Contents
Borrowing
Most of the Library materials can be borrowed at the G/F Service Counter or the Self-Check machine.
A. Borrowing Privileges
A valid staff or student identity card must be presented when borrowing materials. Your card cannot be transferred to other users.
- STAFF may borrow a maximum of 200 items;
- POSTGRADUATES & RESEARCH ASSISTANTS may borrow a maximum of 140 items;
- UNDERGRADUATES & INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION YEAR PROGRAMME (IFYP) STUDENTS may borrow a maximum of 100 items;
(The details of each categories loan period are listed below)
STAFF
| MATERIALS | QUOTA | LOAN PERIOD | MAXIMUM LOAN PERIOD (WITH RENEWAL) | OVERDUE FINES |
| Books (Request Quota for Checked-out items: 20) |
200 | 180 days* | 720 days | $1/day (Recalled items: $3/day) |
| Accompanying Materials | $1/day | |||
| Multimedia Materials | 20 | 21 days | 35 days | $1/day |
| External Reader Cards | 1 | 14 days | N/A | $5/day |
| Bound Serials (Prefix P) | 10 | 7 days | N/A | $1/day |
| Course Reserve (G/F Closed-stack) | 7 days | $1/day | ||
| Rare Materials Collection (2/F and 5/F) |
Same day loan |
$30/day | ||
| Reference Book (6/F Closed-stack) | ||||
| Special Collection (Library Storage) | ||||
| Notebook Computers & Tablets | 1 | N/A |
* Academic staff can request 180-day-loan items to become 365-day-loan (with no renewal) for teaching purpose. The maximum number of requests is ten. Request form is available at library homepage > Staff > Library Forms.
POSTGRADUATES & RESEARCH ASSISTANTS
| MATERIALS | QUOTA | LOAN PERIOD | MAXIMUM LOAN PERIOD (WITH RENEWAL) | OVERDUE FINES |
| Books (Request Quota for Checked-out items: 10) |
140 | 120 days | 480 days | $1/day (Recalled items: $3/day) |
| Accompanying Materials | $1/day | |||
| Multimedia Materials | 20 | 14 days | 28 days | $1/day |
| External Reader Cards | 1 | 7 days | N/A | $5/day |
| Bound Serials (Prefix P) | 10 | 7 days |
N/A |
$1/day |
| Course Reserve (G/F Closed-stack) | 7 days | $1/day | ||
| Rare Materials Collection (2/F and 5/F) | Same day loan | $30/day | ||
| Reference Book (6/F Closed-stack) | ||||
| Special Collection (Library Storage) | ||||
| Notebook Computers & Tablets | 1 |
UNDERGRADUATES & INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION YEAR PROGRAMME (IFYP) STUDENTS
| MATERIALS | QUOTA | LOAN PERIOD | MAXIMUM LOAN PERIOD (WITH RENEWAL) | OVERDUE FINES |
| Books (Request Quota for Checked-out items: 10) |
100 | 90 days | 270 days | $1/day (Recalled items: $3/day) |
| Accompanying Materials | $1/day | |||
| Multimedia Materials | 20 | 7 days | 14 days | $1/day |
| External Reader Cards | 1 | 7 days | N/A | $5/day |
| Bound Serials (Prefix P) | 10 | 7 days | N/A | $1/day |
| Course Reserve (G/F Closed-stack) | 7 days | $1/day | ||
| Rare Materials Collection (2/F and 5/F) | Same day loan | $30/day | ||
| Reference Book (6/F Closed-stack) | ||||
| Special Collection (Library Storage) | ||||
| Notebook Computers & Tablets | 1 |
ELDER ACADEMY (長者學院)
| MATERIALS | QUOTA | LOAN PERIOD | MAXIMUM LOAN PERIOD (WITH RENEWAL) | OVERDUE FINES |
| Books | 5 | 30 days | 60 days | $1/day (Recalled items: $3/day) |
| Accompanied Materials | $1/day | |||
| Multimedia Materials | 3 | 7 days | 14 days | $1/day |
| Bound Serials (Prefix P) | 2 | 7 days | N/A | $1/day |
| Course Reserve (G/F Closed-stack) | 7 days | $1/day | ||
| Rare Materials Collection (2/F and 5/F) | Same day loan | $30/day | ||
| Reference Book (6/F Closed-stack) | ||||
| Special Collection (Library Storage) | ||||
| Notebook Computers & Tablets | 1 |
ALUMNI (BORROWER) & STAFF FAMILY
| MATERIALS | QUOTA | LOAN PERIOD | MAXIMUM LOAN PERIOD (WITH RENEWAL) | OVERDUE FINES |
| Books (Request Quota for Checked-out items: 10) |
12 | 30 days | 210 days | $1/day (Recalled items: $3/day) |
