Library Procedures

Who can use the Library?

• Current students, faculty, and staff may borrow Library materials and access electronic resources onsite and online.
• Summer Academy Students and members of the public may use physical and electronic Library materials onsite in the library.
• The Library is open to the public for reference purposes.
• BAC Alumni may pay a $65 annual fee plus a $65 refundable deposit per annum to borrow Library materials.
• BAC Students currently on an official leave of absence or continuing education students not enrolled in a certificate or degree program may pay a $65 refundable deposit to borrow Library materials during the current semester.

Hours

Students, faculty, and staff may borrow DVDs which are a part of the main collection. Students may borrow 2 DVDs for one week (with one renewal). Faculty and staff may borrow 2 DVDs for two weeks (with one renewal). In addition, faculty may borrow films from the closed stack collection for classroom use. Students may borrow films from the closed stack collection for viewing within the library.

While all of the films (in DVD format) in our collection can be shown in the classroom, only some can be shown within the BAC's lecture halls and the Loft. If you have any questions about obtaining public performance rights for a film (in DVD format) from our collection, please contact the Reference and Digital Initiatives Librarian at 617.585.0257. For further information about our streaming films, go to the DVDs page.

DVD Collection Content:
The collection consists of documentary films that are supportive of the BAC's many disciplines. We have films about the following: the architectural firm of TAC, the Pruitt-Igoe public housing complex, William Morris, biophilic design, Central Park, and the flooding of New Orleans in 2005.

Contact
Please contact the Archivist at 617.585.0133 or preferably by e-mail at Library@the-bac.edu.

The BAC collects two kinds of records:

1. Institutional Archives of the BAC - records created by BAC departments and committees that have been determined to have value for long-term retention will be reviewed for inclusion in the Archives.
2. Manuscripts, Special Collections, and Personal Papers - Records created by individuals or other institutions associated with the BAC provide historical context. Such items may be donated to the BAC Archives, but only by specific, advance arrangement.

We select largely based on what we think has the most historical research value, but we also choose records for inclusion in the Archives based on the strength of the documentation they provide of the "normal course of business" at the BAC. We offer a repository to the BAC community for all records relating to legal actions and all records that document the rights and entitlements of the BAC.

Materials collected mostly document the Boston Architectural Club (1889-1943), Center (1944-2005) and College (2006- ) and persons who played critical roles in the development and continuation of the BAC. The records may take a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, paper records, books, photographs, news clippings, audio and videotapes, artifacts, and objects. A limited number of electronic records are collected by the BAC Archives at this time. Please feel free to contact the Archives at 617.585.0133 if you have any questions about what we collect.

The Archivist shall acquire significant materials in the following categories:

1. BAC administrative records, including but not limited to: minutes, correspondence, reports, memoranda, curriculum, committee records, summary financial records, official publications, and photographs.
2. Materials that document the BAC community, including student activities and organizations, alumni organizations, faculty and administration organizations and other BAC-related groups. These materials complement the official BAC records. The Archives generally does not collect student work at this time.
3. Personal and professional papers of persons associated with the BAC, including faculty, administrators, alumni, students, and board members. These manuscript collections may include materials relating to the person's academic activities, professional activities, personal life and research. This collection mandate may also extend to the papers of individuals and organizations where the subject matter of the collection is relevant to the history of the BAC.

The Archivist will request that ownership of manuscript collections donated to the BAC Archives be transferred to the BAC. Copyright may be sought by the BAC under the terms of any Donor Agreement. Donors will be asked to sign an agreement form outlining the terms of their donation.

In some cases, and in accordance with accepted archival principles, the Archivist may determine that some materials in a donated collection are inappropriate for the Archives. In such cases the Archivist reserves the right to remove such materials from the collection. The Archivist may return the materials to the donor, depending on the terms of the Donor Agreement.

Thank you for considering making a donation to our Archives.

• Borrowing information for onsite Students and Alumni, Online Education Students, or Faculty and Staff.

Returns

• When the Library is open materials may be returned to a staff member at the circulation desk, in the book return slot in the left side of the circulation desk, or in the book return in the 6th floor hallway outside the Library by the elevator.
• When the Library is closed, materials may be returned in the book return in the 6th floor hallway outside the Library by the elevator.

Hold requests

• Using the Library catalog, patrons may request that a checked-out item be held for them once that item is returned.
• Holds may only be placed on currently checked-out items from the 'Main Stacks'.
• An email notification will be sent when hold materials are available for pickup.
• Hold materials may be picked up at the Library circulation desk.
• Hold materials not picked up within 7 days will be reshelved.
• Items that have hold requests on them cannot be renewed and must be returned by their current due date. Otherwise, overdue charges will apply.

Recalls - Recalled items are those items urgently needed by the Library.

• An email notification will be sent when an item is recalled.
• Recalled items cannot be renewed and must be returned within three days. Otherwise, overdue charges for recalled items will apply.

Lost or stolen items

• Patrons will be charged a processing fee in addition to the replacement price of the lost item. The processing for books currently in print is $35. The fee for out of print books is $50.
• Patrons may provide a replacement for a lost book. In this case, only the fines will be owed on the lost book.
• Items overdue by 3 months or more will be considered lost, and will be subject to replacement charges.
• Please contact a Librarian to discuss lost or stolen items.

Interlibrary loan

• Every effort will be made to fulfill requests for journal articles the Library does not own.

Borrowing Policies

• Faculty members are allowed to check out books for 4 weeks.
• Staff members are allowed to check out books for 4 weeks.
• Patrons may have up to 20 items checked out at a time.
• An item may be renewed multiple times (up to the end of the current semester) unless there is a hold or recall request. 
• All library materials are due back at the end of the current semester.
• Faculty members may take reserve material to their classes as long as the material is returned before the Library closes for the evening. Please contact the Library or the circulation desk at 617.585.0115 beforehand.

To make a research appointment to use Memorial Library, please contact Library@the-bac.edu.

• One black-and-white printer for patron use with library computers (8.5x11 only).
• Three color scanners for patron use (one 8 1/2 x 11 and two 11x17).
• One full color photocopy with scanning features for patron use (8.5x11, 8.5x14 or 11x17

Food/drinks/cell phones

• Drinks with a tight fitting lid or cover are allowed in the Library.
• No food of any type is allowed in the Library.
• Silence cell phone ringers and take any calls to the stairwell (phone conversations can still be heard in the 6th floor hallway).
• Abuse of Library services or materials may result in the loss of library privileges.

Anyone who wishes to donate books or magazines should contact the Associate Library Director.

Donation Considerations
The Library welcomes donations, but reserves the right to decline an offer based upon the needs of the Library. If donations are accepted, the Library may keep some parts of the donation and make unneeded portions available to students.

At this time, the only architectural drawings which can be accepted are those of BAC properties.

The recipient of a gift is, by law, not permitted to place a value on that gift. The Librarian can, however, provide a detailed description of the donation which may assist the donor in reaching a fair value.

Contact
Please contact the Reference and Digital Initiatives Librarian if you are interested in donating a collection of either 35mm slides or digital images.

Donation Considerations
In accepting donations, we consider whether images are in good condition, whether the subject matter will be supportive of the disciplines taught at the BAC, whether the images are original [as opposed to copystand or another type of derivative] and whether there are technical issues which may limit inclusion [such as insufficient identification].

Donor Agreement
If a collection is accepted; the donor will receive a donor agreement form [which will include information about accessibility and copyright] which must be signed by the donor as well as the Reference and Digital Initiatives Librarian for the donation to be formalized.