Library Terms of Use

Users

Subject to these Terms of Use, the facilities of the Monash University Library (the ‘Library’) are available to members of Council, members of staff and students of the University and other persons determined by the University Librarian who are collectively referred to as ‘users’ in these Terms of Use.

Delegation

The University Librarian may delegate all or any of the powers and functions of the University Librarian to any other member of Library staff.

Using the Library in person

Conduct

As part of a community of learning, all users of the Library contribute to the creation of a respectful, productive and inclusive space. All users have a right to pursue their research or study without unnecessary disturbance or distraction and have an obligation to respect the rights of others to do the same. The Library manages a suite of materials, services, activities, programs, spaces and facilities to enable users’ study and research.

Use of Monash University Library facilities is primarily for education and research purposes.

Users of Monash University Library must:

  • Respect the right of others to study, learn and research in Library facilities. Library users are required to:
    • Eat food only in designated areas, such as the Library cafes or ground floor. Drinks with lids are allowed throughout the buildings. Additional restrictions apply in specified areas, including the Gallery, teaching and discussion rooms, and other signed areas.
    • Use landfill or recycling bins to dispose of rubbish.
    • Be considerate of other users’ use of the Library facilities by choosing a location for study that is suitable for the user’s activity. Signage within the Library indicates whether areas are designed for quiet, collaborative or social activities. When in doubt, particularly during end of semester assessment periods, Library areas are designed to support quiet study.
    • Set mobile phones to vibrate or silent on entry to signed quiet study areas. Where appropriate, users should have phone conversations in collaborative or social spaces.
    • Take care of their own personal items to ensure that they are safe and not use personal items to reserve spaces (to ensure that all Library users can find a place to study). The Library may remove unattended items and these can be collected as lost property from the Information Point. The University is not responsible for loss or damage to personal belongings left unattended or collected as lost property.
  • Borrow Library resources in accordance with current Library procedures before leaving the building. If a security gate alarm sounds, users must return to the Library Information Point to present Library materials for processing.
  • Present or surrender their Monash University ID card, Library Membership card, Reciprocal Borrower's card or other form of photo ID upon request by a member of Library staff (for example, to access resources, secured areas, or services, or otherwise upon request).
  • Ask for Library management approval to photograph or film for commercial or other purposes and avoid capturing Library users, staff and the art collection
  • Comply with all laws, University statutes, regulations, policies and terms of use. These include the University’s Information Technology use policies and the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968, the Copyright Amendment (Digital Agenda) Act 2000 and other amendments and regulations currently in force;
  • Comply with official signage and notices displayed within the Library’s facilities and on the Library’s online services;
  • Comply with any reasonable direction made by a member of Library staff.

Borrowing materials

Terms of use for physical materials

Users are required to borrow Library resources in accordance with current Library procedures before leaving the building. If a security gate alarm sounds, users must return to the Library Information Point to present Library materials for processing. During the period of a loan, the user who borrowed the materials is responsible for their care and safekeeping.

The University Librarian will determine:

  • the number of items that a user may have on loan; and
  • the period for which the materials may be borrowed.

Materials designated as not for loan, must be used within the Library building.

Discussion Rooms: Terms & Conditions

Discussion Rooms are available to users to support the need for group study spaces to work on group assessment tasks, projects, presentations or reports. As popular spaces, users using the Discussion Rooms for commercial enterprise, including private tutoring, may be asked to leave.

Terms of use

  • Bookings are made in 30-minute slots and for a maximum of two hours per day (120 mins).
  • Group usage takes precedence over individual use at all times.
  • If users are more than 10 minutes late for their booking, Library staff reserve the right to re-book the room.
  • No food and only drinks with lids are permitted in Discussion Rooms.

To cancel a booking

  1. Within the user’s emails, search for an email from alerts@mail.libcal.com.
  2. Locate the cancel link within the booking confirmation email received and follow the prompts to cancel the booking.

Operating hours
Discussion Rooms are available during Library opening hours.

Questions or assistance?

