Policies

• We strive to provide the highest level of service to all library users through appropriate and usefully organized resources; equitable service policies; equitable access; and accurate, unbiased, and courteous responses to all requests.
• We seek to uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and resist all efforts to censor library resources.
• We seek to protect each library user’s right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted.
• We recognize and respect intellectual property rights.
• We treat co-workers and other colleagues with respect, fairness and good faith, and advocate conditions of employment that safeguard the rights and welfare of all employees of our Library.
• We seek to avoid the advancement of private interests at the expense of library users, colleagues, or the Maharishi International University Library.
• We distinguish between our personal convictions and professional duties and do not allow our personal beliefs to interfere with fair representation of aims of the Maharishi International University Library.
• We strive for excellence in the profession by maintaining and enhancing our own knowledge and skills, by encouraging the professional development of co-workers, and by fostering the aspirations of potential members of the profession.

• For on campus students – Student ID
• For distant education students – please, contact your respective departments
• For faculty and staff – respective ID
• For community members 18 years of age or older – a valid driver’s license / state ID
• For individuals under the age of 18 – a parent’s valid ID as stated. The parent must accompany the minor and co-sign the registration form.
• For Maharishi School of the Age of enlightenment – a school ID card from their school.
• In addition to proper ID, the applicants must fill out and sign an application form available at the Circulation Desk.

Patron Responsibility

• Patrons are responsible for all materials checked out on their cards and for any charges incurred.
• Patrons must notify the library of missing cards and /or IDs. Items checked out on a patron’s account that is not reported missing are the responsibility of the patron who registered with the library.
• The library is not responsible for undelivered notices if not notified about patrons’ changes to their address, email address or telephone number.
• Borrowing privileges will be suspended if an individual has any outstanding fines and/or any outstanding charges and/or any overdue materials.
• A library card, faculty/staff ID or students ID or photo ID (Driver’s license) must be presented to check out. Other forms of identification will not be accepted.

Reserves

• All circulating items may be reserved.
• Faculty may reserve materials for the course they teach
• Reserves will be held for 14 days at the circulation desk. This includes the day the item arrived and days the library is closed.
• Items cannot be reserved for a specific date.

Loan Periods and Fines

• Temporary limits on the number of items, loan periods, and renewals may be set at the library’s discretion.
• Overdue fines are not charged for days the library is closed.
• Overdue fines shall not exceed the replacement cost of the item.
• Overdue fines on the item(s) should be paid at the time of renewal or return.

Notices shall be sent out in the following sequence

• There is a three (3) days grace period.
• Afterwards the notices are generated on a twice-a –week basis until the fine is paid.

MUM library items

Renewals

• Six renewals are allowed on library materials unless an item is reserved for another patron. Renewals extend the loan period of the item for the same amount of time as the original checkout.
• Renewals are from the date renewed, not from the original due date.
• Items may be renewed online at www.miu.edu/library, over the phone, via e-mail or at the library.

Fees and Refunds

• Lost items that have been paid for become the property of the patron. The library does not issue refunds for lost/paid items.
• A nonrefundable processing fee of $15 is charged per item for all lost & paid materials.
• There is a $1.00 fee to replace a lost library card.
• A $2.00 fee will be charged for each subsequent loss of a library card if it occurs less than a year from the most recent replacement.

Damaged Materials

• Damage charges will be assessed depending on the extent of the damage.
• A processing fee of $15.00 will be added to the cost of the item if the item is too damaged to be circulated again.
• Patrons are not allowed to purchase their own replacements without prior library staff approval.

Book and AV Drops

• There is a drop-box outside the library West entrance (Science Wing) for the return of library materials.
• Items returned before 9:00 a.m. will be considered as returned the previous day.

• Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.
• Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Materials should not be proscribed or removed because of the partisan or doctrinal disapproval.
• Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.
• Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgment of free expression and free access to ideas.
• A person’s right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.
• Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the benefits or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

• Materials consulted, borrowed or acquired
• Circulation records
• Workstation logs
• Database search records
• Any other such records with personally identifiable information pertaining to the use of library materials, facilities, programs or services

• Any individual or group activity which is disruptive to other persons using library facilities and/or the library staff.
• Any individual or group activity that is inconsistent with activities such as reading, studying and other similar conduct normally associated with an academic library.
• Any individual or group activity which violates any federal law, state law or municipal ordinance.
• Any individual or group activity which is determined by a library employee to be unsafe.

B. Examples of unacceptable conduct

Unacceptable conduct includes, but is not limited to the following:

• Excessive and disruptive conversations / discussions in the library building.
• Usage of cell phones that disrupt others in the library from their duties.
• Bringing any animal into the library building, except working animals which assist the disabled.
• Stealing, damaging or vandalizing library property, including removing protective covers or barcodes from books, magazines and other media with the intent to steal library property.
• Damaging computers and other IT items, internet connection, electric wiring.
• Illicitly downloading or damaging software
• Downloading and printing books that are meant for the students to be bought as textbooks.
• Exhibiting abusive, obscene, or profane conversation and/or behavior toward library staff or patrons, or being in a general intoxicated state.
• Engaging in behavior that is harassing or threatening in nature to library staff or patrons.
• Knowingly entering non-public areas of library facilities without permission.
• Leaving children unattended in the premises of the library
• Staying in the library after library hours.
• Viewing and downloading publications as well as audiovisuals, inconsistent with the culture of the Maharishi International University.
• Non-compliance with the warnings of the library staff

C. Treatment of offenses

(Depending on the severity of the offense. Staff who feel threatened by a patron’s behavior should call the security and/or 911 for assistance.)

