Library Services Guides
Student Borrowing Rules
Books & Masters Theses
Student Borrowing Period: 28 Days (unless otherwise noted)
Students with a valid OneCard/SF State ID or Special Borrowing Card may borrow circulating books and Masters Theses from the Main Collection for 28 days, unless otherwise noted. You may check out as many books as you like, however, you must return or renew all borrowed books before they are due or fines will result. There is no grace period.
Note: you can only check out items for yourself. You cannot check out items for others, nor can they check out items for you.
The 28 day borrowing period does not apply to books borrowed from Link+ or via other Document Delivery services.
Renewal information / Overdue fines.
Media (CDs, DVDs, LPs, Etc.)
Students may borrow the following items in the Media Collection from the Media Access Center on the 3rd floor of the Library. Items are also returned to this location.
| Item | Borrowing Period |
| Audiotapes | In-house use only |
| Compact Disks | 7 days |
| DVDs | In-house use only |
| Laserdisks | In-house use only |
| Music Parts | 4 weeks |
| Reserve items (CDs, DVDs, Audio Recordings, Scores, etc.) | In-house use only |
| Phono Records | 7 days |
| Reference Scores M1-M3 (Monuments) | 7 days |
| Sound Effect Records | In-house use only |
| Thematic Indices Reference Music | In-house use only |
| Videotapes (24 hour retrieval required) | In-house use only |
| Renewal information / Overdue fines |
Academic Technology also has an extensive collection of films which may be used in SF State courses with the instructor present or by individual students and faculty members in viewing booths (in the Media Access Center) for regularly-scheduled class requirements.
Periodicals
Students may borrow the following items in the Periodicals Collection from the Periodicals Desk on the 2nd floor of the Library. Items are also returned to this location--do not use first floor book drops.
| Item | Borrowing Period |
| Current Issues* | 2 days |
| Bound | 2 days |
| Microfiche | In-house use only |
| Microfilm | In-house use only |
| Renewal information / Overdue fines |
A maximum of five periodicals (journals, magazines, bound volumes) can be checked out at one time. Borrowed periodicals are due before closing the following day, unless the periodical is checked out on a Friday or Saturday, in which case the periodical is due before closing on Monday. *Except newspapers, which are in-house use only. Reminder: Periodicals may now be renewed once online via your library account.
Reserve Materials
Students may borrow articles and books in the Reserve Collection from the Reserve Book Room on the ground level of the Library. Items are also returned to this location.
| Borrowing Period: | 2-hours, 24-hours or 48-hours |
| Renewal information / Overdue fines |
Reference Items
Items in the Reference Collection cannot be checked out. They must be used in the Reference area on the 1st floor.
Special & Archival Materials
Items from the the Library's archival collections may be used in collection reading rooms, but may not be borrowed. Photocopy and reproduction of materials is at the discretion of the staff.
