Library Policies

1. Library Acquisition Policy:

1. Acquisition Objectives:

Acquisition in BH medical library, aims to develop and update the library’s collection with books and periodicals. The policies will act as a guide for the acquisition and selection of the library materials to be added to the collection.

2. Acquisition of Books:

There are four stages in acquisition of books: Selection, Ordering, Accessioning, and Payments. Each stage has several operations and recording procedures. The Medical Library will manage all the acquisition stages.

2.1 Selection:

A circular about the new book acquisition (after approval from the ED) is distributed for all HODs in BH.

The book lists are collected as per the deadline had set. Another books list is prepared by the librarian Using “Global Books in Print” and other free online vendor databases to identify the most recent books and subject collections where our library resources are inadequate, as a librarian suggestion list. Combine the two lists into one final list after verifying bibliographic information of the books.

Administration & library committee approval is requested for the purchasing of the books.

The Selection Committee has the right to agree or reject according to the following Selection Criteria:

a. Subject coverage: /New subject /the subject relevant to BH interest/enrich the collection/

b. Languages: English.

c. Date of publication: the last 5years; except for reference Books.

d. When there is a choice, hardbound books should be selected.

e. Multiple copies: 1 copy; except for the CPD Collection.

 

2.2 Ordering:

·         Checking: once the initial selection for ordering has been made, each item is checked against the library catalogue. A document Request Form should be filled by listing the books by title/author, isbn, and the approximate price.

 

·         Order Form: a decision is then made to obtain the selected approved library materials according to the criteria up from the book supplier.

2.3 Accessioning:

·         The received books are checked against the order form& invoices. Each item must be stamped by the date of arrival. All the Technical Processing Services will be held by the medical librarian.

 

2.4 Payments:

·         The approved Document Request Form, Order Forms and the invoices (Original) must be sent with a covering letter to the finance department to settle the accounts.

3. Acquisition of Periodicals:

As well as the acquisition of books, there are four stages in acquisition of periodicals: Selection, Ordering, Accessioning, and Payments. Each stage has several operations and recording procedures. The Medical Library will manage all the acquisition stages.

3.1 Selection:

·         A circular about the journals subscription (after approval from the ED) is distributed for all HODs in BH.

·         The registration form of journals subscription have three options,

 

Ø  Continuation of current periodicals available in the library to be renewed.

Ø  New suggested tittles to be added.

Ø  Discontinuation of current periodicals.

·         The Journal lists are collected as per the deadline had set.

·         Administration & library committee approval is requested for the periodicals subscription.

·         An Order Form of the approved periodicals listed with correct tittles & ISSN is prepared and sent it for supplier for a quotation. 

3.2 Ordering:

·         The supplier quotation is checked against the order form.

3.3 Accessioning:

·         The supplier quotation is checked against the order form.

·         The received issues are recorded in an excel sheet prepared for that purpose as well in a well organized registration form.

·         The non-received issues are claimed from the supplier.

3.4 Payments:

·         The approved Document Request Form, Order Forms and the invoices (Original) must be sent with a covering letter to the finance department to settle the accounts.

2. Circulation policy

1. Circulated items

1.1 Books

·         Maximum 2books are allowed to be borrowed at a time per user.

·         Loan period for the books is 1 week.

·         The books are allowed to be renewed once.

·         Checked-out material will be recalled if requested by another and may be given an earlier due date.

·         Circulation of materials can only be done during regular Library hours of 7:00am-2:00pm, Saturday through Wednesday.

 

2.1 Journals

·         Maximum one journal is allowed to be borrowed at a time per user.

·         Loan period for the journal is 3 days and may be renewed for up to one additional loan period, providing they have not been put on "hold" by another borrower.

·         Circulation of materials can only be done during regular Library hours of 7:00am-2:00pm, Saturday through Wednesday.

 

3.1 CDs & DVDs

·         Maximum one CD is allowed to be borrowed per user.

·         Loan period for the CD is 1 day.

·         The duplicated copy of the CDs & DVDs not the original one will be circulated.

·         Circulation of materials can only be done during regular Library hours of 7:00am-2:00pm, Saturday through Wednesday.

·         Patrons who check out library materials become responsible for those materials until they are officially checked in again.

2. Fines

·         The following fines will be applied in case of any delay:

 

Ø  Fine Schedule:

                      1^st  Week 100 Baisa per Day.

                           2^nd Week 200 Baisa per Day.

                           3^rd Week 400 Baisa per Day.

                           4^th Week 800 Baisa per Day.

 

After the 4th week the Book will be considered Lost and therefore can be claimed.

 

·         Lost books: in cases of lost books then the user will have to replace the lost book with a new one or pay full book cost including 50% administration fee. If the user refuses to pay the fines then the hospital will have the right to detect the fines from their monthly salary.

3. Library users Categories

The users of Buraimi Hospital Library are divided into three categories:   

3.1     Primary users

 

·         All BH Staff are the primary users of the library and they have full access to all library services and facilities.

·         Username and passwords for e-journals and e-books will be provided for the primary users when available.

3.2     Secondary users

·         This includes:

§  Governorate of Buraimi Health Centers staffs.

§  BH medical interns

·         Secondary users are allowed to browse and borrow library books.

