(Revised  2023)

Chapter 1 General Provisions

Article 1

These regulations are formulated to support ECNU’s teaching and research needs,   maximize the use of library resources, maintain order in borrowing, and to safeguard the rights and interests of it's  users.

Article 2

University faculty, postgraduate students, and undergraduate students shall use their campus card as a library card to borrow and read materials once these  privileges have been approved by the library. The electronic campus card has the same functionality.

Article 3

Short-term visiting scholars and students shall obtain campus cards and have their borrowing privileges approved by the library through the relevant administrative department.

Staff from affiliated institutions shall access the library and borrow materials with valid documentation as stipulated in cooperation agreements.

Students enrolled in ECNU’s continuing education degree programs shall access the library using their electronic campus cards for on-site reading.

ECNU alumni shall use their alumni cards for on-site reading.

Other external readers must apply through the library website and may access the library for reading upon approval.

Article 4

Users must enter the library using valid credentials such as campus cards, electronic campus cards, or facial recognition, and must use their own campus or electronic campus cards when borrowing library materials.

Campus cards and electronic campus cards are strictly personal and must not be lent to others for the use of library resources. Violations will be handled in accordance with  Article 17 Chapter 5.

Lost campus cards must be reported immediately. The cardholder remains responsible for returning any library materials borrowed before the reported loss.

Article 5

Before leaving the university or deactivating your campus card, users must return all borrowed materials. Borrowing privileges will be revoked upon departure or card deactivation.

Graduate students must submit both electronic and printed copies of their theses or dissertation before leaving the university.

Chapter 2 Book and Document Borrowing

Article 6

Borrowing rules:

(1) Materials available for borrowing include general books and CDs from open stacks and certain closed-stack collections. Ancient Chinese thread-bound books, reference materials, theses and dissertations, journals, and restricted archival copies are for in-library use only and cannot be borrowed. Course reserve books displayed on designated shelves may only be borrowed by faculty and full-time students of the university. Publications from the Republican era are available only in electronic format. Rare and valuable ancient books require an application and approval process before access is granted.

(2) The number of items and borrowing periods vary depending on reader type and material type. For details, refer to the Borrowing Privileges Table.

Note: *Indicates that access must be approved upon application through the affiliated department.

(3) Borrowed materials must be checked out at the circulation desk or using the self-service check-in and out desks. Removing materials from the library without completing borrowing procedures will be handled in accordance with Article 18 Chapter 5.

(4) After reading, materials should be returned to the designated area. Closed-stack materials, items from other campus, and reserved materials must be returned to the library service desk.

(5) Users should inspect borrowed materials on the spot.  Any existing  damage or stains should be immediately reported to the library staff to record and clarify responsibility.

(6) Users should handle and protect borrowed or consulted materials with care. In cases of damage or loss, compensation must be made in accordance with Articles 19 and 20 of Chapter 5.

Article 7 Returns and Renewals

(1) Borrowed materials should be returned on time. Returns can be handled at the self-service machine or service desk. Overdue returns will be dealt with in accordance with Article 21 of Chapter 5.

(2) If continued use is needed before the due date, users may apply for renewal. Materials that have been reserved by other users or are already overdue cannot be renewed. Eligible materials may be renewed up to 5 times. Renewals can be made online or at the service desk with the campus card and the items to be renewed. The renewal period is the same as the original borrowing period, counted from the day of renewal.

(3) If the due date falls on a national holiday or school vacation (summer/winter break), the due date will be automatically extended to the end of the holiday period.

Article 8 Reminders

(1) Overdue reminders: The library will send return reminders via email and the ECNU WeChat account three days before the due date and after it elapses. Readers must return borrowed materials as soon as they receive the reminder.

(2) Reservation reminders: Once a borrowed item is reserved by another user, it cannot be renewed. The library will send a return reminder via email and ECNU WeChat account. If no renewal has been made, the reader may return the item before the original due date. If a renewal has already been made, the item must be returned within 7 days of receiving the reminder. Failure to return reserved items on time will result in point deductions in accordance with Item 2, Article 21 of Chapter 5.

(3) Users can set or update their email address for receiving library borrowing and return notices online. Failure to receive a reminder is not an excuse for overdue returns.

Article 9 Reservations and Requests

If all copies of a needed material are checked out, users may place a reservation. If the material is only available at another campus or in closed stacks, a retrieval request may be submitted. Each user may have up to 8 active reservations or requests at the same time. Users may place reservations or requests using the library catalog system. When the item becomes available, the library will send a notification via email and ECNU WeChat account. Users may pick-up the item at the library or from the self-service reservation locker within 4 days, otherwise the reservation or request shall be canceled. Failure to pick-up reserved or requested items on time will result in point deductions in accordance with Item 3, Article 21 Chapter 5. For preserved materials that cannot be requested via the catalog, users may send the relevant information to the designated email address.

Article 10 Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery

Users who need materials not held by the library for teaching or research purposes may apply for interlibrary loan or document delivery services. The borrowing rules of the lending library will apply.

Article 11

The library encourages users to make active use of the collection. Borrowing each book will earn 1 point, and returning each book on time will earn 1 additional  point. Users are welcome to participate in library volunteer services; each hour of service earns 100 points.

