Guest Borrower Guidelines

Middlebury College maintains its Libraries for the use of Students, Faculty and Staff in support of the instructional goals of the College.  Others are welcome to visit and use the resources available within the Library.  Library use is a privilege extended to those who observe the regulations and procedures established to make materials accessible to all.  The loan of library materials is limited to authorized borrowers.

Download a Guest Borrower Application in PDF format.

Those who may apply for guest borrower privileges with exemption from annual fees:

Alumni: No application required; bring your Alumni ID (available from Public Safety) to the Main Library Circulation Desk.  

Borrower responsibilities:  Guest borrowers, like members of the College community, are pledged to the ethical use of library materials. Guest borrowers assume full responsibility for the physical condition of all materials borrowed on their library accounts and are responsible for the timely return of materials.

Loan information:  Library cards must be presented to borrow materials.  Most items have a loan period of four weeks. Guest borrowers may have up to twenty-five items checked out at any one time. VCAL faculty may have up to 10 items checked out at any one time. Overdue books will block borrowing and renewal privileges. For loan period details, refer to the Loan Period Chart .

Fines:  Guest Borrowers at Middlebury College Libraries are responsible for overdue fines and for replacement charges for lost materials. Outstanding charges will block borrowing privileges.  Questions regarding fines or bills must be brought to the attention of the Circulation Services Manager, within two weeks of occurrence.  For details refer to the Loan Period Chart .

Recalls:  Library materials must be returned immediately when recalled. Overdue recalls are subject to fines and borrowing privileges are blocked.  Hold or recall request privileges are not available to guest borrowers.

Other Services:   Guest borrowers need to be aware that members of the College community always have priority in the use of services including, but not limited to: services of the Reference Librarian, online catalog, photocopiers, microfilm readers/printers, A/V equipment, computers, study carrels and rooms.  Database searching is available at the discretion of the Reference Department.  Due to licensing agreements and contract restrictions, some resources are not available to guest borrowers.

Restrictions: Media equipment, media collection materials, class reserve materials, licensed software, or Interlibrary Loan materials are not available for loan to Guest Borrowers.  Due to licensing restrictions, remote (off-campus) access to most subscription electronic databases is not available to Guest Borrowers.  

Ethical Use of the Library:  Middlebury College Libraries are committed to maintaining collections that exist as common resources to be shared, preserved and respected in a manner guaranteeing protection for future users.  The ethical use of library materials involves acceptance of  this principle and appropriate conduct regarding library collections.  Inappropriate use includes, but is not limited to:

• Writing upon, defacing, tearing, cutting, mutilating, or destroying books or other library property in the custody of the Library.
• Willful concealment of a book or other library property on one’s person or among one’s belongings while attempting to leave, or leaving the premises of the Library without formal borrowing through the Circulation Desk.
• The willful concealment of a book or other Library property within the Library.
• The willful removal of a book or other Library property in contravention to Library regulations.
• The intentional alteration or destruction of library ownership records.
• The willful retention of library materials beyond their stated loan periods.

Food and beverages must be covered and kept in spill-proof containers.

Smoking or the use of tobacco is not permitted in any Middlebury College library.

If you have any questions concerning these Guest Borrower Policies, or you have a general library question, please email us at library_circulation@middlebury.edu  or call us at 802-443-5494, or stop at the Circulation Desk in person when we're open.  Check our hours here.