| Accompanying Materials | $1/day | |||
| Rare Materials Collection (2/F and 5/F) | 10 | Same day loan | N/A | $30/day |
| Reference Book (6/F Closed-stack) | ||||
| Special Collection (Library Storage) |
Notes:
The user’s library privileges will be suspended (including loan and renewal of library items) if:
- A user has long overdue books or over $200 unpaid library fines
- A user has 10 or more overdue library items
- A user has 1 or more overdue recalled items
IMPORTANT: Long Overdue Policy is in effect from 1 July 2025
To facilitate the circulation of library materials, the library has implemented a new Long Overdue Policy starting on 1 July 2025.
- If an item is overdue for 21 days, your library account will be blocked until the item is returned.
- If an item is overdue for 35 days, it will be assumed to have been lost by the borrower, who will be charged accordingly. Charges will include a non-refundable processing fee of $100, the full value of the replacement, and any overdue fines accrued.
B. Renewals
Borrowed items with normal loan periods may be renewed in “My Circulation Record”, please refer to maximum loan period (with renewal). The new due date will be calculated from the date of renewal.
Automatic renewal:
Library items with normal loan periods will be automatically renewed 2 days before the due date until the maximum loan period has been reached.
Renewal will NOT be accepted if:
- An item has reached its maximum loan period
- An item cannot be renewed (e.g. a short loan item, an external reader card, a bound serial)
- A user has long overdue books or over $200 unpaid library fines
- A user has 10 or more overdue library items
- A user has 1 or more overdue recalled items
C. Request Services at Discover@ShueYan
- Recall Service (for checked-out books)
- If a book you need is on loan, click the “Request” to place a hold.
- When the book is returned, we will hold for you and place it in the Smart Locker.
- Collect the book from the Smart Locker after you receive the pickup notice
- Closed-stack Access (for items in Library Storage or closed stacks)
- To request an item from Library Storage or closed-stack collections, click the “Request” button.
- After receiving the pickup notice:
- Collect normal loan items from the Smart Locker.
- Collect Same-day-loan or Library-use-only items from the G/F Service Counter.
- Shelf-to-Locker Service (Available for Staff, Postgraduates, and Alumni Borrowers only)
- If you find an available book on the shelf, click “Request”.
- We will retrieve it and place it in the Smart Locker for you.
- Collect it after you receive the pickup notice.
Please note: requests submitted after 14:00 will be processed on the next working weekday.
D. Recall Items
Books with a normal loan period (staff: 180 days; postgraduates & research assistants: 120 days; undergraduates & International Foundation Year Programme (IFYP) Students: 90 days) are subject to recall when another user has requested them.
If the books are recalled, the original loan period will be shortened from the date of recall. The Library will send a recall notice to inform the current borrower about the change of due date. Please regularly check your email accounts and “My Circulation Record”.
You are responsible for the return of recalled items on or before the new due date.
Overdue fines will be charged if items are not returned before the new due date.
E. Circulation Notices
The Library sends a variety of library notices as a courtesy reminder only. Non-receipt of such notices will not be accepted as a reason for waiving or reducing fines. Please regularly check your email accounts and “My Circulation Record”.
F. Book Detection System
A book detection system is installed on the G/F. This system can detect Library materials that have not been checked out properly.