Library staff are here to help:

  • Chat with us
  • Call us: +61 3 9905 5054
  • Visit us at the Information Point of the library.

Using the Library online

Terms of use for electronic resources

The University, and by extension the Library, expects all users to act responsibly when using Library materials. This enables ongoing access to important materials for education and research. Use of the Library's electronic resources is governed by licence agreements which restrict use to current Monash staff and students (and in limited circumstances, to alumni, affiliates, and walk-in users). All users are responsible for limiting use to non-commercial academic research or learning purposes and must not systematically download, distribute, or retain substantial portions of information.

When a new Monash staff member or student joins the University, they are assigned a status according to the definitions given in the University statute. Status is indicated by the appropriate staff or student attribute in the Monash Directory Service entry and must be authorised. The Library uses University authentication and identity systems together with OpenAthens, the Library's access service, to provide access to electronic resources. Concerns or questions about assigned status, should be directed to the faculty or business unit who arranged the user’s employment or enrolment.

Responsible use of the Library’s collections ensures credit is given to the work of others, with care for their rights. Copyright and proprietary notices must not be removed from any printed or downloaded material and all material used must be cited appropriately. The use of unauthorised scripts, agents or robot software is prohibited and may result in the loss of access to the resources for the user and/or the entire Monash community. Users are also legally required to comply with any additional terms of use specified in an electronic resource.

Staff should note that any use of electronic resources for teaching purposes must comply with the contractual terms of use of the electronic resource from which the material was sourced.

Additional user groups, such as alumni and affiliates, may not be able to be granted access to all resources, which are governed by licence agreements. Walk-in users generally have to access the electronic resources on-campus through a dedicated Library computer terminal. Use of the electronic resources must comply with the particular licence terms governing that resource. Use of electronic resources is generally limited to study, teaching and research purposes.

Users found to be in breach of these terms of use will be suspended from access to all purchased and subscribed electronic resources, and may suffer additional penalties in accordance with the University’s IT Acceptable Use Procedure.

Breach of Terms of Use

Lost and overdue loans

To ensure that everyone has access to the resources they need, the University Librarian may determine fees and fines for borrowed materials that are damaged, lost or returned late. Fees may include the cost of replacing or repairing the borrowed materials and processing and other administrative charges. The most important thing to do in these circumstances is contact us at the Library. More information about what happens if you don’t return a loan on time is available here. A notice requiring payment will be sent to the user.

Any amount payable must be paid by the user. Failure to do so may result in encumbrance of a user’s account by the University. Unpaid fees may encumber your University record. This means a block may be placed on your University account - and not just your library account. Where the user is a student, a restriction on the student obtaining an academic transcript or having a degree conferred upon them will also be imposed in accordance with the Monash University (Vice- Chancellor) Regulations. Please see this comprehensive guide on encumbrances and how to avoid them.

Exclusion

A member of Library staff who is of the opinion that a user has caused a disturbance or failed to comply with these Terms of Use may request the user to produce their user identification and may order the person to leave the Library’s facilities.

Where a user has repeatedly:

  • returned Library materials after the due return date; or
  • returned Library materials in a damaged state; or
  • failed to return Library materials; or
  • refused to comply with a request or order; or
  • not paid fees or fines within the time required; or
  • engaged in a combination of the above actions,

after giving the user reasonable opportunity to be heard, the University Librarian may prohibit or restrict the user’s access to Library spaces, resources or collections for such period and under such conditions as the University Librarian determines.

Failure to comply with the above may also result in a student’s account being encumbered by the University.

Where a student user engages in the above conduct, a member of the Library staff may also report an allegation of general misconduct in accordance with the Monash University (Council) Regulations.

Communication

Any communication with or notice for a user will be sent to the email address recorded in the user’s record on the Library’s management system.

Official notices, directed to the whole user community, will be displayed on the Library’s website and/or within the Library.

Questions and feedback regarding the Library’s Terms of Use are welcome and may be made through our Contacts (phone, email or chat). Users who are unhappy with the Library’s processes or with their treatment by Library staff may make a formal complaint.