About Access & Circulation Services

The Circulation Department ensures access to the library facility and coordinates borrowing of the library's collections. Patrons may search for library materials using VUCat, the library's online catalog, and retrieve circulating materials from the Main Stacks on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors or from Popular Reading collection on the 1st floor.  Course Reserve materials are located on the 1st floor and electronic Course Reserve readings can also be accessed online via WebCT. Any questions about Circulating materials or Access policies can be directed to a Circulation staff member at (610)519-4271 during regular library hours.

NEW!  After-hours study is now available in the new, first floor lounge in Falvey Memorial Library. Wildcard access via the new entrance will be permitted when the library is closed. The after-hours study lounge is not open during semester breaks and holidays. Call 610-519-4271 for more details.

Access

Patrons may enter Falvey Memorial Library upon presentation of a valid Villanova Wildcard, Rosemont College ID card, Falvey Library Courtesy Card, or a college ID from a library that participates in the Tri-State College Library Cooperative (TCLC). All other visitors may enter the library Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., after presenting a valid photo identification card. Questions about access to the library can be addressed to Circulation staff at (610)519-4270 during regular library hours.

Book Retrieval

Are you running short of time? Let the library staff retrieve books from the stacks for you! Villanova faculty, staff, and students may ask Circulation staff to retrieve up to three books per day from the main circulating collection for pick up at the Circulation desk. After checking VUCAT, the on-line library catalog, to verify that a book is not charged out, you may call (610)519-4271 during regular library hours to make your request. Please allow at least one hour before picking up the requested items.

Borrowing

Books obtained from the Main Stacks or Popular Reading collection can be checked out from the Circulation desk upon presentation of a valid Villanova University Wildcard, Falvey Library Courtesy Card, or Rosemont College ID card. Loan periods and limits on borrowing vary. Library books must be returned on or before the due date printed on the due date slip in each book. You may view your  patron record to review items checked out to your name, recalls you have placed, and fines/fees you may owe the library.

Courtesy Memberships

The following may apply for borrowing privileges at Falvey Memorial Library:

• Villanova University alumni
• Local area college faculty   
• Members of an established religious order
• Radnor and Lower Merion township residents

Area college faculty and members of an established religious order may apply for library access and borrowing privileges by paying a one-time $10.00 card fee. Area college faculty must present a current university faculty ID when applying for the card. Resident applicants must present a Pennsylvania Driver's License, Voter's Registration Card or other valid form of ID. Other applicants may be asked to present a photo identification card.

Residents of Radnor or Lower Merion townships may apply annually for borrowing privileges. A $30.00 annual membership fee is required upon the completion of the application form.

Villanova Alumni have the option of applying for either a visitor's card or a library borrower's card. The visitor's card is free of charge and enables the user to enter the library and use the readily available resources. Moreover, if library materials need to be borrowed or access to subscription databases from inside the library is desired, a library borrower card can be requested. There is a $30.00 annual membership fee for this type of card.

Villanova Alumni, who recently graduated and who desire borrowing privileges and database access, will not be charged the $30.00 annual membership fee. This waiver of fees applies to alumni who have graduated within 12 months from the date of application.

Despite which card is requested, there are some electronic resources that are only available to currently enrolled Villanova students.

Extension of Borrowing Privileges

Students who are no longer registered for classes but who require library privileges may ask a department chairperson, professor, or secretary to complete and send a request for Extension of Borrowing Privileges to the Falvey Library Access Services department. Qualifying circumstances may include, but are not limited to, completion of coursework, comprehensive exams, thesis continuation, or ongoing research.

To avoid the assessment of late fines or lost book charges, return or renew books on or before the due date.

• Main Stacks/Popular Reading books - fines are $0.10 per day, per book with a $3.00 maximum per book
• Reserve books - fines vary from $1.00 per hour to $1.00 per day with a $10.00 maximum per book
• Lost book charge - $50.00 will be assessed once a book has become 30 days overdue (lost charges are higher and are assessed more quickly on media materials & EZBorrow).
• Fines, fees, and charges can be paid at the Circulation Desk with cash, personal check, or Wildcard.

