1. Definitions and explanations
For the purpose of these rules:
Library shall mean Central Library of Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology .
A reference to library Books, unless the context otherwise provides, shall include other forms and media of library material such as periodicals, magazines, audio and video tapes, cassettes, CDs, VCDs, DVDs, floppies, microfilms, newspapers, theses, standards, reports, pamphlets, maps etc.
A reference to masculine gender such as he, his, him, unless the context otherwise provides, will include reference feminine gender also.
2. Membership
2.1 The library services are open to registered members. The following categories of persons are eligible to enroll as membership of the Library.
| Category | Eligible Groups |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate | Registered Undergraduate students of TIET |
| Post graduate | Registered Postgraduate students of TIET |
| Research Scholars | Registered Doctoral Research Scholars of TIET |
| Faculty | Regular Teaching staff of the TIET (including visiting faculty) of the rank of lecturer and above, Director and Deans |
| Associates | Teaching and Research staff at Thapar Polytechnic and SAI Labs of the rank of lecturer or its equivalent and above, Non-teaching staff of TIET the rank of assistant registrar and above. |
| Junior Associates | Teaching Assistants, Demonstrators, Laboratory superintendents, assistant scientists, assistant engineers and equivalent posts at SAI Labs and TP. |
| Staff | Administrative and Technical staff of TIET, Thapar Polytechnic and SAI Labs of class C and above, not covered under the Faculty, Associate and Junior Associate categories |
| Paid | Engineering, Science, Technology and Management professionals, including TIET alumni residing in and around Patiala, who have applied for the membership and paid the prescribed annual fee and security. |
| Corporate | Institutions and companies in the region. |
| Honorary | Professional and people of distinctions who have been invited by TIET to become members |
2.2 For enrollment as a member application form duly filled with appropriate identification, recommendation/introduction should be submitted at the Help Desk, along with the requisite fee, if applicable, and one additional photograph of 1.5”x1.5” size.
2.3 Membership of Paid members may be introduced and recommended by the employer/Officer in-charge/Section in-charge where he is employed. Introducer will stand personal surety of the applicant. The introducer will be responsible for making the member return books borrowed by the member, make good any losses incurred by the Institute on account of Library Membership of the Member introduced by him.
2.4 If the application is accepted by the Library, the applicant is enrolled as a member and a Membership card is issued to him. Membership is not transferable.
2.5 Membership Card issued to the members is property of the Institute and the Members are required to surrender the same to the Library at the time of leaving the Institute or conclusion of the programme at the Institute.
2.6 Member must carry his membership card on every visit to the Library, and produce it whenever demanded by the Library staff.
2.7 Member should keep his membership card safely. He is liable for any use/misuse of his card by others. In the event of loss or theft of the membership card, the member should immediately inform the help desk. His card will be disabled and a duplicate card shall be issued if he so requires on payment of requisite fee.
2.8 Unauthorized use of other member’s Membership card for using the library services is illegal and liable for disciplinary action.
2.9 Non members can visit the library only with special permission of the Librarian. A recommendation from a Head of Department of the Institute or parent organization may be required for obtaining such permission.
3. Book Loans
3.1 Only Registered members are entitled to borrow books from the library. The following table provides borrowing privileges for various categories of members and various types of collections.
| Collection Type® | General Books | Text Books | Short-loan Material# | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Entitlement | Duration | Entitlement | Duration | Entitlement | Duration |
| Undergraduate | 2 | 1 Month | 3 | 1 Month | 1 | 2 days |
| Post graduate | 5 | 1 Month | 2 | 1 Month | 1 | 2 days |
| Research Scholars | 8 | 1 Month | 2 | 1 Month | 1* | 2 days |
| Faculty | 10 | 2 Month | 5 | One Semester | 2* | 2 days |
| Associates | 3 | 2 Month | 2 | 2 Month | 1* | 2 days |
| Junior Associates | 3 | 1 Month | 1 | 1 Month | 1* | -- |
| Staff | 2 | 1 Month | 1 | 1 Month | 1* | 2 days |
| Paid and Honorary | 2 | 1 Month | 1 | 1 Month | 1* | 2 days |
| Corporate | 10 | 1 Month | 5 | 1 Month | 5* | 2 days |
#(Short loan textbooks (TxON), Restricted Collection, Course material, Career help books, Video, Audio CD, VCD, DVD)
*Except short loan textbooks (TxON)
3.2 Librarian at his discretion may allow more books or extend duration of loan in case of genuine requirement of the member.
3.3 A member shall be required to produce Membership card to borrow books.
3.4 Students of reserved category shall have first priority in borrowing books from Book Bank collection. Books from Book Bank can be borrowed only on specific days announced by the Library.
3.5 Books not available for Loan
The following collections are available only for consultation within the library and can be borrowed for short duration, with a special permission of the Librarian only in case of extraordinary circumstances:
Reference books, reference text books, standards, patents, theses and dissertations, current and back issues of journals, institutional archive material.
3.6 Reservations
3.6.a) Members may reserve books that are on loan to other members, by filling up the reservation slips. Reservations slips can be purchased from the help desk.
3.6.b) A Reserved book will be kept On Hold for one week on its return by the previous borrower. The member who has reserved it will be informed of its availability, who must borrow it within On-Hold period i.e. one week.
