Circulation Services
The Alumni Medical Library provides library and information services to the faculty, staff and students of the Boston University schools of Medicine, Dental Medicine, Public Health, and the Boston Medical Center. The Library is open to Boston University affiliates and the general public, but service restrictions do apply. Click here for descriptions of the Library's collections. Use this form to recommend that the Library purchase a book or journal title.
Policies
- All faculty, staff and students of Boston University can use their identification cards to check-out materials from the Alumni Medical Library.
- All faculty, staff and students who are affiliated with universities & libraries holding membership in the Boston Library Consortium (BLC) are also eligible to check-out materials. A valid BLC card must be presented at time of check-out.
- Journals, reference books, reserve books and audiovisual materials do not circulate outside the Library.
- Books in the regular circulating collection are circulated for 28 days. Renew with the Book Renewal Form.
- Each book may be renewed up to two times unless another patron has placed a "hold" on the item. When a book is renewed, its due date is 28 days from the day of the renewal. Book renewals must be requested within one week of the book's due date -- Boston University's online library catalog system does not allow for a book to be renewed prior to one week before its due date.
- Checked-out materials can be returned to any of the Boston University libraries or to the book-drop located on the first floor of the Instructional Building on the medical campus.
- Patrons are responsible for theft, loss, or damage to items checked-out to them.
Returning Items Late
- If a patron fails to return a checked-out item 7 days past its due date, he or she will receive a late notice requesting that the item be returned immediately.
- If the book is not returned 14 days after the first notice is sent, a second late notice is mailed.
- If the item is still not returned within an additional 20 days, a final late notice is sent, and the patron may be blocked from checking-out materials from all Boston University libraries. Blocked records cannot be re-instated until the overdue item is returned.
- If a patron does not return the item 10 days after the final notice has been sent, he or she will be billed an $80 replacement charge per item (or cost of the item -- whichever is greater) along with a $20 non-refundable billing fee. (Students' university accounts are automatically billed for unreturned items. Faculty and staff receive billing invoices directly from the Library).
- Patrons who return items after receiving a billing notice are not required to pay the full $100 or replacement value of the item. As long as the item is returned in good condition, the patron is required to pay only a $20 non-refundable billing fee.
- When a patron returns the item, his or her library records are immediately unblocked as long as all fines have been paid in full.
Accessing Library Holdings
- Boston University's Library Catalog and information about searching the Library Catalog
- Boston Library Consortium:
- Virtual Catalog
- WorldCat Book and Journal Holdings
- Click here to renew a book that you have checked out.
For more information about Circulation Services, e-mail the Library Reference Department at refquest@bu.edu.