Reader Services

About Reader Services 

Reader Services includes Circulation, Course Reserves, library accounts, and study spaces. Resource Sharing is composed of Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery services.

Borrow, Renew, Return

Borrowing Privileges
Borrower Type Item Limit Loan Period *
Current faculty & staff; Graduate students; Visiting faculty & scholars 200 1 year
Undergraduates 100 16 weeks
Binghamton alumni; Current SUNY students, faculty & staff 15 6 weeks
NYS residents within 50 miles ($25 annual fee) 15 6 weeks
BU clinical, BU auxiliary, older adult learner, volunteer, and retiree 50 6 weeks
* Certain items have defined loan periods, regardless of patron status. For example, DVDs, CDs, and bound periodicals have a two-week loan period.

Your Binghamton University ID serves as your library card. All other patrons can fill out the Courtesy Borrower Account form or visit the Reader Services desk Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm at Bartle Library to obtain a library card. Submitting the form ahead of your visit will save you time at checkout. We'll notify you once your account is set up and ready for use.

Proxy Borrowing

When authorized by the Libraries, an individual sponsor may designate a proxy borrower to pick up library materials on their behalf. Sponsors are responsible for material that is checked out on their account by authorized proxy borrowers. See Proxy Borrowing Form.

Due Dates

As a courtesy, an email notice is sent one week before the library material is due. The Libraries use the University's binghamton.edu email accounts as primary communication for notification of available materials, overdue notices, and late fees. If the item is not returned after 30 days, the item is considered lost and the library will send an invoice for the material.

All materials are subject to recall by the Libraries. Patrons are responsible for keeping their accounts in good standing, including renewing and returning materials on time. Patrons are responsible to turn materials in by their due dates regardless of receipt or acknowledgment of email communications.

Renew

Visit your library account online, call, or stop by a service desk to renew your library materials.

Returns

Materials can be returned to the Bartle, Science or UDC Library Reader Services Desks. Course reserves should be returned to the service desk from which they were borrowed.

Exterior book bins are available at the entrances to the Bartle and Science Libraries. A drive-up bin is located at the loading docks between the Bartle and Engineering buildings.

Materials can be returned to any SUNY library for a courtesy return to Binghamton or shipped directly to us. We recommend using package-tracking when shipping, as you will be responsible for the items until they reach us:

Binghamton University
LS 1501, attn: Bartle Library Circulation
4400 Vestal Parkway East
Binghamton, NY 13902

Recall

The Libraries reserve the right to recall items from all patrons, reducing the loan period. Notification of recalls will be sent via email; patrons are responsible for checking their Binghamton University or other officially designated email. Materials must be returned by the date given on the recall notice, regardless of the original due date.

Search

If an item in our catalog is not checked out and you cannot find it on the shelf, you may request a search at any service desk. If not found, staff will submit an Interlibrary Loan request on your behalf.

Request an Item from the CMF

If a book is housed in the Collection Management Facility (CMF) in Johnson City, click on the Request link that appears next to that item in Find It! to have the item delivered to a library pickup location. Requested items are generally available within two business days at the library location of your choice, and held for ten business days. You may also request a chapter to be digitized.

Fines and Fees

A fine structure of library materials has been established to assure all patrons maximum access to Library materials. Repeated violations may be considered cause for suspension of borrowing privileges.

  • Recalled books & non-circulating items: $1/day to a maximum of $15 per item.
  • Reserves material: Reserve fines continue to accrue when the Libraries are closed. Hour loans: $0.05/minute per item to a maximum of $50. Next Day loans: $5/day per item to a maximum of $50.
  • Interlibrary Loan material: $1/day per item, with replacement fees at the discretion of the lending library if the material is lost. Lending fees exceeding $30 per item will be passed on to the requestor.
  • Videos & DVD’s: $5/day to a maximum of $50 per item.
  • Journals: $5/day to a maximum of $50 per item.
  • Laptops: $.25/minute with a $2,200 replacement fee after 24 hours.
  • Damaged items: Borrowers will be billed for items which are returned damaged.
  • Lost books: Lost books incur an $80 replacement charge plus a $20 processing fee. After 30 days overdue, a book will be considered lost and your account will be billed $100 per lost item. If a lost book is returned within 90 days, the $80 replacement charge is removed. The account holder will be responsible to pay the $20 processing charge. Interlibrary Loan lost charges are assessed by the lending library and do not adhere to the 90-day credit policy.

Fees may be paid during regular business hours in the Library Cashier's Office with check, money order, Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover or BUC$. Binghamton University affiliate fees are forwarded to Student Accounts for collection after one day, at which time they should be paid through BU Brain or at the Student Accounts Office. Fees must be paid in order to register for classes or obtain a transcript or diploma.

Community borrowers may pay fees and fines only at the Bartle Library.

Library Account

Patrons may access their accounts here. Students, faculty, and staff can log in with their Binghamton University Computer account. Community users can log in with the email address associated with their account. Having trouble? Email libnotic@binghamton.edu or call Bartle Reader Services at (607) 777-2194.

Study and Research Spaces

All Libraries locations provide a variety of study environments to suit your needs.

Group Study Rooms

In the Bartle and Science Libraries, group study rooms are available to all Binghamton University.
Reserve a room

Locked Study Carrels

Registered PhD and ABD students can apply for Library study carrels. Carrels are assigned depending on space available. Applications are accepted here.

Faculty Research Room

The Faculty Research Room is a quiet room where up to two faculty can conduct research. Access to this room is requested at Bartle Library's Reader Services desk. Access to the Faculty Research Room is granted on a first come, first served, basis, until midnight that day. 

Microfilm and Microfiche Readers

If you are a first-time user to Binghamton University microreaders, we highly recommend you make an appointment ahead of time by emailing libnotic@binghamton.edu. You may use the machines without an appointment but we cannot guarantee assistance.

Two microreader machines are located in Library North 1358 in the Fine Arts Collection. Obtain a room key from the Bartle Reader Services desk.

The machines are not directly connected to printers. Images must be saved first before printing.

Course Reserves

Course Reserves increase availability and use of course materials by providing centralized access to items in both electronic and physical form. Instructors are invited by library staff to submit Course Reserve requests.

Resource Sharing: Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery Services

Interlibrary Loan services expand the range of materials available by obtaining items from libraries around the globe. Document Delivery services allow faculty and students to request items owned by the Libraries for delivery at any Reader Services location or chapter scans delivered via email.  

SHARES On-site Borrowing Program

A small number of SHARES libraries are offering the opportunity to create a library account and check out materials. Partners in the pilot program are: Binghamton University, Brandeis University, Cornell University, Northwestern University, Syracuse University, Temple University, University of California, Los Angeles, and Washington University in St. Louis.

For more information, visit SHARES Program.