Chapter 3 Electronic Resources Guidelines

Article 12

E-resources users must comply with national laws and regulations. It is prohibited to post or disseminate inappropriate information online or to intentionally damage computer systems or networks.

Article 13

Users must respect intellectual property rights and use the library’s electronic resources appropriately. It is strictly forbidden to use any software tools to maliciously download database content. Personal accounts must not be lent or rented to non-ECNU users, nor share downloaded electronic documents in bulk with non-ECNU users. Violations will be handled in accordance with the ECNU Regulations on the Use of Electronic Resources.

Chapter 4 Reproduction of Library Materials

Article 14

Users who need to photocopy printed materials may use the self-service photocopiers in the library. Non-circulating materials that need to be taken out of the reading room for photocopying must first be registered at the library service desk and  be photocopied within the library.

Article 15

Please comply with relevant copyright regulations when photocopying materials. Books, theses/dissertations, and journals shall not be copied in full. Optical disc resources must not be privately duplicated or burned.

Article 16

For preservation reasons, materials published before 1949 cannot be photocopied, scanned, or photographed. Special requests must be approved by the library and carried out by authorized staff.

Chapter 5 Violations and Compensation

Article 17

Using another person’s campus card to enter the library or borrow materials will result in the card’s temporary confiscation. Lending your own campus card to others will result in a suspension of borrowing privileges for 2 weeks or more; in serious cases, access to the library will also be suspended for 2 weeks or more. Unauthorized use of an alumni card will be handled in the same way.

Article 18

Removing materials from the library without permission or without completing borrowing procedures will result in retrieval of the materials and the the user’s information recorded. In serious cases, borrowing privileges will be suspended for 2 months or more.

Article 19

If materials are damaged marginally (e.g., annotations, erasures, folds, tracing, stains, disc scratches) but the content remains intact, compensation is required at 50% of the original price. If the damages require repair before circulation, compensation is required at 100% of the original price.

Article 20

Defaced, damaged or lost materials must be compensated with an identical or approved alternate edition. If this is not possible, compensation will be calculated as follows:

(1)General Chinese and foreign language books, or CDs with listed prices: compensation = 3×original price + [(current year – publication year) × RMB 1.00]. If the market price exceeds 3 times the original price, compensation will be based on 3 times the market price.

(2)Multi-volume Chinese books are priced as a set. For lost or damaged volumes, compensation is calculated based on the average price per volume.

(3)Each CD accompanying a book: RMB 10.

(4)Rare, thread-bound, or antique books: compensation at 5 times the market price or higher.

(5)Single journal issues: 3×average price of the journal that year.

(6)Bound journal volumes: 3×bound volume price that year.

(7)Single newspapers: RMB 10 per issue.

(8)Bound newspaper volumes: 3×bound volume price that year.

(9)Materials without listed prices will be compensated according to comparable current materials.

(10)For valuable but unpriced materials, compensation will be determined by an expert appraisal arranged by the library.

Article 21

The following rules apply to overdue materials:

(1)Borrowing privileges (including borrowing, renewing, and reserving) will be suspended until all overdue items are returned.

(2)1 point will be deducted per day per volume for overdue items; for overdue items with pending reservations/requests, 10 points per day per volume will be deducted.

(3)20 points will be deducted for each reserved/requested item not borrowed within the specified time.

(4)Borrowing privileges will be restored when the accumulated score exceeds -100 points after overdue items are returned.

(5)If the accumulated score is -100 points or below, borrowing privileges will be frozen: 3 days for -100 points, 6 days for -200 points, and so on.

(6)When the accumulated score reaches -300 points, access to research rooms and group study rooms will be suspended for 1 month.

(7)If overdue items were caused by official travel, fieldwork, medical leave, etc., borrowing rights may be restored upon verification by the department.

Article 22

Multiple violations will be reported to the user’s department or relevant school authorities. In severe cases, further disciplinary action will be pursued.

Chapter 6 Reading Environment

Article 23

Users are expected to dress neatly and courteously when entering the library.

Article 24

Please maintain silence inside the library. Mobile phone conversations are not permitted in reading areas. Photography or video recording is only allowed with prior approval from the library.

Article 25

Reserving a seat without using it is not allowed. Seats with assigned numbers must be reserved before use. Unauthorized use of library staff computers and power outlets is prohibited. It is also not allowed to unplug or interfere with public computer network cables or power connections.

Article 26

Users should take good care of all library facilities. Please keep the environment clean; spitting and littering are strictly prohibited. Food and unsealed beverages are not allowed inside the library.

Article 27

Users are responsible for their personal belongings. All personal items must be taken away when the library closes each day (except for items stored in long-term lockers). The library is not liable for any loss resulting from removal during cleanup.

Article 28

When leaving reading rooms or the library, please cooperate with the staff for inspection.

if the security alarm sounds., Article 29

Smoking and the use of open flames are strictly prohibited. Unauthorized use of power strips is also not permitted.

Article 30

Serious violations that disrupt the reading environment will be reported to the user’s department or relevant school authorities. Borrowing or access privileges may be revoked as a result.

Chapter 7 Supplementary Provisions

Article 31

These regulations shall be interpreted by the Library of East China Normal University.

Article 32

These regulations take effect on September 1, 2023. The previous Regulations on Borrowing Library Materials at East China Normal University Library are hereby repealed simultaneously.