University, and to such other persons as
may be authorised by the Head of Library Services. Cards are not transferable.
- Details of each user’s name,
address, department and such particulars as may be deemed necessary for
the secure and effective operation of the Library’s service are used
in the Library’s computer systems, on the understanding that this
information will be held securely, divulged only as permitted under the
Data Protection Act, 1998, and used only for purposes registered and
approved under the provisions of the Act.
- Students are required to carry their
University student identity card and staff to carry their University
staff identity card to gain entry and to use the Library, and must produce
this when required to do so by an authorised person. This, or any other
library identity card, must be used only by the member to whom it is
issued.
- Adults and children are welcome to visit the
Museum in the Sir Kenneth Green Library, but otherwise access to the
Library for children cannot be assumed, except to the foyer area so that
parents/guardians can collect/return items and use the catalogue. Parents/guardians
are responsible for the safety of children in their care at all times,
and must ensure they cause no damage or disturbance. Special arrangements
must always be made for groups of children.
Use of Facilities and Services
- Bags, etc, are allowed in the Library at the discretion of the Head
of Library Services. It is a condition that all bags, trolleys and cases,
including those with wheels, are carried through the Library exit and are
subject to inspection if required. Bags and other personal possessions
should not be left unattended, for reasons of security and to avoid tying
up study spaces. The Library has no responsibility in case of damage
to or theft of personal property.
- Appropriate behaviour is required
in all parts of the Library. Users of the Library should respect
the use of designated silent and quiet study zones. Group work can
only take place in the zones/rooms assigned for this purpose. Phones
should either be switched off or set to silent mode on entering the libraries. The
use of mobile phones to make and receive calls is prohibited except in
designated areas. Users failing to comply with these requirements,
or who behave inappropriately anywhere in the Library will be asked to
leave. Any subsequent incidents will be subject to a fine and/or
ban, or referral to the Dean of Faculty for consideration within the
terms of the appropriate University disciplinary procedures.
- Wrapped, packet sweets and bottled
soft drinks with screw tops are allowed, except in the Museum in the
Sir Kenneth Green Library. However, the consumption of food and drink
is otherwise not allowed in the Library except in specifically designated
areas. Anyone entering with hot food and/or unlidded drinks, neither
of which are allowed under any circumstances, may be refused admission
or asked to leave.
- The use of personal audio equipment
is not permitted in the Library if its use disturbs others. Photography,
filming, and sound recording is not allowed without the prior permission
of the Head of Library Services.
- Mains operated personal equipment,
except laptops, should not be used without the prior permission of a
librarian. Where
use of the mains is permitted, other equipment should not be unplugged
and wires should not trail so as to cause a trip hazard. Furniture should
not be moved.
- Users are required to comply with copyright
regulations when photocopying, scanning, photographing, printing or downloading
from information resources in print, electronic or any other format.
- Data retrieved from the Library’s electronic
resources may not be used for purposes other than learning, teaching, research,
personal educational development, administration and management of the
Manchester Metropolitan University, and development work associated with
any of the aforementioned. Use of the data is not permitted for consultancy
or services leading to commercial exploitation of the data, nor for work
of significant benefit to the employer of students on industrial placement
or part-time courses. Users must also comply with the specific requirements
of individual data providers. Passwords must never be deliberately
or inadvertently revealed or made accessible to others. Access to e-resources
will be withdrawn in case of abuse. See also Student Regulations
for Use of University Computing Resources.
- There is priority at some PCs for disabled
students and for those using subscribed electronic information resources.
Priority at all PCs is for use of educational research resources.
Loans, Fees and Charges
- Any items taken out of the Library must be properly authorised and
recorded. Damage
to, or unauthorised removal of, items constitutes a serious offence and
may lead to a fine or disciplinary action.
- Loan allowances and periods are defined in
guides to library services. Most books, etc, can be renewed remotely
up to a maximum of ten times unless reserved by another user. A
reserved item is subject to recall once it has been on loan for eight
days. There are restrictions on the renewal of some items, e.g. laptops,
one-day loan items.
- Fines are charged on overdue items (current
rates are advertised in guides to library services). If fines are
outstanding, borrowing rights may be withdrawn and passwords for access
to electronic services withheld until such time as those fines are paid.
- Most library communications are by e-mail to
a student’s official University e-mail address, including, e.g.,
information about access to e-resources, overdue, recall, reservation and
inter-library loan notices. It is the responsibility of users to
check regularly for these messages.
- Users are responsible for items borrowed on
their cards and for their return by the due date. They will be required
to pay for any damage to, and/or theft or loss of, items borrowed, at replacement
cost plus an administrative charge. The Library is not insured
for theft of or damage to loans. Damaged items remain the property of
the Library both before and after payment; borrowing rights are withdrawn
while payment is outstanding.
- Access to libraries and/or borrowing rights
may be withdrawn temporarily if fees/charges in other parts of the University
are outstanding.
- The award of a University qualification
may be deferred until all items have been returned and outstanding fines/charges
paid.
May 2010
^ Top of page
Student regulations for use of university
computing resources
The latest version of these are available from the Information
Systems website at:
http://www.mmu.ac.uk/itservices/policy/index.php
^ Top of page
Acceptable use policies (AUPs)
In addition to the above student regulations for use of university computing
resources, the University has recently (August 2000) ratified a policy
for acceptable use of information systems, available at:
http://www.mmu.ac.uk/itservices/policy/docs/policy_ref_AcceptableUsePolicy.pdf
There are also accompanying guidance notes at:
http://www.mmu.ac.uk/itservices/policy/docs/policy_ref_aupg.pdf
ISU also have an index
to other policies including AUPs for email and newsgroup access.
^ Top of page