MnDOT Library

Circulation Policy

Reviewed July 17, 2024

Who can borrow?
Loan Limits and Loan Periods
Renewals
Holds and Recalls
Overdue Notices
InterLibrary Loans
Non-returned and Lost Items
Materials not available for loan

1. Who can borrow?

Any individual who falls into any of the following categories can borrow materials from MnDOT Library directly. Identification for account registration is required. This applies to all library materials including print, digital, e-book, and audio.

• MnDOT Employees
• Minnesota State Government Employees
• Private Consultants under contract to MnDOT (Picture ID, corporate address, email address and phone number) Consultants are asked to provide MnDOT project number and the name of their MnDOT project manager.
• Minnesota Local transportation officials – includes people working for Minnesota cities, counties, townships and regional planning organizations (agency address, email address and phone number)
• Faculty, staff and students of Minnesota educational institutions (Picture ID, street address, email address and phone number)
• Employees of Minnesota based organizations (Picture ID, corporate address, email address and phone number)
• Citizens of Minnesota (picture ID including street address and phone number)

Any individual not falling into any of the above categories and/or not able to provide the required identification should contact their local public, academic, or corporate library to arrange an Interlibrary Loan with MnDOT Library.

2. Loan Limits and Loan Periods

The borrower is limited to a single copy of a specific title, but they may borrow a reasonable number of titles at one time at the discretion of the librarian.

A loan period is the total number days or weeks that one patron can keep a specific item. Most MnDOT Library materials, including books, magazines, CD-ROMs, DVDs, and videos are loaned for a period of 28 days.

One exception to the 28-day loan period are the current materials required for the PE and related exams (see Exam Materials Circulation Policy).

The circulating reference materials have one week loan period, at the discretion of library staff.

3. Renewal

Items may be renewed as long as there are no recalls on them. After one year items must be returned to library for renewal. 

Items can be renewed in the following ways:

• In person at the Library
• By calling the Circulation Desk at 651-366-3791
• By Ask a Librarian form.

4. Holds and Recalls

Patrons may request that the library staff place a hold for any item that is currently checked out. This will block the item from being renewed in the system. Once the item is returned, it will be checked out to the patron placing the hold request.

All materials checked out are subject to recall after the initial, 28-day loan period. Recalled items are due immediately after the due date. Recall notice, emails or telephone calls will notify the borrower that an item has been recalled.

Failure to return recalled items will result in the loss of borrowing privileges.

5. Overdue Notices

Items should be returned by the due date or renewed (if applicable) by the due date.  The library is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Renewals can be request via phone, email, or in-person.  When items are overdue, courtesy notices, emails or telephone calls will remind the borrower that the item is overdue.

Failure to respond to the overdue notices or return the overdue items will result in the loss of borrowing privileges.

6. InterLibrary Loan (ILL)

If a requested item is not available in the Library, staff will try to borrow the item from a different library. InterLibrary Loan borrowing privileges are available only to MnDOT employees, consultants who work on contracts for MnDOT, and Minnesota local transportation officials.

7. Non-returned and Lost Items

If an item is lost, the patron is responsible for supplying the Library with an exact replacement copy.

8. Materials not available for loan

• Some materials can be used only in the Library, including reference materials, archives, and other items as specified by the librarians.
• Selected materials needed for professional exams are available for check-out to MnDOT staff and City and County employees only. These items are not available for ILL. Other editions of the same materials (not needed for exams) are available for check-out to the general public.  Please see separate Exam Materials Circulation Policy for details.