Library Services

Eligibility: Students, faculty and staff of Luther Rice College & Seminary are entitled to borrow from the library.

Limited borrowing privileges are extended at no cost to Alumni (graduates from Luther Rice) and current students from area colleges with Reciprocal Borrowing Agreements.  Registration must be renewed each semester. A current semester student ID card from the home institution is required for registration and check-out.

Number of Items

Luther Rice undergraduate and graduate students may have up to 25 items checked out on their account with a limit of seven books on a given subject. Doctor of Ministry students may have a maximum of 35 items checked out on their account.  Items may be checked out at the Circulation desk in the library.

Alumni may check out up to 6 items at a time and students from area colleges with Reciprocal Borrowing Agreements may check out a maximum of 4 items at a time.

Most of the items in the general collection can be checked out for 45 days by current students. The loan period includes the mailing period for mailed books.

Loan Periods & Late Fees: The following table illustrates loan periods and late fees for the various library materials:

During operational hours, all library materials may be deposited in the marked book return slot located in the front of the circulation desk. When the Library is not open, items may be deposited in the blue drop box in front of the library, facing the road. It is recommended that off-campus students communicate through e-mail to notify the Library that the materials have been sent.

If another patron requests an item loaned to you, the library may contact you requesting that you return it within a week. This new date overrides the original return date and a fine is payable if the item is not received by the new due date.

Library patrons are responsible for returning or renewing items by their due date. Library borrowing privileges are suspended for patrons who have materials more than 30 days overdue or unpaid balances that exceed $5.

Library patrons are charged replacement costs when materials are damaged beyond repair, when materials are declared lost by the borrower, or when materials are considered by the library to be lost. (An item is considered “lost” after it is 30 days overdue.)

For each lost or damaged item, the patron will be billed for the current replacement cost of the item, the accrued late fee, and a $10 non-refundable processing fee. The maximum overdue fine is $10.00 per item.

If a lost item is subsequently returned to the library in good condition within a reasonable period after paying the replacement cost, the replacement fee will be waived, but the patron will be responsible for the late fee and the processing fee.

When a patron claims to have returned an item that is still on record as being checked out to the patron, the library will designate a “claims returned” status on the item for a period of 30 days. During this time period, the library staff will search the library collection and the patron, in turn, is expected to search his/her room, home, office, vehicle, etc. for the item.  At the end of the 30 days search process, if the item remains unfound, the patron will be billed for the replacement cost plus a processing fee and the accrued fines. (Fines will not accrue during the search period.)

Print books may be requested through the Smith Library online catalog cart system. Please remember to include your student ID number and mailing address. See video for instructions.

The materials requested are sent to students by mail at no charge. Students are responsible for returning the library materials.

Smith Library mailing address:

Smith Library
Luther Rice College & Seminary
3038 Evans Mill Road
Lithonia, GA 30038

Smith Library print books are available for curbside pickup from the library Monday through Friday between 9:30 AM and 3:30 PM. Print books check out for eight weeks with an option of a two week renewal. Please see the following video for instructions for completing a book cart order.

You will receive a student email when your order has been processed. If you do not receive an email within a few hours, please contact the library. Your order may not have been received. (Please note: You must send your cart order to library@lutherrice.edu spelled correctly, with no other email addresses added, to successfully send a cart order.)

Please include in your cart order notes when you plan to pick up your items. Please allow the staff at least an hour to process your order. (If you order the night before, your order may not be ready until 10:30 AM the following day.)

When you arrive to pick up, please park in the marked library pickup spot on the left side of the first parking lot. Remain in your vehicle and call the number posted on the sign to let library staff know you have arrived. A staff member will bring the materials to your vehicle.

Current students and faculty may obtain a limited number of scanned pages of physical books or journals housed within the library.  Please send requests to Library@lutherrice.edu including the chapters or page numbers required.  

Purpose

When the materials you need are not available in the Smith Library, you can request these materials through our Interlibrary Loan Service (ILL). Library staff search for these materials and borrow them for you from other libraries.

Please check the library catalog to see whether the item you need is available in the Smith library. If it is not available, then you may request it through Interlibrary Loan. (Textbooks are not available through Interlibrary Loan Service.)

Interlibrary Loan Users

This service is available only to faculty, current students and staff of Luther Rice College & Seminary.

Submit the request in person at the circulation desk or e-mail it to library@lutherrice.edu. Include as much bibliographic information you have on the item–such as title, author, publication date, etc.

Interlibrary Loan Charges

A search is made to try to obtain the requested items for free. As some libraries charge a fee to loan out items, a patron should indicate what amount of money he/she is willing to pay. Costs assessed by the lending library are the responsibility of the user.

Turnaround time

The average turnaround time for an ILL requested print book is about 2 weeks from the date of submission to the date of arrival in the library. Some ILL requests can take much longer. Copies of articles obtained through ILL typically can be delivered  to the library user within 24 hours. Although we will make every attempt to fill your request, we cannot guarantee that we can find a lender to supply your requested item.

Notification

Users will be notified when the items are received, via email or phone.

Overdue Material & Fines

A fine of $1.00 per day is charged on all overdue interlibrary loan items until materials are returned. In the event that an item is lost or damaged, the borrower is responsible for its replacement costs.

Copyright Compliance

All interlibrary loan functions shall be directed by and in compliance with Copyright Law.  Luther Rice College & Seminary reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement.

Items required for courses are usually placed on reserve to ensure equality of access to all students. Reserve materials are located at the circulation desk in the library. Reserve items must be returned to the Circulation Desk. If more than one copy of a required book is owned by the library, then those additional copies will be circulated (may be checked out).

Copiers and printers can be used by students for 10 cents a copy which can be paid at the circulation desk by cash or check. The library’s photocopying services are offered in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright Act. Each student must personally comply with the Copyright Law.

NOTICE: THE COPYRIGHT LAW OF THE UNITED STATES (TITLE 17 U.S. CODE) GOVERNS THE MAKING OF PHOTOCOPIES OR OTHER REPRODUCTIONS OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL. THE PERSON USING LUTHER RICE LIBRARY EQUIPMENT IS LIABLE FOR ANY INFRINGEMENT.

For Further information on Copyright Law, please click here.

Our information desk can typically assist you with research questions immediately. However, if you feel you need more help with using our resources, we offer alternatives.

Faculty members may schedule a Library tour for their class by contacting the Library Director by phone, email, or in person. Seven days advance notice is requested. Students may also schedule individual and small group tours with a librarian. A librarian will:

• Give you a tour of Smith Library
• Introduce you to the Library’s website
• Offer pointers for how to begin searching for information on your specific topic
• Demonstrate how to find books, articles, and other resources
• Demonstrate research strategies that can help make the best use of your time

Student IDs are now under the direction of the Department of Admissions & Records. Please be patient as we transition to a new system of processing student identification cards. Monitor your student email for updates regarding student IDs.

Note: You do not need a student ID to check out books or to use Respondus Monitor. Any photo ID will suffice. You may cover sensitive info on the other ID card, with the exception of your name and photo, when testing.