General Information
The Science Library houses the majority of collections supporting the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences and the College of Engineering at UCR. A UCR Library card entitles you to borrow materials from the Science Library as well as the Rivera Library and the Music Library. These libraries, together with the resources provided at the Media Library, make up a large and varied collection of over two million volumes.
The library staff are here to assist you. During your visit, we request that you refrain from eating, drinking or smoking in the library. We also ask that you be considerate of other patrons by keeping the noise level down while in the library.
Circulation Services (951-827-3701) provides services such as checkout, renewal and the issuance of library cards. It also functions as the main contact for referring patrons to other service points within the library. Please bring your UCR CARD or LIBRARY CARD with you to Circulation for all library transactions. For the protection and privacy of our library users, we will not perform library transactions for a patron who does not have a UCR/Library card.
Borrowing privileges vary according to patron category. Please see the Borrowing Privileges at UCR page for information on which items circulate to your borrowing group, including the length of time for which you may borrow an item. Borrowers are responsible for knowing and abiding by the rules and regulations of the UCR Libraries. Complete brochures explaining library policy are available at the Circulation Services desk. If you have any questions concerning these policies, please speak to a supervisor or email us at scicirc@library.ucr.edu.
The Circulation Desk closes to all transactions except checkout 15 minutes before library closing. Please be sure to complete other library business and lengthy transactions before that time.
Library Cards
Library cards are the exclusive property of the person to whom they are issued. Do not loan your card to any other person. Please report lost or stolen cards immediately. Card holders will not be excused from bills resulting from the misuse of a lost or stolen card that was not reported to the library. Click here to find out how to get a library card.
Checking Out Books
Items may be checked out at either the Circulation Desk or at the Self Check out station in the front lobby. Library users are responsible for all items checked out on their cards, and should not loan their borrowed materials to any other person.
Circulating material in the Map Collection may be checked out by current UCR faculty, staff or students from that service desk. All other users may view Map Collection material in house within that Unit.
Renewals
Materials may be renewed unless they have been requested by another borrower. Items may be renewed twice by visiting SCOTTY, the UCR Library Catalog and logging in to your mySCOTTY account. Follow the instructions given. For more detailed help go to Renew Your Books. After material has been renewed two times online, it will have to be renewed in person at the Circulation desk with your library card. You may also renew books by bringing the items to the Circulation desk of the library at which they were checked out.
Reserve material may not be renewed online or over the phone and must be renewed at the Circulation/Reserve desk with your library card. Only unbound journals and uncataloged government documents may be renewed twice by telephone.
Returning Books
Books (excluding Reserve material) should be returned on or before the due date to any UCR Circulation Desk or to the appropriate book return. Reserve material must be returned to the Reserve Desk from which the material was checked out. Books should not be left on counters or tables in the library or returned to UCR through Interlibrary Loans (here or on any other campus). Upon request, a receipt will be issued for UCR materials. Circulation does not keep a record of receipts issued or give receipts for materials that have been borrowed through Interlibrary Loan.
Searches
A library user may initiate a search when a needed item is not found on the shelf and is not listed as checked out. Search cards are available at the Circulation Desk. Most searches take a week, including the time needed to mail a notification once the material is located. If the library is unable to immediately find an item, UCR faculty, staff, graduate and undergraduate students may request the item through Interlibrary Loan. If you have any questions on the disposition of a search request, please contact Stacks Services at scisearch@library.ucr.edu.
Recalls
Current UCR faculty, staff, and students, as well as current faculty, staff and students from other UC campuses have the privilege of recalling books from another patron who has checked them out. A recall changes the original borrowing period of a book, making it due before the due date of the book. In most instances, the book will be available in 7-10 days. Please ask at Circulation Services for more details.
You may receive a notice asking you to bring a book back before the day it is due. This is a recall notice and means that someone else needs the book. The book is now due within 5 days of the date printed on the notice. Return the book promptly to avoid being fined. The minimum recall fine is $11.00 for the first day late, and $1.00 for each day thereafter. If you still need the book, and you are a UCR student, staff, or faculty member, you may place a hold so you can get it back. Please ask at Circulation Services if you have any questions regarding recalled items or placing holds.
Overdue and Billing Information
Library material is considered overdue if it is not returned by the date due indicated on a receipt, by the date stamped on the date due slip, by the due date indicated on a recall notice, or by the due date listed on your patron record, viewable via SCOTTY. The library sends one notice listing which books are overdue as a courtesy reminder to return or renew your books. Failure to receive a courtesy notice will not prevent billing. Bills include the replacement cost of the book and a $10.00 nonrefundable processing fee for each item billed. All bills are payable at the UCR campus Cashiers Office. Books returned damaged to the library may also be billed. Please inspect items for any damage prior to checkout and report it to Circulation Services.
The Student Business Services Department on campus will add late fees to any balance carried from month to month. Pay bills promptly to avoid these charges.
If you are going to be out of town for more than three days, we recommend that you either return your books to the library or ask someone to watch your mail for library notices to avoid being billed for late and recalled books. Bills and fines resulting from your absence will not be excused.
Address Information
You may receive your library notices by either the U.S. Postal Service or by electronic mail (UCR Faculty, Staff and Students will receive library notices ONLY via their campus email account). Whichever method you choose, it is your responsibility to ensure the library has your current address. A claim of failure to receive an overdue or recall notice will not prevent you from being billed. Please note that other campus service desks are not connected to the library. You must turn in a change of address to the library in order to update your record. You may use the online Change of Address Form to update your address information.
Borrowing Privileges at Other Libraries
Current UCR faculty, staff and students may use Interlibrary Loan to borrow items not available in the UCR Library's collection. They may also obtain privileges at other UC libraries. Loma Linda University Library privileges are available for UCR faculty, and regularly enrolled students. Stanford University offers privileges for UCR faculty and graduate students. UCR faculty may also receive privileges at select colleges and universities around the country. All privileges at other libraries are subject to their rules and regulations. Please inquire at the Circulation desk for more information.
Library Security
The library collection is protected by an electronic security system. Items that have not been checked out will cause the system's alarm to ring. A security report is taken each time the alarm sounds. Please be sure that all library materials have been properly checked out before attempting to leave the library.
A Security Guard and Library Service Monitors (LSMs) patrol the library. They are responsible for observing and monitoring the activity of the library. Your cooperation in working with them is appreciated, as they are working to maintain the safety and security of all library users.
Guard your possessions while in the library! Leaving possessions unattended, even for a moment, may invite a thief. If you are the victim of a theft or other illegal activity, or you see suspicious or illegal activity, please report it to the Circulation desk. We will assist in notifying the police and taking a report of the incident. Your help in keeping the library safe for all users is appreciated.
