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Frederick E. Berry Library and Learning Commons

Help & Services

Borrowing Privileges for Salem State University Collections

Members of the Salem State University community may borrow physical books and items, including:

  • Day students: With a valid ClipperCard
  • Continuing Education students: With a valid ClipperCard  
  • Graduate students: With a valid ClipperCard  
  • Faculty and Staff: With a valid ClipperCard
  • Faculty Emeritus: Must complete a Faculty Emeritus Form
  • Faculty Proxy: Faculty member must complete a Proxy Form
  • Alumni: Must be listed in Alumni Directory or verified by Alumni Affairs Office. All the same borrowing privileges as students, except for study rooms and course reserves.
  • Thesis students: Students not currently enrolled but working on a thesis must have a letter from advisor or department requesting privileges
  • Special Friend: As requested by administration
  • Library Specific: Summer Reading Programs (Reading Clinic)
  • Interlibrary Loan: As requested by ILL staff

Salem State University enjoys reciprocal borrowing privileges with the following consortiums. Reciprocal borrowing means that patrons/students of the following consortiums are granted regular public borrowing privileges (10 items, 21 days, 1 renewal) at the SSU Library.

Loan Periods

Material Type Student Faculty Public (NOBLE) patrons
Typical items 3 weeks; 2 renewals Due May 1 or Dec 1; 5 renewals 3 weeks; 1 renewal
Course reserves

Options (decided by faculty)

  • 2 hours in-library use only
  • 24 hours
  • 7 days
n/a n/a
Audio material 3 weeks; 1 renewal 3 weeks; 1 renewal 3 weeks; 1 renewal
Video material 2 hours in-library use only 1 week 2 hours in-library use only
Software

Varies by item:

  • 2 hours in-library use only
  • 3 weeks; 2 renewals

Varies by item:

  • 2 hours in-library use only
  • 3 weeks; 2 renewals

Varies by item:

  • 2 hours in-library use only
  • 3 weeks; 2 renewals
Study rooms 2 hours By request n/a
Headphones, cables, DVD drives 2 hours in-library use only 2 hours in-library use only 2 hours in-library use only
Tests 7 days 7 days n/a
Museum passes Varies by subscription Varies by subscription n/a

Reference materials and serials do not circulate. Rare exceptions are made with the permission of Library staff. If permission is granted for an exception, staff will use a Circulating Reference Materials Form to record the transaction.

Borrowing Privileges at Other Libraries

Salem State University students, faculty, and staff receive reciprocal borrowing privileges with the following consortiums. Reciprocal borrowing means that patrons/students of the following consortiums are granted regular public borrowing privileges (10 items, 21 days, 1 renewal) at the SSU Library. Salem State students, faculty, and staff are granted borrowing privileges at libraries in these consortiums.

  • NOBLE: students & faculty (must have valid ClipperCard)
  • NECCUM (Northeast Consortium of Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts): students & faculty (must have valid ClipperCard)
  • MCCLPHEI (Massachusetts Commonwealth Consortium of Public Higher Education Institutions): students & faculty (must have valid ClipperCard)

Databases at these member institutions may be used on-site at these institutions. Remote access to databases at other Massachusetts public colleges and universities is not possible at this time.

The Berry Library also grants borrowing privileges to some schools not affiliated in any way with Salem State University. SSU students may not have borrowing privileges at these schools. Please check directly with the library in question.

Denial of Borrowing Privileges

The Berry Library respects the delinquency statuses maintained automatically by the NOBLE system. Patrons may be denied borrowing privileges under any of the following circumstances:

  • owes long overdue billed materials.
  • owes long overdue ILL materials or fines.
  • owes fines of $50.01 or over.
  • at the request of other consortium libraries.

Holds

Holds are requests placed in the system on behalf of patrons for material they wish to borrow. Holds can be placed for material that is currently checked out and needs to be set aside for the patron at their preferred pickup location when it is returned. Holds can also be placed on material that is available and needs to be pulled from the shelf and set aside for the patron or sent to the patron's desired pickup location. Holds are placed in two ways: by staff in our records management system or by patrons requesting materials in the web catalog. Library book pick for holds can be found in the lobby of the Berry Library and Learning Commons in front of the library entrance.

Museum Passes

The library has museum passes to the Peabody Essex Museum. Salem State University faculty, staff, and students may use their ClipperCard for free admission to the PEM. Faculty, staff, and students may also pick up a PEM guest pass from the Library Help Desk. The guest pass includes a promo code that can be used for two guests to make an online reservation for free admission to the PEM at a specific date and time.

Overdue Items, Fines & Lost Materials

Overdue Items

Material becomes "long overdue" after it has been overdue for 42 days. At this point, the patron is sent a bill notice and is blocked in our records management system. The block prevents a student from being able to register for classes or to obtain grades or transcripts. We make every effort to remove all blocks within 24 hours after all materials have been returned.

 

Fines

Salem State University Library does not charge fines.

 

Payment for Lost Materials

Patrons who lose SSU Library materials must pay the replacement cost as indicated on their bill or as noted on their patron record. Most books have a standard (average) replacement cost of $45.00, but some books and other media have other costs as shown on the bill or record.

  • Payment for lost materials is non-refundable, even if the item is later found.
  • Please pay cash or make checks or money orders payable to: Salem State University Library.
  • Payment can also be made with credit/debit card via your NOBLE account (see below under PIN/Password).
  • In certain cases, it may be acceptable to provide a replacement copy of the same edition, in new condition. Please email library staff to see if this option will work for a particular item.

PIN/Password

If you are a registered borrower of a NOBLE library, you can create an account to:

  • View a list of items you have checked out
  • Renew the items you have checked out
  • View your outstanding fines
  • Pay for fines or lost items with debit/credit card
  • Request items (place holds)
  • View a list of items you have on hold
  • Cancel or suspend your holds
  • Create lists of items from the catalog
  • Opt in to maintain a list of your check out history

 

To access your account, you will need to type in your library card barcode number and a Personal Identification Number (PIN)/password. To obtain a PIN/password, you can present identification at a NOBLE member library, or set it up online if your account has an email address on file. Visit NOBLE's PIN info page for instructions. Please note:

  • You will be able to change your PIN/password at any time using the same methods.
  • PIN/passwords will not be given out over the phone.