Internet Access | Borrowing Privileges | Fees | Holds(Reserves)
Inter-Library Loan | Library Instruction | Loan Services 
Reference | Renewals | Research Consultation | Returns

Below is a selected list of services provided by the Howard University Library System. It includes services which may apply to the Social Work Library only. 

Access to Restricted Databases

Licensed databases, i.e. those suffixed by an R on the Founders Library home page, may be accessed by Howard faculty, students and staff via any Internet Service Provider from anywhere 
in the world. More...

Borrowing Privileges

Registration

Register at the Circulation Desk in Founders Library, UGL, or a branch library to obtain a 14-digit patron ID (barcode) on a validated HU photo ID or other authorized documents. Alumni may apply 
for library privileges in the office of the library director. Authorized users from other institutions must initially register to use the Howard University Libraries' System at the Circulation Desk in The
Founders Library.

You are permitted to borrow items from any library in the Howard University Library System.

Please bring your ID card with you each time you use the library. If you do not have your card 
you may not be allowed to checkout materials.

Special Faculty Borrowing (OCLC)
An OCLC Reciprocal Borrowing Card which permits faculty to borrow material from
participating libraries colleges and universities nationwide may be obtained at a
Circulation Desk. ILL (Interlibrary Loan) request forms are available at the Founders
Library circulation desk.

Special Faculty and Graduate Student Borrowing (CIRLA)
Faculty and graduate students may borrow circulating materials from CIRLA (Chesapeake
Information and Research Library Alliance), which consists of Georgetown University,
John Hopkins University, National Agricultural Library, Smithsonian Institution,
University of Delaware, the University of Maryland and Howard University. Register for
a card at one of the Circulation Desks.

Loan Services                                                                                              

Loan Periods: Regular Items

Undergraduate students, 3 weeks
Graduate students, 6 weeks
Honor students, 4 weeks
Exchange students, 3 weeks
Unclassified students, 3 weeks
Upward bound students, 3 weeks
Interlibrary (ILL) users, 3 weeks
Others authorized users, 3 weeks

Loan Periods: Course Reserves

Most items are loaned for 2 hours for in-house use or may be taken overnight. Overnight items must be returned the next business day within one hour after library opens. Other loan periods vary from l day to 7 days. Overnight loans are limited to Howard's students and faculty. Personal reserve and reference materials, periodical and A-V items DO NOT circulate outside library premises, except as noted above.

Returns

Book Drops
24-hour book drops for the return of non-reserve materials are available at all branch libraries and outside Founders and the Undergraduate Library.

Reserve Materials
Reserve materials must be returned directly to a staff person at the circulation desk from which 
items were borrowed. Reserve materials MUST NOT be returned in book drops.

Non-Reserve Materials
Non-reserve materials may be returned to the circulation desk in any branch of the Howard Library System except the Law and Health Sciences Library- , or in book drops outside a library. Receipts  
are available upon request.

Renewals                                                                                                                 

There is no limit on the number of non-reserve items a borrower may renew, provided the borrower is not flagged and his borrowing privileges stopped because of  violations.  Materials may be renewed 
at the circulation desk of Founders, the Undergraduate library and  the branch libraries. However, materials borrowed from the Health Sciences Library or the Law Library must be renewed at those facilities.

Reserve materials may be renewed at the desk from which they were borrowed if no other user 
has requested them. Please note that priority renewal is given to Howard University students and
faculty.

Automated Phone Renewals
This service will be available with the implementation of the new web-based STERLING catalog.

Holds (Reserves) and Recalls

Items may be recalled for course reserve and other special purposes. You may request items to be placed on hold when checked out to another patron. Items will be loaned to patrons in the order that they are requested.

Inter-Library Loan

The University Libraries (Architecture, Business, Divinity, Founders, Social Work and UGL) administers a centralized inter-library loan service. Click here for more information on obtaining materials by inter-library loan.

Fees

Library Fines and Charges

The maximum fine is $25.00. Borrowing privileges are suspended when an item reaches the 
maximum fine of $25.00.

Reference                                                                                             

Information and Directional Assistance
Library technicians and student assistants have been trained to answer frequently asked
questions regarding library facilities, services, and policies. This level of assistance
includes issuing ready reference tools and helping library users search Sterling, the
online public access catalog, or general directories on the Founders web site.

Research Consultation

Reference Assistance and Consultation Services
Reference librarians handle more complex questions and provide instruction in the use
of print and automated reference materials. Library users who have exhausted the
resources offered through basic information service are encouraged to make an
appointment with the librarian who will help attempt to track down hard-to-find information
or guide users in formulating extensive search strategies or in using special
collections. E-Mail the Social Work Librarian or call (202) 806-7316.

Library Instruction

User Orientation and Instruction Programs
The instructional program is designed to satisfy varying time constraints and diverse
learning styles. The components include scheduled guided tours, general orientations,
instructional handouts, software demonstrations, Internet workshops, and course related
instruction.

Training in Searching Electronic Resources
At the start of each semester, introductory sessions are held to acquaint library users
with strategies for searching Sterling, the online public access catalog. Internet
workshops are conducted throughout the academic year so that users can efficiently
access and critically assess the expansive array of information on the World Wide Web.
Dates and times of the training sessions are listed under the Information Technology
Class Schedules. E-Mail the Social Work Librarian or call (202) 806-7316.