Extended Loan Periods

With an OCOM student ID, doctoral students (DS) may borrow materials from the library and from the libraries of National College of Natural Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University and Western States Chiropractic College, all of which are located in Portland.

Questions and answers below are intended to help DS better use this service. 

Q.  How long can I keep the borrowed material?
A.  Except for class reserve materials and items that have a waiting list, doctoral students may keep borrowed materials, including both books and tapes, for four weeks or until the first day of the next monthly campus visit.

Q.  Can I renew the borrowed item when it is due?
A. You may renew a borrowed book once, but NOT tapes and CDs. To renew a book, the doctoral student may either:

1. Bring the book to the library to renew it in person. This is to prevent the borrower from having to mail it back if someone has been waiting for that book as well as to reduce the requestor’s waiting time. Or
2. Call the library at (503) 253-3443 x 121 during the library hours on Wednesday or Thursday two days or one day prior to their arrival at OCOM (no earlier renewal is accepted). In the case that a DS borrower forgot to renew the book and another student is waiting for that book, the DS borrower has two days (postal mark by Thursday) to mail the book back. After that, a late fee will be assessed to the item at $0.50 per day.

Q. What is the charge for returning borrowed materials late?
A. There won’t be any charge if the DS borrower returns the borrowed item by Monday/two days after the due date. After that, the late fee will start to accrue at the following rate.

    * Books, Tapes & CDs: $0.20 per day
    * Class Reserve Materials (if applicable): $0.50 per hour
    * Overdue item requested by another library user : $0.50 per day

Materials six weeks overdue will be treated as lost materials and will be assessed with the lost material charge including the replacement cost of the item and a $5 processing fee. Unpaid library fees will be collected during registration for the next term.

Q. What if the item I am looking for has been checked out?
A. You may:

1. Place a hold on the item with the staff person in the library
2. Check with your local public library--see if they can obtain the item for you by an earlier date through their Interlibrary Loan service
3. Find out if NCNM, OHSU or WSCC libraries have the item by searching their online catalog if you are able to go there to pick it up.