About Miller Library  

The Clifton M. Miller Library primarily serves the college community; however, members of the local community and visitors who have educational or research needs are welcome to use our resources and services as set out in the guidelines below. Priority will always be given to members of the college community. Children under 17 years of age must be in the company of an adult, unless they posses a valid Washington College dependent ID card.

All visitors are asked to adhere to library policies and act in a manner that maintains an environment conducive to learning. Covered drinks and dry snacks are allowed, but food is not permitted. The library reserves the right to deny access to the use of the library.

Guidelines

Access to resources

Visitors may use the online catalog on any computer located in the Information Commons. You may read the newspapers and the journals. Members of the local community residing in Kent and northern Queen Anne’s counties may borrow books as outlined in “Circulation Privileges” below.

Alumni may access the online resources in the library only by using their college user ID and password. If you have forgotten your user ID and password, please check with Office of Information Technology located in Smith Hall or call (410) 778-7271.

Access to electronic resources

If you need to use our electronic resources, please speak with a librarian who will ask you to sign in and give you temporary access to the internet. At the end of your session you must log off the computer and sign out. Use of the internet is strictly for educational and research needs and is not for personal or recreational purposes. Viewing of sexually explicit materials is strictly prohibited.

Priority is always given to students, faculty, and staff of Washington College, therefore you may be asked to give up a computer if it is needed by any of the above-mentioned persons.

Printing

Printed items must be picked up at the Circulation Desk. The cost is 10 cents per page for black and white copies and 25 cents for color copies.

 Circulation Privileges

In addition to serving the college community, we provide several other categories of special borrowers. Though anyone with a serious research purpose is welcome to use our facilities, only those who fall into one of the following groups may actually become a borrower.

1.      Community Borrowers: Residents of Kent and northern Queen Anne’s County. The annual fee is $10.00. Borrowers may check out 2 books for three weeks.

2.       Friends of Miller Library: A Friends membership begins on July 1^st and runs thru June 30^th. Dues are $25.00 per person per year. Friends may borrow four books for three weeks. The membership includes a newsletter and admission to special events hosted by the Friends. Membership cards are mailed to the subscriber.

3.      Washington College alumni: Alumni may borrow two books for three weeks with no registration fee.

4.      WC-ALL: Registered individuals in the Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning program. They may borrow two books for three weeks. There is no fee for WC-ALL students. Registration is for the current semester only and the borrower’s name must appear on the list of WC-ALL students.

5.      Students enrolled in participating MICUA institutions: Students from Baltimore Hebrew, Columbia Union, Hood, Loyola-Notre Dame, Mount Saint Mary’s, Stevenson University, McDaniel College, Goucher, and Baltimore International. The student must complete a registration form and show valid ID from one of these MICUA institutions. We will issue a borrower’s card free of charge and it will be usable until the end of the current semester. Four books may be borrowed for six weeks.

6.      High School students: Students in the eleventh or twelfth grades attending Kent County High School, Queen Anne’s County High School, and Gunston Day School with a letter from their high school librarian requesting that we extend borrowing privileges. They must complete a registration form but are not obligated to pay any fee. The card is valid until the end of the Washington College semester and the student is able to borrow two books for three weeks.

Books may be renewed once but are subject to immediate recall when needed by a Washington College student or faculty member. Certain services (e.g. interlibrary loan or reference assistance) and collections (e.g. reserve or media) are restricted to members of the college community. Other collections (e.g. periodicals) must be used in the library.

It is the responsibility of the user to return Washington College materials on or before the due date. A book return is available near the front entrance for returns when the library is closed. Overdue notices are sent for materials not returned on time, the fine being $1.00 per day per book. For library materials long overdue, the borrower will be billed a replacement cost and a non-refundable fee of $15.00 for each item. In addition to billing for overdue materials, the library will charge for materials that have not been cared for properly.

Continued use of the library facilities and its resources including borrowing privileges depends on the observance of college and library policies.

• Books not returned by the end of semester are billed for cost and processing fee
• Books recalled but not returned within 7 days after receiving recall notice are fined $1/day
• Interlibrary loan books not returned within 7 days after due date are fined $1/day
• Computers not returned by time due are charged $25/hour or any fraction thereof
• Damaged or defaced books will be billed for cost and processing fee