Policies & Procedures

All faculty, staff, and students officially affiliated with PAFA may borrow library materials. Please note: a current/active PAFA ID card must be presented whenever borrowing materials from the library. 

As a borrower, you are also responsible for all materials charged to your account. Borrowing materials "for" someone else with your card, loaning library materials charged to your account to another, or giving library materials to someone else to return for you does not alleviate your responsibility for such materials.

PAFA alumni may join the library for a $35.00 annual fee (see Library Desk for details).

Books circulate for three (3) weeks (with some exceptions) and can be renewed up to two (2) times (on the condition that no one else has requested them). Renewal can be done by phone, email, or in-person— ask for details. Videos circulate for one (1) week, and cannot be renewed.

Please note: Regular overdue notices are sent as a courtesy reminder only. Failure to receive any notice does not relieve a borrower of the responsibility of returning an item by the date due.

Periodicals and materials from Reference, Artist Files and selected items behind the Circulation Desk cannot be checked out of the library. These materials are designated “Library Use Only.”

Some additional items in the open stacks are marked for “Library Use Only” and may not be checked out. Books in poor condition may be judged by the staff to be too fragile for loan outside the Library.

Library materials cannot be renewed if there is an outstanding hold or recall request.

Material may be recalled at any time. The due date will change to two weeks if the material is due later than that. When the material becomes available, the patron making the request will be notified and the book will be held for 14 days.

Requests for holds and recalls may be placed at either the Circulation Desk or by phone.

Items that are required or supplemental readings for classes are placed on reserve to maximize the number of people who can use them. In most cases, reserve materials must be used in the library.

Recalls cannot be placed on reserve materials.

Reserve materials may not be renewed.

Borrowers are encouraged to return and/or renew items in a timely fashion in order to avoid fines, which can accumulate quickly. Repetitive failure to follow the guidelines and policies below will result in the suspension of all Library privileges, indefinitely, if necessary.

The Library charges fees to replace lost materials and processing fees to ensure quality and integrity of the collection. Delinquency fines are charged when other library users are deprived of the use of materials due to late returns, special permission, class reserve materials and certain high-demand materials.

Overdue notices are a courtesy to the patron and are sent out via email after one week. The patron is responsible for all overdue fines, even if he or she has not received the notice. After 60 days overdue, the borrower is assessed a replacement charge and a $15 processing fee.

The borrower will be charged for the replacement of lost materials. This charge will be the cost of the item, plus a non-refundable $15 processing fee. Please note that many art monographs cost between $50 and $100 to replace. Many are also out of print and can exceed those amounts.

Library debts must be fulfilled before registration for a new term. Failure to settle library obligations may affect a student’s eligibility to pre-register, receive a studio, participate in the Annual Student Exhibition, graduate, and/or receive a transcript.

Library materials damaged while on loan are subject to replacement fees, and if done intentionally, to disciplinary action. Theft, successful or attempted, is also subject to disciplinary action.