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Home > About the Library > Circulation

Circulation

Becker Medical Library circulation desk
Location: 1st Floor Entrance, Becker Medical Library
Telephone: 314.747.0023
Fax: 314.454.6606
E-mail: circ@msnotes.wustl.edu
Hours: Mon-Thurs: 7:30 am - 12:00 am
  Fri: 7:30 am - 10:00 pm
  Sat: 8:30 am - 6:00 pm
  Sun: 12:00 pm - 12:00 am

Staff List:
NamePhoneE-mail AddressTitle
Murray, Carol362-4736 murrayc@wustl.eduAssistant Director, Information Services & Training
Holland, Erna747-0025 hollande@wustl.eduAssistant Circulation Supervisor
Rosengarten, Angie747-0023 rosengaa@wustl.eduEvening Circulation Supervisor
Bartley, Doug747-0023 bartleyd@wustl.eduLibrary Assistant
Johnson, Pam747-0023 johnsopa@wustl.eduLibrary Assistant
Klosterman, Daniel747-0023 klosterd@wustl.eduLibrary Assistant
Lauderdale, Jason747-0023 lauderdj@wustl.eduLibrary Assistant
Potts, Nathaniel747-0023 pottsn@wustl.eduLibrary Assistant
Sagrati, Lisa747-0023 sagratil@wustl.eduAssistant
Steinbeck, Lucas747-0023 steinbeckl@wustl.eduAssistant
Wilson, Toby747-0023 TWilson23@wustl.eduAssistant

Who May Use the Library

Bernard Becker Medical Library’s primary purpose is to provide library and information services to faculty, staff, and students of Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) and to the staff of Barnes-Jewish Hospital (Kingshighway Campus) and St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

Becker Library is open to other health professionals, scholars, researchers, and others needing to use its collections and resources for serious study. It is not a public library and people not engaged in biomedical study or research may be asked to leave. Children under the age of twelve are not permitted unless with a parent or guardian.

Due to limited study space, Washington University School of Medicine students have priority over non-WUSM students studying in the library. In the event that WUSM students cannot find study space, others may be asked to find an alternative place to study.

Library computers serve as access points for databases and web sites that assist WUSM faculty, staff, and students in their research, patient care, and class assignments. These uses have priority over any other use. Library computers may NOT be used for purposes unrelated to the mission of the school of medicine.

BORROWING PRIVILEGES

Borrowing (check-out) privileges are limited to:

A valid Washington University, Barnes-Jewish, Children’s, or College of Pharmacy identification card is required to register for borrowing privileges.

Members of the St. Louis Medical Society must present a membership card prior to registering. Library members are automatically registered upon payment of annual membership fees.

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Check-Out of Materials

Borrower’s registration

Washington University and Medical Center faculty, staff, and students must fill out a borrower’s information form and be assigned a borrower’s number at the Information Services desk to have check-out privileges. A Washington University, Medical School, or Barnes-Jewish ID card is required for registration.

Medical Society members, Century Club donors, and those holding HEC cards must present proper identification prior to registering to borrow materials.

Members of the Library are automatically registered upon payment of annual membership fees.

Library Cards

Medical School, Washington University, and Barnes-Jewish ID cards are used as library cards after a registration form is completed.

Check-out privileges are not transferable. Persons checking materials out of the library must use their own ID even if the materials are for the use of another person. The person checking out the material will be fully responsible for its return. Exceptions to this policy will be made under specific circumstances. Please inquire at the Information Services desk.

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Loan Periods

Books: 2 week loan period
3 renewals – 2 weeks each
15 books per person at one time
Journals: 1 day loan period
No renewals allowed
5 journals (bound and unbound issues)
Reserves: 2 hour loan period
1 renewal
3 items
Audiovisuals: 2 week loan period
2 renewals – 2 weeks each
5 items per person at one time

Hold List

If a book, audiovisual, or journal is checked-out to another borrower and is not overdue, you may be placed on the hold list to be contacted when the book is returned by:

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Overdues

The Becker Medical Library has no overdue fines.

However, in order to make the collection equally available to all, the library enforces the following policies:

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Renewing Books

Books may be renewed:

There are no renewals on journals.

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Recalls

Items on loan to another borrower will not be recalled until the initial two week loan period is over. Ask to be placed on the hold list or use the electronic hold list request in the Becker Catalog (Requires logging in to Library Borrower’s Account).

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Lost Materials

Borrowers are responsible for materials checked out to them.

When a borrower claims to have returned an item, Library staff will check the Information Services system records and the shelves to make certain the material is not in the library.