• Offenses will first be addressed by library staff that witness the behavior or are involved with the behavior in question.
• Staff will document behavior using a library incident report.
• If the behavior continues, the Library Director will speak to the patron.
• Visitors who do not follow the Library’s Unacceptable Conduct Policy can be asked to leave the building and can lose their Library privileges. They can also be arrested or subject to other legal action. The director will determine the length of time privileges will be suspended depending on the nature of the offense, the extent of damage or disruption, any history of prior infractions of library policies and other relevant circumstances.

D. Library Privileges

• Library privileges shall include, but are not limited to the following:
• Access to the library building
• Access to the general academic collection
• Access to the Vedic collection
• Borrowing materials from the library as per the circulation policy
• Use of the Internet as per the Internet policy
• Use of the microfilm reader and reader/printer
• Access to materials from the Watertown History Case
• Obtaining help from the staff
• Reserving and using library meeting rooms as per the meeting room policy
• Attending library story hours or other library programs

1. The Maharishi International University Library accepts donations of any kind that support and further the mission, goals and objectives of the Library, as established by the Library Board.
2. The purpose of this policy is to specify the type of donations that the Library will accept and how the Library will handle these donations.
3. The Library gratefully accepts gifts and donations. The MUM Development Office will issue an official acknowledgement of receipt for the donation as part of its normal procedures.
4. The Library cannot and does not appraise books, works of art or any other items Donors who wish to have the value of a donation specified must make all arrangements for and bear all costs of an appraisal.
5. The Library may not be able to accept a donation if the donor places extensive and/or restrictive conditions on the use of the gift by the Library, when such conditions contradict with the mission, goals and objectives of the Library and the University as a whole. In such case, the donor will be notified in writing and the gift returned.
6. All gifts accepted by the Library become the property of the Library, which has the prerogative to keep or dispose of the items.

Gifts of Money

The Library accepts gifts of money, in any amounts. Gifts of money to the library should best be sent to:

MUM Development Office
1000 N. 4th Street
Fairfield, IA 52556

• Please include a memo stating that the donation is for the library.
• The donor may indicate how he/she wishes the money to be spent by the Library.
• The money may be specified for a particular type of library material, service or activity.
• The money may be specified for a particular library location.
• The money may be specified for a particular item of furniture or equipment.
• Recognition of a gift of money is made as outlined below, according to what is purchased with the money.

Gifts of Books and Other Library Materials

• The Library accepts gifts of library materials in good condition.
• The Library accepts books, CDs, cassettes, DVDs, sheet music, and videos.
• The Library does not accept magazines or journals, moldy, smelly materials or materials in poor condition, materials requiring technologies which the library no longer supports such as LPs, audio cassettes, VHS tapes, photocopies or other reproductions, computer science books older than 3 years or other dated technology books
• The donations need to be delivered to the library circulation desk in non-returnable boxes or bags.
• All library materials accepted as gifts will be evaluated in accordance with the MUM Library Collection Development Policy.
• In most cases, usable library materials that the Library does not add to its collections are sold by the library on their permanent Book Sale. Money raised through the book sale merges into the library budget and is used to purchase new materials.
• The donated items are not subject to return in case the library decides to add them to its collection.

Gifts of Memorabilia and Realia

• The Library accepts gifts of real items if those items support the mission of the Library. Most items in this category accepted by the Library will be those that have cultural or historical significance to the Maharishi University of Management and the TM Movement and are appropriate for inclusion in the Library’s Special Collections.
• The Library will not accept real items that cannot be properly cared for or secured by the Library within normal operations and procedures of the Library.

Gifts of Artwork

• The Library accepts gifts of art. Art worth $5,000 or more must be evaluated by a certified agency. Appraisal of the artwork must be done by an agency independent of the Library or the donor. The Library will not bear the costs of an appraisal.
• The Library retains the prerogative to accept or reject any work of art for the Library.
• The Library will not accept art that cannot be properly cared for or secured by the Library within normal operations and procedures of the Library.

Gifts of Furniture and Equipment

• The Library accepts gifts of furniture and equipment that supports and furthers the mission, goals and objectives of the Library. The Library retains the prerogative to accept or reject any gift of furniture and/or equipment for the Library.
• The placement and use of furniture and equipment is the sole prerogative of the Library. The wishes of the donor regarding the location of the furniture and equipment will be taken into account by the Library Board.
• The Library will not accept furniture or equipment that cannot be properly cared for or secured by the Library within normal operations and procedures of the Library.