Library

Circulation

Students, faculty, and staff may borrow certain non-reference materials to enhance their academic, professional, and personal pursuits. The borrowing of materials is subject to the policy defined below.

1. Borrowing Privileges

Borrowing privileges are granted to students, faculty, and staff who are in possession of valid AUK ID cards, in addition to external users with a valid library membership. Borrowing privileges vary according to user and material type. If the due date falls on a day when the library is closed, the loan period will be extended until the next day the library is open.

Individuals are accountable for items borrowed on one’s ID. Library users should not lend their ID card or borrow items from other persons.

BORROWER TYPE MAXIMUM ITEMS BORROWING PERIOD
AUK STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF
AUK Students 5 items  
  (5 books)
(3 media)
21 days
7 days
AUK Faculty 20 items  
  (20 books)
(5 media)
120 days
7 days
Adjunct Faculty 20 items  
  (20 books)
(5 media)
28 days
AUK Staff 5 items  
  (5 books)
(3 media)
28 days
7 days
Visiting Staff 5 items  
  (5 books)
(3 media)
15 days
7 days
EXTERNAL USERS/MEMBERS
Faculty Spouse 5 items  
  (5 books)
(3 media)
15 days
7 days
Alumni (5 books)
(3 media)
15 days
7 days
CCE Student 5 books 15 days
Organizational Member 30 books 28 days
Visiting Researcher 5 books 15 days

*Visiting Staff: Part-time employees, Fulbright visitors, interns, and employees on short-term contracts.
*Media = DVDs, videotapes, sound recordings.
Organizational membership is assessed and accepted based on a mutual signed agreement.

Non-circulating Materials
The following materials circulate only inside the library:

  • Reference collection items
  • Journals
  • Newspapers
  • Reserve collection

Only faculty can check out journals (1 title for 24 hours) manually through the library staff.

Reserve Items
Reserve collection includes all course books and materials that faculty members place on reserve for a specific course. Reserve materials cannot be checked out and they can be used only inside the library with a time limit of two hours. However, a student has to submit his/her ID card to the library staff for reserved items.

2. Renewals

The borrower is responsible for renewing his or her materials before the due date. All items are subject to recall 14 days after their first checkout date, and/or any time that the item has been reserved, or when requested by other borrowers. Items can be renewed one time by one of these ways:

  • In person through the self-check machine located on the ground floor.
  • By telephone: 1-802040 Ext.3070 & 3065
  • By email: Library@auk.edu.kw
  • Online through the library user account

3. Overdue Materials

Four overdue notices will be sent to the borrower’s email:

  • Pre-overdue notice: 3 days prior to the due date
  • First overdue notice: 1 day after the due date
  • Second overdue notice: After 7 days (grace period)
  • Final notice will be sent 14 days after the due date.

If the item has not been returned within the grace period, fines will start to accumulate from the first day past the due date. If the item has not been returned, borrowing privileges will be revoked until the overdue items have been returned.

Failure to receive an overdue notice does not exempt a borrower from the fine. Borrowers are responsible for knowing and observing the due date and should not be dependent upon library notices.

4. Lost or damaged items

Lost items should be reported promptly. If the library considers the item lost or damaged, the borrower will be charged the cost of that item in addition to a KD10 processing fee.
An exact copy of a lost or damaged item that is in new condition can be accepted as a replacement, along with a 5KD processing fee.

5. Fines

The fine for overdue materials is set at 0.250fils per day to a maximum of KD5 per item. For any unpaid fines, the borrower will receive one fine notice after the item is returned. If the fines are not paid, fines will be added to the borrower's AUK fees (in the case of students) or deducted from the borrower's salary (in the case of faculty and staff) and from the paid deposit for library members. If a student has unpaid fines, he or she will not be able to register for classes until the fines have been paid.