Items not found will be billed to the borrower as follows:

Books Publisher's price plus $20.00 processing fee or $100.00
Bound Journals $150.00
Unbound Journals $75.00
AV Programs Cost of replacement plus $20.00 processing fee or $250.00, whichever is less.

IF THE ITEM(S) HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED OR THE INVOICE PAID AFTER ONE YEAR, BORROWING PRIVILEGES ARE PERMANENTLY SUSPENDED.

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Missing Items

If an item is listed as IN and cannot be located on the shelves, print out the information from the Catalog, write your name and telephone number on the printed copy and leave it at the Information Services desk.

Staff will try to locate the missing item for you. If an item cannot be found, the Library will attempt to purchase a replacement copy of in-print materials.

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Self-Service Photocopy

Self-service photocopy machines are located on Levels 1, 2, 3 and 4. Prepaid copy cards or coins may be used with the copiers. Prices for copies are as follows:

Copy cards may be purchased at the Information Services desk on Level 1. Cash, checks, and traveler’s checks are accepted. Departmental charge account numbers must be provided to charge prepaid copy cards to departments or grants.

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Book Returns

Book drops are located:

Books may also be returned to the Information Services desk on the first floor of the Becker Medical Library.

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View & Update Your Library Borrower’s Record

From the Becker Catalog, you may log in to Library Borrower’s Account and view your borrower’s record to:

TO ENSURE THE PRIVACY OF YOUR RECORD, ON EXITING, PLEASE CLOSE YOUR BROWSER WINDOW.

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Locating Books and Journals

Books, journals, audiovisuals and other materials owned by the library may be located by searching the Becker Catalog.

Reshelving

Please do not reshelve books and journals. Leave them on a study table or on the tables or carts by the photocopy machines. Information services staff record use of materials for statistical reporting and will reshelve materials.

Finding a book or audiovisual program

Books and audiovisual programs may be searched in the catalog by key words, by author, by title, by subject, or a combination of these. Search results are displayed in abbreviated form as shown below:

3 Record #353216:
AU:Riffenburgh, Robert H.
TI:Statistics in medicine / R. H. Riffenburgh.
C#:WA 950 R564s 1999
WUM0:Lower Level

Most books (monographs) are located on the lower level of the library, shelved in call number order. In general, the modern collection (1975-date) is shelved in the open book stack. The historical collection (1850-1974) is shelved on movable or compact shelving at the south end of the lower level. The Becker Medical Library uses the National Library of Medicine call number system. Most call numbers will look like the one shown below.

WH
100
D540a
1998

Audiovisual programs are shelved behind the Information Services desk.

Finding a journal

Journal issues received within the last 7 days are shelved in alphabetical order on the first floor across from room 112. Foreign language journals that ceased publication before 1950 are shelved in the movable shelving on the lower level. All other journals are shelved alphabetically on levels 2-4 as follows:

A - I Level 4
J - Perspectives Level 3
Pfleugers - Z Level 2

Journals are shelved alphabetically by their titles. Some titles begin with initials. One example is FASEB. This would be shelved as if the initials were a word. Many journals start with the word “Journal” and that is part of the title. For example, Journal of Cancer is shelved under J and comes after any journals that have “A” or “B” words in their titles, such as Journal of Bacteriology.

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Course Reserves

Reserve Books

Books assigned or suggested for reading by instructors are placed on Reserve for students in Medicine, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Genetic Epidemiology, Health Care Administration, and Audiology and Communication Sciences. If the library does not own a requested book, it will be purchased on a rush basis.

The Reserve collection is located behind the Information Services desk on the 1st floor of the library. Reserve items circulate for two hours and may not leave the library.

Faculty should complete a Course Reserve Request Form to place books on Reserve. On receipt of the form, the Library will move the requested books to the Reserve collection.

Faculty may also place personal copies of books on reserve. Reserve books will not be returned to faculty unless a specific request is made when books are delivered to the library. Please contact Jason Lauderdale for more information at 314-747-0023 or lauderdj@wustl.edu.

Journal Articles, Handouts, Sample Exams and Other Non-Book Materials

Articles, handouts, sample exams and other non-book materials are made available to students in Medicine, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Genetic Epidemiology, Health Care Administration, and Audiology and Communication Sciences in print or as Electronic Course Reserves.

For Medical Students:

Electronic course reserves for medical students are available through Lotus Notes accounts. Please contact Kelly Noll, Curriculum Office, for more information at 314-362-3404 or nollk@wustl.edu to place non-book materials on the electronic course reserves.

For Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Genetic Epidemiology, Health Care Administration Program, and Audiology and Communication Sciences Students:

Electronic course reserves are available for students through the Electronic Course Reserves page. Please contact Jason Lauderdale, Becker Library, for more information at 314-747-0023 or lauderdj@wustl.edu.

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