Library Information/FAQs
William Perkins Library services, policies, and FAQs
Policies
Circulation
Borrowing Policy – Students
Students may check out books or tapes for 4 weeks. Items can be renewed for an additional 4 weeks. Items should be returned by or before the due date and borrower is liable for costs associated with overdue, lost or damaged books. Overdue and replacement cost notices are sent automatically to the borrower’s email address.
Journals, reference books, and antiquarian books (pre-1850) are limited to library use only. Journal articles or sections from reference books may be copied. Photocopying of antiquarian books is generally prohibited due to the damaging effects of light and handling–ask library staff to assist in finding an alternative.
Borrowing Policy – Guests
Guests have the option to purchase a library account for $10 annually. These accounts expire yearly but are renewable upon request provided the guest has paid all fines.
Guest patrons are permitted to borrow up to 5 items at a time for a 4-week loan period.
Guest patrons may use the following resources within the library but may not check them out: antiquarian volumes, reference works, journals, or items on course reserve.
Guests will be charged the replacement cost (for a comparable copy) plus a processing fee of $15 per book for items that are lost, damaged, or never returned.
Exception to this policy: current students, faculty and staff of Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids Theological Seminary, or Kuyper college have the same borrowing privileges as PRTS students, faculty and staff.
Guests participating in the Association of Christian Librarians’ Reciprocal Borrowing Program or the Association of Theological Libraries’ Reciprocal Borrowing Program may check out books from the William Perkins Library only, not other CULN partner libraries. Other restrictions may apply. See library staff for details.
Interlibrary Loan
Who: ILL services are available to faculty and current students at PRTS. ILL services are not available to guests or alumni.
How Many: Each student may request up to ten ILL items at a time. Exceptions may be granted to students writing their theses.
How: The easiest way to request books is via Primo or WorldCat. Links for ILL requests are contained within each site. Complete and submit the form using your name and the seminary’s address and phone number. Journal articles may be requested through the journal databases via the ILL link and Primo links. Special needs? Contact PRTS ILL directly at [email protected] with your request.
Costs: In most cases, there is no charge for ILL items. Occasionally, a lending library may charge $5 to $50. Notice will be given in these circumstances. The patron, not the William Perkins library, is responsible for lending fees. Patrons who fail to return an ILL book will be charged a late fee and possibly an additional replacement fee charged by the lending library.
Time: It may take 1-2 weeks for a book to come, so plan ahead and don’t wait until the last minute. Journal articles are generally available within a week and will come as a pdf to your email address.
Renewing: Renewals are only allowed in the one-week period, before the due date. It is up to the lending library whether a renewal is granted. Email [email protected] in order to place a renewal request for your ILL book.
Restrictions: There is no ILL between PRTS, Kuyper, and Cornerstone.
Damaged Books
A book is considered “damaged” if it is returned to the library in a condition that requires extensive repair OR is unable to be repaired and will need to be replaced instead. Examples of damage include, but are not limited to: water damage, mold, pen/pencil marks, torn and/or missing pages, and damage to the outside covers of the book.
If patrons wish to check out a book that is already damaged, they should show the damage to the circulation desk staff, who will make a note in the record and not hold them responsible when the book is returned.
Alumni
Alumni have access to the library during normal posted business hours.
Alumni who live locally may check out up to 10 books at one time; late items will receive overdue fines; lost items will be charged for the replacement and processing cost. See FAQ section for further information.
Alumni may use the printer/photocopier with their student password. An invoice will be sent at the end of each semester for all printing/copying at the cost of $.10/page.
Alumni have access to all electronic databases only while physically in the seminary building. Remote access is not available for alumni.
Inter-library loan services are not available for alumni.
Alumni may use carrels and tables when they are in the library. Because of the limited number of carrels and the growing number of on-campus and off-campus students who use the library on a regular basis, we do not have enough carrels for alumni to claim one for their own permanent use.
Alumni do not have reciprocal borrowing privileges with Cornerstone and Kuyper College. Alumni members wishing to use these libraries will need to get guest cards from each of these libraries individually.
FAQs
Everyone is welcome to visit the William Perkins library during its regular hours. Guests may apply for a guest card (some borrowing restrictions apply and an annual fee of $10 is required). For more information about guest borrowing, see the Circulation policy above.
Zondervan Library hours of operation are Monday through Thursday 8 am to 10 pm; Friday 8 am to 4:30 pm; and Saturday 10 am to 5 pm. Miller Library hours of operation are generally 7:30 am to midnight, Monday through Thursday, but closing on 5 pm on Friday and Saturday.
Content Guide
Do you have any questions? Ask a librarian.