Policies: Policies

All are welcome to use the services and print collections of the Library. Our primary objective is to meet the academic needs of Franklin & Marshall College. Others may be asked to yield to the needs of our primary users. Buildings are reserved for current students, faculty and professional staff on the weekends, and after 5pm on weekdays.

Visitors under 18 must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times.
 

*Browsing Collection books check out for 28 days. 

To encourage prompt return of materials you will be charged a small fine if you miss a due date.

Only service and therapy animals registered with the Office of Student Accessibility Services are welcome in library buildings. For more, please see F&M's official service animal policy.

Bicycles are most welcome on campus and bicycle racks can be found outside both Shadek-Fackenthal Library and Martin Library of the Sciences. To maintain safety and access bicycles are not permitted in Library public spaces. Students may borrow bicycles through our Bike Loan Program.

The primary purpose of the library's collection is to support the liberal arts curriculum of Franklin & Marshall College. The College Library collects, maintains, and provides access to high-quality and scholarly materials supporting the intellectual and creative pursuits of our students, faculty and professional staff while also providing informational and recreational reading material for the College community in our "Browsing Collection." Additional information about our general collection policy as well as policies regarding specific subsets of the library collection, such as Reference and Media, can be found here.

The library is happy to receive gift books that fall within the scope of our collection. Gifts are accepted with the understanding that they become the property of Franklin & Marshall College Library once they are received and the Library may make all decisions regarding use, disposition, etc. Appraisals of gifts are the responsibility of the donor. 

Please include a complete Gift Agreement Form (available below and at the circulation desk) with your donation. If you have any additional questions please contact Tom Karel, tkarel@fandm.edu, (717) 358-3845.

Current F&M students, faculty and staff have priority access to our resources.

Under normal operating circumstances unaffiliated visitors can access:

• the Library's catalog
• guest wifi

Direct affiliates of the College (alumni, prospective students & parents, FPS spouses/partners, campus speakers) may also utilize our electronic resources while on site via staff assisted desktop access (subject to computer availability). Please ask for assistance in the Research Services Office.

The library can not be held liable for materials viewed and used. Displaying adult websites on public computers in the presence of others could be construed as sexual harassment. Please refer to the following College policies:

• Guest WiFi Acceptable Use Policy
• Sexual Harassment Policy

The Shadek-Fackenthal Library has a poster printer, 3D printers and other instructional technology available for current F&M student, staff and faculty use. Not all services are supported every hour the building is open, but there are Tech Tutors on site many hours to assist as needed. More information about these services and tools can be found at go.fandm.edu/iet.

For information about poster printing (including the link to the poster request form) visit go.fandm.edu/posterprinting.

If a Tech Tutor isn't available, there are directions adjacent some devices, a visible Tutor schedule, or you can email our instructional technologists at iet@fandm.edu to request an appointment during regular working hours.

Friends of the Library enjoy borrowing privileges for all circulating print collections. 

The Friends of the Library at Franklin & Marshall College was organized in October 1986 as a prelude to the bicentennial celebration of the College. The purpose of the Friends is to advance the Library as a cultural and historical resource both within the College and in the larger community by providing support for development of library collections beyond the confines of the instructional program.

The primary use of membership dues is for books and manuscripts whose acquisition would not normally be possible using the funds supplied by the College for regular library purchases. These may include examples of contemporary bookmaking from small presses or additions to established rare books and manuscript collections.

Membership is open to all 18 years and older who live in Lancaster County and wish to consider themselves Friends of the Franklin & Marshall College Library in the following membership categories:

The membership year begins upon registration and will expire in 365 days. To join, stop by the circulation desk in either library, or send your name, email, mailing address, and payment to:

Friends of the F&M College Library 
Shadek-Fackenthal Library 
P.O. Box 3003 
Lancaster, PA 17604-3003

The library is a shared community space and as such all patrons will help to maintain an environment conducive to both research and study. Excessive noise or other behavior bothering library users is not condoned; ignoring the expectations of other users or requests from staff may be grounds for being asked to leave. Personal belongings should not be left unattended or used to hold spaces and the library is not responsible for unattended items. If unattended items are left and a space is needed, they may be moved. Thank you for being considerate to other library visitors.

Quiet Study:

Floors 2 & 3 in both Shadek-Fackenthal and Martin are designated as quiet study areas.

Collaborative Study:

The 1st and Ground floors in both library buildings, as well as the Mezzanine in Shadek-Fackenthal are designated as collaborative study spaces.

Group Study Rooms:

Both library buildings have a selection of group study rooms. These rooms may be reserved by members of the F&M community for a maximum of three hours per day up to a week in advance using our online room booking system. When rooms are not reserved they are available on a first come, first served basis.

The Academy Room:

Located in Shadek-Fackenthal Library, when available, this space is designated as quiet study. During the academic year it may be reserved for various library and faculty center events, and is otherwise available on a first come, first served basis. Members of the campus community may request to use this space by contacting Scott Vine (x3840) or Mike Horn(x4216).

The Library Classroom:

Located in Shadek-Fackenthal Library, when available, this room is open as a collaborative study space. During the year it may be reserved for a variety of library events, and is otherwise available on a first come, first served basis.

The Martin Seminar Room:

Located in Martin Library of the sciences, when available, this space is designated as quiet study. During the academic year it may be reserved for various library events. Members of the campus community may request to use this space by contacting Andy Gulati (x4261) or Jared Julius (x4410).

SparkSpace:

Located in Shadek-Fackenthal Library, when available, this room is open as a collaborative study space. During the year it is reserved as a classroom, as well as for a variety of library, IET, and Faculty Center events. Otherwise, it is available on a first come, first served basis. Members of the campus community may request to use this space by contacting Scott Vine (x3840) or Teb Locke (x4339).

Food & drink is welcome in library spaces, however, please protect our collections by:

• Bringing capped or spill resistant drinks only

• Limiting food to items to small snacks that will not disrupt other patrons. 

• Cleaning up trash & recycling when finished

Due to the unique value of items in the Archives & Special Collections, food and drink are prohibited.

Smoking and use of tobacco products is prohibited in library buildings. This includes, but is not limited to: cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, E-cigarettes, and snuff. In accordance with campus policy, smoking is only permitted at least 30 feet away from campus buildings. Thank you for being considerate to other library visitors.

The policy for screening media at F&M is a College Policy and can be found here. This policy should be consulted prior to any decision about showing a film on campus in order to determine whether having public performance rights (PPR) is necessary.

Once the determination has been made that PPR are required, the Library can assist you in two ways:

1. Identifying films that are part of the Library's collection and carry PPR
2. Providing assistance in acquiring PPR by making an initial contact.

More information can be found here. 

We welcome signs and flyers announcing College-related events.  They can be added to the bulletin boards in both library buildings. Contact information must appear on every item posted.  We reserve the right to remove signs or flyers that are: posted elsewhere in or on the buildings; old/out-dated; posted multiple times; about anything not related to the College. 

 Email: ask.us@fandm.edu 

 Call: 717-358-4217

 Text: 717-827-7126

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