Policies

• Cell phones, pagers, and other electronic devices should be set to silent or vibrate mode when entering the library.
• Anyone receiving a call should keep their voice low and the conversation short.
• Anyone having an extended conversation should move to the stairwells, the bathrooms, or outside the library.
• Anyone engaging in disruptive cell phone conversations in public areas will be asked by the library staff to move to one of the designated cell phone areas.

*For more information, please check the page, Comprehensive Circulation Policy and Quick Guide.

The processing and cataloging of gift books requires space, funding, and staff. Like many other libraries, we are decreasing our collection of print materials and focusing more on electronic books, journals, and databases. We have a rich and full collection, and only need select items that support the research and pedagogy of the University.

The library retains or disposes of donations according to its needs and policies. We may discard duplicates, outdated or superseded materials, items in poor condition, or works not relevant or appropriate to its interests. We may offer the donated items for resale which generates a small amount of money for the library.

MU employees cannot appraise the value of your donation, but we are happy to provide a receipt of the gift from the University Advancement Office.

*For more information, please check the page, Gifting materials to the library.

No flyers can be left on tables or desks or taped to walls or doors. These will be removed and recycled.

Officially approved (by SGA) MU student organizations or other campus offices may post flyers, only on the bulletin board in the north stairway or on the cork strips on the restroom doors.

Approved by LC and UL 04/23/2024

Only drinks with secured lids and cold foods are permitted in public areas of Library & Learning Services (L&LS). Library users are expected to clean up after themselves. Hot food and/or food delivery to public areas of L&LS is prohibited, except for Marymount University sponsored events. All food and drink are prohibited in designated areas within the facility, such as the Gomatos Special Collections Room. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited in all areas.

Approved by AC and UL 10/15/19

The Gomatos Special Collections Room houses rare books, special collections, and artwork. The two primary uses of the room is as a secure reading room and an environmentally controlled storage space for collections. The room is available to all members of the Marymount University community and visitors to use as a special collection reading room, event, and exhibition space.

COLLECTION ACCESS

Access to special collections is by appointment only, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., with the exception of University holidays. Appointments can be scheduled by contacting Liliana Maravilla (703-286-3830) or email.

Reinsch Library study rooms:

 210, 211, 213, 214, L09, L10, Boldt Room, Hoyt Room, Graduate Reading Room

Marymount students, tutors, faculty, and staff may make group study room reservations online from the L&LS webpage. Group study rooms can be used for meetings as well. Users should check library hours and room availability before submitting the request.

Room use:

Unreserved rooms may be used by any patron(s). Priority is given to groups of two or more, and individuals may be asked to leave should a group want to use it.

MU students, tutors, faculty, and staff have priority for unreserved use of the room, especially at busy times during the semester.

Maximum capacity of study rooms as follows:

• Main Library study rooms 210, 211, 213, and 214 have a maximum capacity of 4.
• Main Library study rooms L09, Boldt and Hoyt have a maximum capacity of 6.
• Main Library Graduate Reading Room has a maximum capacity of 12.

Room reservations:

• May not be made for individual use.
• Are for two hours at a time. Users may place up to two requests a day (four hours), for a maximum of five requests per week.
• Must be received at least four hours in advance.
• Cannot be made more than one week in advance.
• Are void if the room is not claimed within ten minutes after the designated start time.

 Study room reservations will be accepted according to the following priorities:

1. Groups of two or more Marymount University students.
2. Groups of two or more Marymount University employees (i.e. faculty, staff).
3. Marymount University employees may not reserve group study rooms three weeks prior to exam periods, unless the request is from an MU faculty member conducting a review session for students.

Editorial update 11/13/25; Revised 11/27/17; Approved by SGL 11/29/17; Approved by AC 12/5/17

Library & Learning Services follows Marymount University’s policies of class cancellations and school closures, as communicated in MU Alerts.

*For library hours of operation during inclement weather, please check the library Hours Page.

For the safety and security of our students, the library restricts access after 5 pm to users with a valid MU ID card. Exceptions may be made by the University Librarian. The library reserves the right to have Campus Safety remove patrons whose behavior is deemed inappropriate.

Revised by LC 5/21/26; Approved by LC 3/19/24

Room reservations for the Library Instruction Room on the Ground Floor and the Gomatos Information Literacy Room on the First Floor of the library are made via online reservation forms.

Policies

When classes are in session:

• When classes are in session:
• Priority use for both rooms is L&LS instruction and library orientations.
• When not reserved, the room is open for students.
• Marymount faculty, staff, and campus community groups with technology needs may reserve either room after the priority use event requests mentioned above are met. The reservation will be tentative until one week before the scheduled event.  Library uses have priority up to one week.  If a Library use event is scheduled prior to the one-week deadline, the individual and/or group will be notified and removed from the Room Schedule.
• L&LS offers only limited technical support for setting up and using the electronic equipment in the library instruction rooms, dependent on staff hours and availability. Users requiring technical assistance are encouraged to contact L&LS well in advance of their scheduled event so as to provide L&LS the opportunity to assist with familiarizing users with the room’s equipment. L&LS staff cannot offer training or support when requested less than two business days before your scheduled event, so please plan accordingly.
• The person who reserved either room is responsible for:
  • Returning the furniture and the room to the condition in which it was found
  • Keeping the aisle in the Library Instruction Room between the door leading out to the corridor and the door leading into the library Ground Floor unimpeded by furniture for handicapped access.  The aisle must be open for ADA compliance.
  • Turning off all instructor equipment (i.e. the instructor’s PC and the monitors) at the end of the event
  • Returning all borrowed equipment to the Circulation Desk

Editorial updates 11/20/25; AC Approved 9/11/17; SGL Approved 9/11/17

MakerSpace, room 212

Room use:

The MakerSpace is primarily used as a technology-driven environment/hub for students to collaborate, innovate, and create across disciplines.

