About

Reporting

Circulation records are maintained by the system and tabulated daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly by Library Staff. The Library keeps track of patron usage of the facility and will solely be collected and used for reporting purposes and to provide personalized/user-centered services.

Patron Confidentiality

Library records pertaining to a patron’s use of the library and its resources are confidential. The Library Staff will not reveal the names of individual borrowers or their borrowing history unless required by law.

Check out the Student Policies Guide!

CIRCULATION SERVICES

Circulation Services provides friendly and courteous service to The Los Angeles Film School community in lending library materials to students. Additionally, Library Staff members at the circulation desk are responsible for answering directional questions from patrons, checking in and out materials, maintaining the front desk and facility, and overall helping with patron needs.   

Borrowing Library Items

Materials may be checked out with a current LAFS issued ID. Students with an “Active” status account are able to check out Library materials. Students who have a status of “Alumni,” “Leave of Absence,” “Withdrawn,” and “Canceled” or are enrolled as an Online student may not check out items. However, Alumni, Online students, and Visitors are welcome to view and utilize some of the Library computers and/or services. Staff and Faculty may also borrow Library materials, but they have separate circulation rules and guidelines. 

All borrowers must fill out and sign “The Los Angeles Film School Library Application Form” once before checking out anything for the first time. Active Students will be able to check out materials with their school-issued ID. 

If Faculty appoints a student to pick-up any of their library materials, they may do so but that Faculty will still be held responsible if something happens to the borrowed material. Library Staff will have to confirm with the Faculty member before lending it out to the student in their name.  

Patrons are responsible for all materials charged to their account until they have been physically returned and checked-in by Library Staff. It is the borrower’s responsibility to: 

• Contact the library directly to update cell phone, email or other contact changes
• Know when materials are due by checking the Due Date stickers on the item or reviewing the transaction email receipt of the date due for each item
• Return materials promptly
• Care in handling all library materials
• Contacting Library to renew items if they cannot return it on time

Accessing Electronic Resources 

Access to electronic databases, electronic journals, eBooks, and other websites is for the exclusive use of all current students, (both on-ground and online), Alumni, Faculty, and Staff. Electronic resources are governed by license agreements and the terms of use are set by the publishers and vendors that the Library is subscribed to. Misuse of any resources may result in the withdrawal of a license for the entire campus, as well as possible penalties for the individual. 

Holding/Reserving Library Items

Holding library materials can be done by phone, email, or online through the Library’s digital catalog. Items will be placed on hold for the patron for up to 48 hours. When an item is placed on hold, the patron will receive an email or phone call informing them that their item is ready for pickup. If the item is on hold for more than 48 hours, the item will be put back on the shelves for circulation.   

Recalls

Any loan may be recalled at any time if another borrower places a hold/reserve on the item. Any loan may be recalled immediately if the Faculty member has requested to place the item on reserve for a class.

Renewing Library Items

Renewals of library materials are allowed as long as there has been no request for that material by another patron. Materials that are not overdue can be renewed by phone, SMS text, in-person, email, or via the catalog system. If max renewals are reached, the patron must present the item to a Library Staff member in order to check it in and then re-check it out to them. 

Renewing materials that are overdue may be renewed, but are not encouraged. The patron will need to either renew through the catalog system or communicate to Library Staff explaining their reasons why they need to extend the loan. Late fees will still be applicable to the patron that has any overdue items on their account. (Details on max renewals for each item are listed in the table below.) 

Returning Library Items

Returns can be done either by dropping off the materials with Library Staff members at the Circulation Desk or through the Book Drop Box located right outside of the Library entrance. Items must be returned on or before the due date. 

Patrons who borrowed items from the Library may have other people return it for them, but the Library is not responsible if that person does not return it at all. The patron who checked them out is responsible for any items checked out in their name.  

If students are not allowed on campus for whatever reason, they can drop them off at the front desk lobby area or ship the item(s) to the school. 

Student Loaning Library Items Table

Students may borrow up to 5 items in total at one time. Loan periods for materials are listed below:

Note: Several Library Accessories/Equipment, Special Collections, and Reference items may not be checked-out. These items are intended for Library Use Only!

FINES & PENALTIES

Overdue Library Items

Any materials returned past the due date will be given a fine of $0.50 per day per item that is overdue (unless stated otherwise). The maximum late fee amount is $10 per item. Patrons can pay online at http://tinyurl.com/lafslibrary, at the Cashier’s Office (Building 2, 4th Floor), or through the Library’s digital catalog site https://librarycatalog.lafilm.edu. The receipt should be brought back to Library Staff, either by email, SMS text, or in-person, to clear the student’s fine amount. 

Faculty and Staff are excused from any late fees accumulated, but they are still responsible for returning the item on time and in the same condition. If Library Staff does not receive any kind of communication from the Faculty/Staff member within the 30 days that their item is overdue, they will lose checkout privileges until they do return back the missing item.   

Overdue Students → Library will send any overdue notices and contact the borrower over a 4-week period:

• After the due date, the borrower will receive an automated email, “First Overdue Notice,” stating that they have an overdue item with accruing fines of $0.50 every day that is late. They will have a chance to renew if there are no holds on the item. The borrower is still responsible to pay any late fees that have already been accrued.  
• After 2 days late, Library Staff will contact the borrower to return or renew the item if there are no holds. The borrower is still responsible to pay any late fees that have already been accrued.  
• After 7 days late, an automated email, “Second Overdue Notice,” will be sent to them along with Library Staff contacting the borrower to return or renew the item if there are no holds. If there is no answer, the item will be marked “Long Overdue.” The borrower is still responsible to pay any late fees that have already been accrued.  
• After 14 days late, Library Staff will contact the borrower to return or renew the item if there are no holds. The borrower is still responsible to pay any late fees that have already been accrued.   
• After 21 days late, Library Staff will contact the borrower to return or renew the item if there are no holds. The borrower is still responsible to pay any late fees that have already been accrued.  
• After 30 days, the borrower will receive an automated email, “Final Overdue Notice,” stating that they will be billed and the item will be marked “LOST.” Any late fees accrued on this lost item will be waived and the borrower will only be charged the cost to replace the item. No refunds will be given once it is billed with the Business Office team and the Library already purchased the item using their budget to replace the lost item.  

If the Student has a status of Withdrawn, Canceled, or Alumni, the fee will still be charged on their account with the Business Office team. If the student were to re-attend LAFS, they will need to pay any Library fees before they can fully re-enroll into the school. 

Damaged Library Items

All items will be examined upon return. Materials that are returned damaged and not salvageable will be given a fine to the patron that borrowed the item. The borrower must either pay a replacement fee at market value or purchase a replacement copy.

Lost Library Items

If the borrower loses a library item, it will be marked “LOST” and will need to be replaced. The library will accept if the borrower chooses to purchase an exact copy of the lost item as payment. If not, the borrower will be billed the replacement cost.  

If the borrower has a 30-day overdue item and does not communicate with Library Staff during the 4-week period, it will be marked “LOST.” The replacement cost fee will be billed on their account with the Business Office team. Any late fees accrued on this lost item will be waived and the borrower will only be charged the cost to replace the item. 

If the borrower returns the lost item after a replacement copy has been ordered, the replacement cost will not be refunded.    

Students →  Rates for Overdue Materials

The Library does not count closed days when calculating fines. If Students lose an item, they will be charged with the replacement cost of the item. 

Note: The Library does not count closed days when calculating fines. If Students lose an item, they will be charged with the replacement cost of the item.