Borrowing privileges will be blocked for any amount due greater than $25.00, with the exception of Courtesy member borrowers, whose limit is $10.00.

In order to supplement the number of desktop computers available to patrons in the library, eighteen Dell laptops are available for loan at the Circulation Desk. Patrons with a valid Villanova Wildcard may borrow a laptop for a period of three hours for library use only. One renewal is permitted. Late return fines, fees for damages, and lost laptop and parts fees will apply.

Notification

Falvey Library sends out reminder notices in advance of the due date to remind patrons of books coming due. Overdue notices are sent at regular intervals and fine/fee statements whenever new fines/fees are generated. Other types of notices are Recall, Item Available, and Cancellation.  Since most of our patrons use email, that is how most notices will be sent.

Patron "Self Services"

Falvey Library allows you to renew your book(s) and review the other details of your patron record.  Some material types cannot be renewed, such as Popular Reading titles.

You can also recall or place a hold on a book that is checked out or not on the shelf.  The book record in VUCat will indicate the status of an item (Not Charged, On Loan, etc.). If the book you need is on loan to someone else, you can place a recall.  If the book you need is not charged out, place a hold on that book and we will retrieve it for you and hold it at the Circulation Desk for up to 3 days.

If, according to our catalog, the book you need is owned by Falvey but checked out by another patron, you can also use EZBorrow to borrow it from a participating library. The lending library will ship the book to Falvey, usually within 3-4 weekdays.

For books not owned by Falvey Library, the Interlibrary Loan service can be initiated from the library homepage.

Renewing books

Library books obtained from the open stacks can normally be renewed twice either online, in person at the Circulation Department, located on the first floor of Falvey Memorial Library, or by telephoning the Circulation Department at (610)519-4271. You may renew your books online from the library homepage by clicking on My Library Account and by following the login and renewal prompts. After two renewals, library books may be brought to the Circulation Desk for discharge and can then be checked out again.

Items that are overdue (by less than 30 days) with fines can be renewed by telephone or in person and the late fines placed on account for the borrower.

Moreover, books that have been requested by another borrower cannot be renewed and must be returned.

Requesting a Falvey Library book

Patrons may place a hold or recall on Main Stacks books that are either checked out to another borrower or not on the shelf. It is advised that you first search for the book in our catalog, VUCat, to be sure the item has a Main Stacks location.  From the book record, click on the Request button at the top of the page.

You will be prompted for your 16-digit ID (Wildcard) Number and Last Name. After entering that information, click Logon. When prompted, select "Waiting List" if the book is not checked out (Not Charged) or select "Recall" if the book is on loan (Charged) and a due date displays for that item, and then click OK.

Reference,  Archives,  Special Collections, and other items in non-circulating locations cannot be held or recalled.

Holds and recalls are not available to Courtesy Borrowers.

Rosemont College Student Privileges

Students who attend Rosemont College are entitled to limited borrowing privileges and access to databases. Borrowing privileges can be secured at the Circulation Desk. In order for Rosemont students to access the databases, they must complete a request form at the Circulation Desk. It takes approximately 5-7 days for the request to be processed and for the username and password to be mailed to the student.

Rosemont College students are not part of the campus print program.  These users can ask for a print card at the Circulation desk. The use of print cards requires a $1.00 card fee for each card used.

Theses & Yearbook Retrieval

Villanova theses, dissertations, and yearbooks can be requested at the Circulation Desk. The requested item is placed on hold for a limited period of time and does not circulate. Valid photo identification is required for use of these items. Copyright restrictions apply.

Villanova students with a valid Villanova Wildcard may borrow video and DVD titles for a period of three hours. Video and DVD titles can only be viewed inside the library at viewing stations or on compatible computers. No renewals are permitted. Late return fines, fees for damages, and lost item fees will apply.

Faculty with a valid Villanova Wildcard may borrow video and DVD titles for a period of 7 days with the option of one renewal of 7 days per title. Advance bookings can be placed using the online Mixed Media request form.