·         Secondary users are allowed to browse the journals & DVDs/CDs from the library only and cannot borrow them.

·         Secondary users will have access to e-journals and e-books from the library and no username or passwords will be provided.

·         Internet access will be provided.

3.3     Tertiary users

 

·         This includes any other users or visitors of the library.

·         Tertiary users will be allowed to browse library collection and no borrowing is allowed.

3. Donation policy

1. Policy Statement     

·         Buraimi Hospital Medical Library  appreciate, value, and welcome gifts of books and other library materials that enhance and enrich existing collections as well as support the research goals and objectives of the library

     Donated materials must be in excellent condition and meet specific criteria to be accepted by the library.

 

2.  The following criteria are applied in considering whether or not the Library can accept a donation or bequest of books:

·         The material must fall within the scope of the Library’s (medical discipline).

·          We welcome Paperback and hardcover books in good condition, and without excessive marking.

 

Material in poor conditions (water damaged, active mold or fungi growing on it, warped, brittle pages, missing pages, missing or damaged covers, etc.). When we receive this type of material, we usually discard it.

·         The library accepts donations of books that have been published within the most recent five years. Newly published books are especially welcome.

·         Materials donated to the library must be unconditional and they are non-returnable.

·         The library will provide a letter acknowledging receipt of donated items upon request.

4. Membership policy

1. Policy Statement

·         Buraimi Hospital Medical Library provides library membership to identified client groups to enable these clientele to access the library services and resources.

2. How to apply library membership?

 

·         Membership is obtained by completing an application form available from the circulation desk and presenting this, along with a passport size photograph.

3. Whom to apply library membership?

·         Primary and secondary library users are entitled to membership of the library.

·          Tertiary users are not permitted to have library membership.

4. Library member’s responsibilities:

·         Receiving a membership card means that member has undertaken to abide by the library's rules and by-laws.

·          Members must bring their membership card every time they visit the library.

·         Membership cards are for the sole use of the person to whom they were issued and are not transferable.

·         If your card is lost or stolen, you must report it to the library immediately to have a new one issued.

·         Please contact the library for any change of your personal details.

·         members are responsible for all items borrowed on their card

·         If materials are lost or damaged you are responsible for replacement costs.

·          If materials are returned late you are liable for fines incurred.

·         Member may not have more than one card registered in his/her name.

 

5. Weeding policy

1. Weeding Objectives:

·         Weeding is the process of removing materials from the open shelves of a library and reassessing its value in terms of current need. Weeding is a basic part of the collection development process. With rapidly changing information, it is especially to keep the collection current and reliable in an environment where information is changing rapidly. Getting rid of the old is just as important as acquiring the new. No library is large enough to keep everything. All libraries face space restraints and can't keep everything.

2. Criteria for weeding out books:

·         library materials should be deselected and replaced by current materials within collection development

·         Materials that are incomplete irreparably damaged or in otherwise in poor condition should be weeded and replaced with appropriate titles.

·         When an item is not a fundamental work in its field of study

·         When there are more than sufficient multiple copies than needed

·         When an older material is not important for research interests

·         When the item is Irrelevant to the needs and interests of the library's community.

·         When the item is not unique and is easily accessible from another resource.

·         When the item is not used for over a period of 5 years or more, despite promotion.

6. Inter-Library loan service Policy:

·         Inter-Library loan service is a library service that enables users to borrow books or other materials and to obtain photocopies of articles from other libraries.

·         BH Library can request journal articles that are not available in the library from other libraries.

·         When a library user come with a journal article request, the librarian should first check the bibliographic information of the article, check if it is available in library collection and then request it from other libraries if it is not available.

·         To locate other libraries journal holdings, the Union Catalogue of Health Sciences Journals in eastern Mediterranean region website can be used.

·         Only the primary users can benefit from this service.

7. Use of Internet Policy:

·         The library is provided with 7computers, five of them are for the library users connected with Broadband internet connection.

·         Maximum time allowed for using the internet is 30 minutes.

·         Downloading of multimedia files such as movies and songs is prohibited except for multimedia files related to medicine.

·         WiFi wireless internet connection is also available in the library.

·         Users can bring their own laptops and use the wireless internet from the library.

·         Maximum number of copies allowed to be printed in 10.

 

8. Library Technical Processing Services Policy

5.1.    Descriptive Cataloguing:

Ø  Tools:

·         AARC2 are the rules that should be used for cataloguing the library books.

Ø  Areas of Description:

 

§  date of entry

§  LC No.

§  isbn-10

§  isbn-13

§  issn

§  Ddc

§  lc

§  nlm class

§  Cutter

§  call no

§  title proper

§  other tittle

§  state_1.1

§  state_1.2

§  state_1.3

§  state_2.1

§  state_2.2

§  state_2.3

§  state_3.1

§  state_3.2

§  state_3.3

§  Heading

§  Edition

§  Place

§  Publisher

§  Year

§  extent

§  other physical

§  dimension

§  sub heading

§  Book Form

§  Notes

5.2.    Subject Analysis:

 

Ø  Classification:

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) Classification is used as the classification scheme for medical books. Library of Congress (LC) Classification will be used to classify other disciplines.

Ø  Subject Headings:

The BH library uses the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) & Library of Congress Subject headings as the subject headings plan for medical books. As well as.