The VALE (Virtual Academic Library Environment of NJ) Reciprocal Borrowing Agreement is a co-operative onsite borrowing agreement among participating New Jersey VALE member colleges and universities. Under the agreement, faculty and students from participating institutions who are in good standing at their home library qualify for onsite borrowing privileges at each other's libraries.
A list of participating institutions–and to whom a participating library may grant privileges--may be found at: https://vale.njedge.net/member-directory/?wpbdp_view-all_listings.
Information for Drew faculty, staff, and students applying for a borrowing card at a participating VALE library
To apply for on-site borrowing privileges at a participating VALE library, obtain a signed application form from the Drew University Library's Circulation Department. The Head of Circulation is the designated contact.
It is recommended that you call 973-408-3486 and ask to speak with the Head of Circulation or another Circulation Supervisor before coming to the Drew Library for a form to ensure that your account is in good standing and, if in good standing, that you are among those persons who may receive privileges at another library (not all libraries grant privileges to undergraduate students, for example).
A Drew faculty member, staff or student requesting a VALE borrowing application must have been in good standing with the Drew University Library for six months. Good standing is defined as having no overdue items, overdue recalls, overdue InterLibrary Loan items, outstanding fines, claims returned, or assumed lost books. Applicants who have not been in good standing for six months will not receive signed applications.
Each Drew faculty, staff, or student who receives a signed VALE borrowing application is responsible for complying with the lending library's circulation policies including loan periods, overdue and other fines, recalls, replacement and processing fees, etc. Drew faculty, staff, and students granted VALE privileges at a participating library must return borrowed items directly to the lending library.
If applying for privileges at more than one library, fill out an individual form for each library from whom you are requesting borrowing privileges. Drew will retain a copy of the application form(s).
Present the approved application form and a photo ID at the participating library's circulation desk where you will be issued a borrowing card that allows you to check out circulating books and, possibly, other materials. Privileges are for up to one calendar year and expire June 30th each year.
Information for VALE faculty, staff, and graduate students applying for a borrowing card at the Drew University Library
VALE faculty, staff, and students must present a signed VALE application form from their home library along with a photo ID to the Drew Library Circulation Desk. Additional information, including the assigned barcode number is written on the VALE registration form. The expiration date is June 30th for all applicants. Vale borrowers may check out a maximum of 10 books for a borrowing period of 30 days. No renewal, InterLibrary Loan, off-site database access, or recall privileges are granted.
Vale borrowers who have not complied with the Drew University Library’s borrowing policies will not be granted Vale borrowing privileges in the future. Overdue books, lost books, unpaid fines, etc., constitute non-compliance.
Fines
VALE borrowers are subject to overdue fines of 10 cents a day and the maximum overdue fine per item is $10.00. Items that are overdue for 35 days are assumed to be lost and a $100.00 per item replacement charge is placed on the borrower’s account (unless it is determined that the replacement cost for the item exceeds $100.00.) Once returned, the $100.00 fee per item is reduced to a lesser amount unless the Library has already purchased a replacement copy.
Suspension of Borrowing Privileges
When an item becomes assumed lost, library privileges are automatically suspended until all assumed lost books have been returned and/or all replacement fees are paid.
Recalled Items
Recalls are requests by Drew faculty, staff, students, or Reserves for material charged to another borrower. Items are subject to recall 20 days after the original charge out date; items needed for Reserve may be recalled at any time. If a recalled item is not returned promptly, a patron is subject to fines, replacement charges, and the suspension of borrowing privileges.
Fines for failure to return a recalled item
Maximum overdue recall fine for failure to return a recall for another patron is $20.00. Maximum overdue recall fine for failure to return a Reserves recall is $45.00. If a recalled book is replaced before it is returned, or is not returned and is considered lost, a minimum $100.00 replacement charge will additionally be assessed.