The unreserved room may also be used by any patron(s). Priority is given to groups of three or more; individuals and small groups may be asked to share the room should others want to use it.

MU students, faculty, and staff have priority for unreserved use of the room, specifically during midterm and exam periods.

Room reservations:

• MakerSpace may not be reserved for individual use.
• The MakerSpace may be reserved for three hours at a time.
• Users may place up to two requests a day (six hours), for a maximum of three requests per week.
• Reservations for events/workshops must be received at least two days in advance during library open hours.
• Reservations for group study in the MakerSpace cannot be made more than one week in advance and must be received four hours prior to the start of the reservation.
• Recurring group reservations will only be accepted for faculty and staff MakerSpace use.
• A reservation is void if the room is not claimed within ten minutes after the designated start time.

MakerSpace room reservations will be accepted according to the following priorities:

1.     Library events, Instruction, or review sessions, sponsored by Marymount faculty and/or staff, especially when project space, library technology, and/or MakerSpace tools are required.
2.    Center for Teaching and Learning drop-in tutoring labs.
3.    Student-organized group study

SGL approved 9/11/17; AC approved 9/11/17

Staff Conference Room

Marymount University faculty and staff may reserve the library meeting room (Staff Conference room) for a maximum of one 6-hour session per 24-hour period. Recurring reservations are not acceptable. Users with reservations have priority in the use of a meeting room over other users.

Revised 11/27/17; Approved by SGL 11/28/17; Approved by AC 12/7/17

Marymount University Library and Learning Services provides scanners and photocopiers for public use located at the Reinsch Library and the Ballston Coakley Library Extension. Photocopies are black and white.

Policies:

• There is no charge for use of our scanning services.
• The charge for use of our photocopier service is $0.10 per page. Once you have finished photocopying, bring your copied pages to the circulation desk for payment.
• If you are unable to pay for photocopy services at the time of use, the fee will be added to your library account balance.
• The Library is not responsible for bad photocopies due to user error (using the photocopier incorrectly).
• For machine errors, such as lines and toner defects, the Library will provide a replacement photocopy. Please direct these issues to library staff.
• Users should report any machine errors immediately after the first bad photocopy to the nearest service desk.
• Users can ask for staff assistance in making photocopies.

AC Approved 1/23/2019

• MU Special Collections materials can be requested through the CLS at their home institution.
• The library will aim to fulfill requests by scanning materials and making digital or printed copies. Many Special Collections materials are not eligible for physical loan.
• Physical loans from Special Collections may be considered if all other options have been exhausted.
• Special Collections materials may be borrowed from other WRLC libraries where permitted; these materials can be used in the Gomatos Special Collections Room of the Reinsch Library.
• If Special Collections materials are damaged or lost whilst on loan, MU L&LS is responsible for materials during transit, i.e. with the WRLC’s courier service.  If materials are damaged or lost when at the borrowing library, the borrowing library is responsible for the cost of repair or full replacement value.

AC Approved 6/1/2020

INTRODUCTION

Marymount University’s Reinsch Library serves the academic needs of MU students, faculty and staff; as such, they are not designed for children. Parents or guardians often view libraries as safe havens, but even on a university campus they are not necessarily safe places for children. Marymount University Reinsch Library is open to the public and as with any other public place; unattended children and their property in libraries may be subject to serious harm.

Library staff cannot and will not watch over (monitor) unattended children. This document describes the Marymount library policy regarding children visitors.

POLICY

Children under 14 years of age

• Children under 14 years of age must be in the company of a parent or responsible adult at all times.
• The computers are unfiltered; the accompanying adult, not the library, is responsible for the child’s viewing and should monitor computer use accordingly. Accompanying adults are expected to ensure that children follow the MU Computer Use policy. The policy, found at https://marymount.edu/academics/services-resources/technology-services/technology-resource-use-policy/,%20, indicates that users should not install software, download large files, or play video games while using Marymount University’s internet connection.
• The child must exhibit appropriate library behavior (for example, observing the Quiet areas of the library, no running, fighting, loud play, etc.). Excessive noise of any kind (loud conversations, crying babies, noisy toddlers, etc.) is not acceptable and may result in the adult and child being asked to leave the Library.
• Library computers are for priority use by MU students, faculty, and staff. If a child is using a computer, the child must relinquish it immediately if needed by a MU student, faculty or staff.
• If an unaccompanied child is in the library, library staff will attempt to contact the adult who is responsible for the child and ask that the child be removed. If the adult cannot be located, staff will contact Campus Safety. If a child accompanied by a guardian is not following this policy and library rules, the adult will be asked to remove the child from the library.
• Exceptions to this policy may be made for children under age 14 on an individual basis. The parent or guardian must make an appointment to discuss the child’s needs with the Dean of Libraries before the child will be admitted without an adult.

Young adults age 14 and over

Unattended young adults over the age of 14 may use the library facilities for school-related research. Students at Bishop Ireton and Bishop O’Connell High Schools may apply for a Catholic High School borrower’s card using their student ID.

• The young adult must present legal or school I.D. and sign the guest book when entering the building.
• Young adults must follow all library rules as well as the rules outlined in this policy. No cell phone use is allowed (except in designated areas).Excessive noise of any kind is not allowed.
• If all library policies are not observed, the young adults may be asked to leave the library. If any patron causing a disturbance fails to leave, Campus Safety will be called.

Editorial update 11/20/25; Approved August 2010

Marymount University Library & Learning Services thanks The Catholic University of America John K. Mullen of Denver Memorial Library for allowing the use of its Unattended Children in Libraries Policies as a basis for this policy.