3.6.c) Research Scholars, Faculty, Associate Faculty members are entitled for 5 complimentary reservation slips in each semester. Complimentary slips can be collected in the beginning of the semester. Complementary slips can not be used in subsequent semesters.
3.6.d) No member shall be allowed to have more than 5 books reserved at any time.
3.7 Due-date for return of books and consequences of delay in return
3.7.a) All books borrowed from the library must be returned within the stipulated due date. The Librarian however, may recall any book before the due date.
3.7.b) Members who are moving out of station on leave, project work or any other work should make arrangement to return books borrowed by them.
3.7.c) The Library normally sends reminders of overdue books from time to time, however, non receipt of such a reminder by a member can not be accepted as a valid reason for delay in return of books.
3.7.d) Failure to return books in time will attract the following punitive actions
A. Over due charges: at the prescribed rates
B. Suspension of Membership: If the member fails to return books even after 3 months from the due-date the membership will be suspended until return of all over-due books standing in his name along with overdue charges. However, in case of books borrowed from Book bank this period will be 1 month.
C. Recovery of cost of books: If a member fails to return a book even after 6 months from the due-date, list of defaulters will be sent to the Deputy Registrar (Finance & Accounts) for recovery of the cost as from the member’s account and/or security. The cost will be calculated as per the Rule 3.8. Rule 3.9b will also be applicable if the book is a part or volume of set that can not be purchased separately.
D. Refusal of Registration in the following semester:In case of defaulting student member’s registration to next semester may be refused until return of overdue books.
E. Termination of Membership: Membership of habitual defaulters may be recommended for termination of the membership
3.8 Calculation of Cost of Books
3.8.a) Cost of Books to be recovered from a member shall be computed in the following manner:200% of the Price of books as shown in the Accession Register, OR
150% of price of the book as shown in the accession register + overdue charges if applicable, + Rs. 50, WHICHEVER IS HIGHER.
3.8.b) In case the price of the books is not available in the accession register, list price of the latest edition in-print or the last edition of out-of-print books will be treated as price of the book for the purpose.
3.8.c) In case, price of a book received is gratis and its cost is not known, it will be determined by the Librarian.
3.9 Loss or damage of books borrowed from the Library by the member
3.9.a In case of loss of books borrowed by the member, the member should immediately inform the Library. He shall be required to make good such loss, by paying the cost of the books so lost within two weeks of informing the Library. The cost will be calculated as per Rule 3.8.
3.9.b If such a book that has been lost by the member is a volume or part of a set is not available for purchase separately, the member shall have to pay the cost of whole set. In such cases, he may be allowed by the librarian to claim the remaining parts or volumes of the set.
3.9.c) A member may opt to replace the books lost by him with a new copy of the latest edition. In such case he will also be liable to pay Rs. 50/- as service charge and overdue charges if any, up to the date of his informing the loss to the library. In the event of change in the imprint of the lost book, Librarian’s decision will be final in accepting a different imprint.
3.10 Members are required to keep the books borrowed from the library in good physical condition and not to mark or damage the books. Members should carefully check the books before borrowing for any deficiency and damage and get the same verified by the staff on duty. Members are liable to make good the marking or damage to the books borrowed by them as in the same way as applicable to Rules 3.9a and 3.9b, and 3.9c.
3.11 Books borrowed from the library are for personal study and should not be used for any direct commercial purpose. Copying from the library books is subject to copyright restriction.
3.12 If a member is suffering from a communicable disease that can spread through books, such member should not visit the library and handle the library books. In case such member unknowingly has been handling the books, he should promptly inform the Librarian who would make arrangement for disinfection of the books before re-circulating the same.
4. Discipline, security and privacy
4.1 All personal belongings should be kept outside the Library at the designated place.
4.2 Own reading material can not be brought inside the library, except small notebooks for taking notes. Books from one collection should not be taken to another section without permission of the Library staff. For example books from textbook section should not be taken to reading hall or periodicals section.
4.3 Computer terminals provided in the Library for searching the Online Public Access catalogues, CDROM databases, or retrieving any other online information made available through Library systems. Use of these terminals for any unauthorized purpose, accessing TIET or external networks, changing or damaging the hardware/software settings, data or any other illegal activity will be liable for punitive action.
4.4 Silence and order must at all times be maintained in and around the Library. Smoking is not allowed inside the Library. Visitors are expected to maintain a decent and civilized behaviour and mannerism.
4.5 Library staffs have a right to ask any person whose presence in their opinion has violated the Rule 4.4 or whose presence in their opinion will be detrimental to decorum and environment conducive to reading, to leave the library premises. Repeated incidence of such behaviour will attract punitive action.
4.6 All visitors to the library, including members may be subjected to frisking and bag checks, if required. This is necessary to prevent theft of library material.
4.7 Theft and mutilation of the library material, damage or defacing of the library property, and indulging in unlawful activities, indecent or socially unacceptable behaviour will be construed as serious misconduct and people indulging in, encouraging or abating such activities and in possession of unauthorized library books are liable for punitive action by the Institute authorities as well as criminal proceedings.
4.8 The Library may be fitted with detection, vigilance and anti-theft equipment.
