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Library Policies

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Library Policies

Library Policies

General

We encourage the pursuit of all scholarly endeavors.  Activities that inhibit the ability of others to work in a safe and supportive environment are not acceptable and may result in restricted access to the Libraries and its resources.

Animals in the Library

Service animals are permitted. Pets are not allowed in any library. For more information, please refer to our Accessibility page.

Cellphone Usage

Turn cell phones off or set to vibrate as you enter the library.  Out of respect for others, if you must use a cell phone while in a library, move to one of the following general locations if your conversation will be more than a few seconds:

  • public space away from quiet study areas 
  • study rooms
  • lobbies or entrances to libraries (that are not part of the main library)

Any person who does not comply with this policy may be asked to leave the library.

Children in the Library

The resources of the Libraries are primarily intended for use by Boston College students, staff and faculty. However, young children accompanied by an adult are welcome in the libraries.

Parents or adult guardians who bring young children to the library are responsible for their protection and safety and must never leave children unattended. Children cannot be monitored and supervised by the staff; therefore the safety of unattended children cannot be guaranteed. When a young child is in the library unattended by a parent or adult guardian, university police will be called to ensure the safety of the child and to assist in locating a parent or guardian.

It is also against university policy for faculty, staff or students to log onto the campus network with a BC user name and password for the use of others, including children.

Copyright

The Libraries comply with U.S. copyright law in the use of all materials. General information on copyright can be found in our Copyright and Scholarship guide. Pages on specific concerns related to classroom use and course reserves and showing films are included.

Donations

Procedures and contact information for donations to the Libraries' collections can be found on the Gifts policy page.

Food & Drink

This policy is intended to preserve library materials, computer equipment, and furnishings, and to maintain a pleasant and comfortable environment for students, faculty and staff. Since food and drink pose a potential risk to our resources, we ask that you act responsibly when consuming food and drink in the library.

Food is limited to small items which are generally consumed individually while seated at tables or carrels. Beverages in covered containers and water bottles are allowed.

Not permitted:

  • Meals or messy, aromatic foods (e.g. pizza, salads, subs, and soup)
  • Group meals where food is shared by more than one person
  • Delivery of food to the library

Beverages in covered containers and food as described above are permitted except:

  • at electronic workstations
  • in microform areas
  • in photocopier/scanner areas

For your convenience, trash and recycling containers are located throughout each library.

Library users disregarding the food policy may be asked to leave the library.

Licensing Restrictions

Most online resources are governed by license agreements which restrict use to the Boston College community and to on-site users within the Boston College Libraries for the purposes of research, teaching, and scholarly study. It is the responsibility of each user to ensure that he or she uses these products only for individual, non-commercial use without systematically downloading, distributing, or retaining substantial portions of information. Acceptable use forbids downloading contents of entire issues of journals, several chapters of online books, or significant portions of databases. The use of software such as scripts, agents, or robots, is generally prohibited and may result in loss of access to these resources for the entire Boston College community.

Personal Transportation Devices

Personal transportation devices such as bicycles, scooters, skateboards, or hoverboards, may not be used inside the Libraries. Please note that this policy does not apply to medical, disability or mobility equipment.

Signs, Flyers and Information Tables

Permission from Library Administration is required for posting signs, distributing flyers, or staffing information tables within any BC Library. For more information, please contact the Library Administration at 617-552-4470.