The collections of National Tsing Hua University Library (hereinafter referred to as "The Library" or "NTHU Library") are mainly provided for use by faculty , staff and students of National Tsing Hua University or other individuals/groups that are approved of by the National Tsing Hua University Library.
The following rules are applicable to the services provided by Tsing Hua University Main Library, the Humanities and Social Sciences Branch, the Mathematics Branch, the Physics Branch, and the Nanda Branch.
Valuable collections, graduate theses and dissertations of National Tsing Hua University in the thesis area, journals, newspapers, microforms and books on display are not available for borrowing.
Chapter 2: Borrowing
Patrons who are eligible for borrowing must sign "The Statement of Patron's Privileges" to activate their library cards.
Patrons of each type should follow the following rules.
(1) Students of National Tsing Hua University should present their student ID cards to borrow items. New postgraduate students of the current academic year (before 8/31) who have completed registration and handed in their graduation certificates or have signed the declaration should borrow items with their ID card.
(2) Current faculty, research fellows, adjunct professors, visiting professors, postdoctoral researchers, staff, assistants and Emeritus professors of National Tsing Hua University should borrow items with their ID cards issued by the Office of Personnel of National Tsing Hua University. The aforementioned patrons can apply for library cards for their immediate family members who are above six years old.
(3) University students on suspend, alumni, short-term researchers, short-term study program & credit course students, CII partners, immediate family members of faculty and NTHU Affiliated Elementary School Staff members should apply for library cards.
(5) Based on the reciprocity principle, patrons of libraries which are in cooperation with the National Tsing Hua University Library borrow items according to the inter-library borrowing rules or cooperation agreement signed by both libraries.
(6) Faculty members, retirees, and alumni of the University may apply for an Immediate Family Member Library Card or an NTHU Library Membership Card (hereinafter "supplementary cards") for their spouses and immediate family members by presenting a valid card (hereinafter "primary card"). However, if any supplementary card holder violates any provision of the "Rules for Circulation Services," the primary card holder shall bear joint liability, including but not limited to returning borrowed materials, paying late-return fees, and covering any required compensation.
The borrowing rights of patrons are specified in the "Library Collection Borrowing Limit, Period, and Directions".
Patrons must follow the copyright law and the motion picture rating regulations when borrowing audiovisual materials. If violated, the patron will be responsible of the legal liabilities.
Chapter 3: Returning
Collections borrowed by patrons should be returned to the library on time as dictated by library rules.
When the library collection is under inventory check, the library can notify and retrieve collections that are borrowed by patrons.
Patrons should return borrowed items on time or else a late-return fee will be incurred according to the rules.
(1) Faculty and staff must return all borrowed items and pay all late-return fees—including those associated with their Immediate Family Member Library Card—before leaving the university; otherwise, the separation process will not be completed.
(2) Graduating students, transfer students, and students under suspension should return all borrowed items and pay all late-return fees before leaving school, or else the leave will be denied.
(3) Patrons who hold library-issued cards must return all borrowed items and pay any late-return fees before the card expires; otherwise, renewal or new applications will not be processed.
If patrons intend to return borrowed items (with the exception of audio/visual material) when the library is closed, they may return the items through return boxes around the library. However, return time is based on library records, and late returns may be dealt with accordingly.
Chapter 4: Reservation and Recall
If the item that the patron intends to borrow has already been borrowed, the patron can apply for reservation, and should pick up items within three days of getting the library notice.
If patrons wish to borrow material that has already been reserved by other patrons, then the borrowing period will be lessened to only fourteen days.If borrowed items have been reserved by other patrons, then the patron should return borrowed items within fourteen days since the recall notice has been issued by the library.
During winter and summer breaks, if faculty or students are unable to return recalled library materials on time due to special circumstances, they should notify the library to request an extension of the loan period.
Chapter 5: Violation and Compensation
If patron fails to return borrowed items on time, then besides the suspension of patron privileges, for each piece of items borrowed, a late-return fee of NT$5 per day will be incurred to the patron.
If patron plans to leave the school, patron should return all the collections borrowed and pay all the fees.
If a patron's late-return items exceed 30 days or overdue fees NT$ 500 , the patron’s privileges will be suspended. This includes entering the main library and all branch libraries (including entry obtained by exchanging a National ID card for a temporary library card), as well as applying for or renewing any type of library card.
Library privileges can be restored after the patron has completed the necessary procedures at the library.
For holders of supplementary cards, if any of the above violations occur, the library may suspend the supplementary card holder's privileges and will temporarily not accept new applications or renewals for the primary card holder's Immediate Family Member Library Card or NTHU Library Membership Cards.
If patron loses a borrowed item, then the patron should return the same new item as compensation to the library if new item can be bought. If public broadcast media has been lost, then the patron should also return new media with the same version. A processing fee of NT$100 will also be incurred to the patron.
If a lost item is out of print or unbuyable, then the patron should compensate the library with three times of the item list price. If no list price is available, then the patron should pay NT$2000 for Chinese books, NT$3000 for foreign books, NT$1000 for home-use audio/visual media, NT 5000 for public broadcast audio/visual media.
Compensation of lost library items should be authorized by the library staff. If the patron is not of legal age, then the responsibility carries on to the patron's legal guardian.
Patrons are not allowed to mark, comment, fold, overwrite or damage library material. Patrons who do not obey will have to compensate to the library according to the rules of article 12 and report to related authorities of the damage. If patrons notice damage before usage of material, patron should notify the library staff of the damage.
Library cards are only for personal use and forging, borrowing or exchange of the card is not allowed. If a card is lost, please notify the library and apply for a reissue from original issuer. If damage is inflicted to the library collection before patron notifies the library of the loss, then the patron should take full responsibility for the damage. Using, forging, or borrowing other patrons' library cards, or lending your own card to others, will be handled in accordance with the "National Tsing Hua University Library Violation Handling Guidelines".
Patrons who have patron privileges or are in possession of library cards issued by the library can appeal to the Reader's Appeal Committee if they feel that their privileges have been affected due to wrongful handling or bad managing practices by the library.
Chapter 7:
Readers who have paid a deposit for a library card may apply for a refund without interest within three years from the card's expiration date. Applications submitted beyond this three-year period will not be accepted by the Library.
The Directives shall be passed by the NTHU Library Committee Meeting and submitted to the President for ratification.
NTHU