| Material | Loan Period | Renewal Period | # Renewals | Grace period | Fines |
| Musselman Library books | 21 days or term end | 21 days or term end | 6 | 7 days | $.25/day |
| Curriculum Resource Center books and teaching aids; Lion and Lamb books and teaching aids | 21 days | 21 days | 1 | 3 days | $.25/day |
| Musselman Library videos, CDs, periodicals and maps; Curriculum Resource Center videos; Lion and Lamb CDs and videos | 7 days | 7 days | 1 | 3 days | $.25/day |
| Musselman Library reference books and reference atlases (Exception: some titles are “Library Use Only”) | 3 days | none | none | none | $.25/day |
| OPAL and OhioLINK books | 21 days | 21 days | 6 | 7 days | $.50/day |
| OPAL and OhioLINK non-book materials | 7 or 21 days | 7 or 21 days | varies | varies | $.50/day |
| SearchOHIO books | 21 days | 21 days | 3 | none | $.50/day |
| SearchOHIO media, except DVD | 21 days | 21 days | 3 | none | $.50/day |
| SearchOHIO DVD | 7 days | 7 days | 3 | none | $.50/day |
| Interlibrary Loan items (see ILL page for more information) | varies | varies | usually none | none | $.50/day |
Please note: All materials are subject to recall if needed for course reserve.
Circulation Policies for Musselman Library, OPAL, and OhioLINK
For all materials:
General policy. All Bluffton borrowers are responsible for returning items by the due date, and for paying any overdue fines and replacement charges. To check out materials from the library, you need to have your Bluffton ID card with you when you come to the Circulation Desk.
Managing your library account. For convenience in keeping track of due dates or to renew items, use the Check your Library Account function online (see left side navigation links on this page or choose "my account" from the top menu bar when searching the catalog.
Email Notification. Whenever you check items out from the library, you will receive an email confirmation with the due date (s). Also, when items are soon to be due, you will receive a courtesy reminder email: "This is a reminder that according to our records, the following item(s) checked out to you will become due soon. If an item is eligible for renewal, you can do so by visiting https://cat.opal-libraries.org/patroninfo or by calling your library." If an item is not returned or renewed, you will receive 3 overdue notices, after which the system automatically declares the item lost, your borrowing privileges are suspended (see Suspension of Borrowing Privileges below), and you will receive a bill by email for replacement of the item (see Charges below). Overdue notices are a courtesy reminder but should not be relied on as indicators to renew or return library materials (i.e., the library is not responsible if for some reason you do not receive an email notice). Each borrower is responsible for knowing due dates, either by checking his/her account online or consulting at the Circulation Desk.
Renewals. Renewals allow extension of the due date, provided no other patron is waiting for the item. You may renew materials online from the Check Your Account link at the library website or from the “My Account” tab in the library catalog. If you prefer, you can renew in person when you come to the library or by calling the Circulation Desk (419-358-3262). See chart above for number of renewals. Note: if you have an interlibrary loan item, check the Interlibrary Loan page for information on renewals and contact Audra Hammond to request a renewal (hammonda@bluffton.edu or 419.358.3271).
Suspension of Borrowing Privileges. Borrowing privileges for Bluffton, OPAL, OhioLINK, and Interlibrary Loan are suspended whenever fines total $10.00 for undergraduate students or $15.00 for graduate students OR when a bill of replacement has been sent. For SearchOhio, borrowing privileges are suspended for all students at the $10.00 level. Exception: borrowing is not blocked for Course Reserves; these materials are available to you even if you have charges on your account.
Making Payments. When overdue items are returned or lost items charged, payment should be made at the Circulation Desk - cash or checks accepted (checks payable to Bluffton University). For any questions about fines or charges, please contact Audra Hammond, Access Services Coordinator, (419-358-3271).
Borrowing limits. Undergraduate and BCOMP students are entitled to 25 outstanding holds/requests and a total of 50 items checked out at any one time. For Graduate students, there may be 100 outstanding holds/requests and a total of 100 items checked out at any one time.
For Bluffton materials:
Charges. The maximum charge for lost Bluffton books and videos is $100.00 (accumulated fines, $15.00; replacement charge, $75.00 or cost of the item, whichever is less; and processing charge, $10.00). If the Bluffton item is returned after it is declared lost, but before a replacement has been purchased, the charges are forgiven, except for the accumulated fines.
Course Reserves. Fines for reserve items are higher than for other Bluffton materials: $.50/hour for 3 hour materials; $.50/day for one-day reserve. See above for the loan periods and fines chart by material type.
Placing Holds. To place a hold on a Bluffton item, use the Request button from the catalog record display. If not checked out to another patron, the request will be processed and the item can be picked up at the Circulation Desk. If the item is checked out to another patron, the Hold request will block any request to renew, and you will be notified as soon as available.
For OPAL and OhioLINK materials:
Charges. The maximum charge for lost OPAL and OhioLINK materials is $125 (replacement charge, $75.00; billing fee, $50.00). If the item is returned after it is declared lost, the replacement charge is forgiven but the $50.00 billing fee must be paid. Fines are assessed for OPAL and OhioLINK items according to the table above for the first 30 days before going into billing; the $50 billing fee replaces fines when the item is 31 days overdue.
For SearchOHIO materials:
Charges. The maximum charge for lost SearchOHIO materials is $50.00 (replacement charge, $25; billing fee, $25). If the item is returned after it is declared lost, the replacement charge is forgiven but the $25 billing fee must be paid. Fines are assessed for SearchOHIO items according to the table above for the first 30 days before going into billing; the $25 billing fee replaces fines when the item is 31 days overdue.
Please direct questions about Musselman Library borrowing policies to Audra Hammond, Access Services Coordinator: by email to hammonda@bluffton.edu, by phone to 419.358.3271, or in person at the Circulation Desk.
