Borrowing Privileges
- Tulane Health Sciences faculty, students and staff have borrowing privileges at Rudolph Matas Library of the Health Sciences. These privileges also extend to the faculty, students and staff of the university (uptown campus), and LSU Health Sciences Center faculty and graduate-level students.
- Loan periods are the same for all users.
Borrowing Periods
- Journals: 7 days
- Study Guides / Matas Commons: 7 days
- Reserve Materials: 2 hours; overnight 2 hours before closing, due 1 hour after opening the next day
- Stacks Books: 28 days; 3 renewals allowed
- Laptops, Headphones, Portable Standing Desks: 6 hours
- CDs & DVDs: 28 days, unless specified on reserve or high use (2 hours)
Requirements for Borrowing
- A valid Tulane University Splash Card is required to check out any items or request other Matas Library services. Only the personal owner of an ID may use that ID to check-out materials. New users may be asked to complete a registration form.
- Tulane University Affiliates (adjuncts, etc.) should complete the Affiliate Tulane Account Request Form and return it to campus IT for access to electronic resources. Affiliate Accounts must be approved annually.
- LSU Health Sciences Center faculty and students must be registered with John P. Isché Library and have their current LSUHSC ID in order to register with the Matas Library as "special medical patrons" (library privileges for “special medical” users do not transfer to other Tulane Libraries).
Delivery between the Matas Library and other Tulane Libraries
- Certain materials may be available for delivery service from uptown and from the off-site depository. The book must be neither checked out nor on Hold or Reserve to be be eligible for request via the Library Search for delivery. Some types of materials may not be requested for delivery, including materials from any of the Special Collections.
- Make sure to designate the Matas Library as your pick-up location.
- Borrowing periods are dependent on the department loaning the specific item.
Returning Items
- Materials should be returned to the Matas Library Desk during the library's open hours or placed in the book drop in the 1st floor lobby of the Hutchinson Building.
- There is a book drop available in the 24/7 Quiet Area for use when the Information Desk is closed.
- Matas Library materials may also be returned to Howard-Tilton Memorial Library on the uptown campus. Items are checked-in at whatever desk receives the materials and show "In transit" until they are received at the owning library.
Renewals
- Books and journals may be renewed three times, provided that no other users have placed a hold or recall for the material. Books and journals may be renewed in person or by phone Monday through Friday, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
- Please note that materials placed on Reserve for class use may be recalled at anytime from users.
- Renew your checked out items by signing into your Library Account. Users may also contact the Matas Library Information Desk for assistance at (504) 988-2403 or medcirc@tulane.edu.
Selected textbooks and other course-related materials are kept on reserve behind the Information Desk. They may be checked out for two hours for in-library use only. Most reserve materials may also be checked out overnight two hours before closing and are due one hour after opening the next day.
Fines of $1.00 per hour are charged for overdue reserve items.
Holds may not be placed on reserve items; however, users waiting for a book to return may request that the library staff page them when that book is returned to the desk. Users must remain in the Matas Library for this service.
Please notify your instructor, as well as the Matas Library, if materials you require for class assignments are not readily available. Also, please notify library staff if any required texts have changed or have been updated with new editions. There is an online form for adding items to the Matas Library Course Reserves. Reserve placement may also be requested by phone or email. For assistance, e-mail medcirc@tulane.edu or call (504) 988-2404.
Holds are special requests to have materials held for individuals when they become available to use. Holds can be placed on materials that are currently checked out.
When Are Holds Available?
- A Hold may be placed on any circulating item that is checked-out. The requester of the hold will be notified as soon as the current user returns the item. There is no penalty to the current user if they do not return the item until the original due date.
- A hold does mean that no one else may check out the specific item once it is available in the Matas Library for a designated period.
- If you request a hold please come promptly to pick up the returned materials.
When Are Recalls Available?
- A Recall may be placed once a book has been checked out to a user for at least two weeks.
- The current user may have their loan period shortened to accommodate the person requesting the item. Fines are charged to users that do not return recalled items.
- The requester of the recalled item will be notified as soon as the current user returns the item.
Timely Pick-Up
- If you request a hold or recall please come to the Information Desk promptly to pick up the returned materials. The returned item will be held for the user who has initiated the recall or hold for five days.
- If the patron does not pick up the material in that period, it will be sent back to the stacks or to the loaning library.
Fines of $1.00 per hour are charged for overdue General Reserve and Course Reserve items.
If items are not returned within twenty (20) after the due date, a $10.00 per item late fee and $150.00 item replacement fee will be charged per item and all library privileges suspended until materials are returned and the fees are paid in full. Users are be blocked from circulation privileges when they incur a total fine of $30.00. Users with fines above this amount may also be blocked from using interlibrary loan. All fines must be paid prior to graduation.
Matas Library fines can be paid by cash or check (payable to Tulane University). For assistance, contact the Information Services Desk at medcirc@tulane.edu or (504) 988-2403.
The Matas Library offers fax service as a convenience to the Tulane Downtown Community. A valid Tulane Splash Card is required. Forms and information are available at the Information Desk. The service is available from 9:00am-4:30pm on weekdays.
Cost: $1.00 per page. A Matas Library cover sheet is required ($2.00 minimum charge per fax). Cash and checks are accepted for payment.
Materials related to educational purposes may be faxed. The Matas Library cannot send faxes to international numbers. Usage of the fax equipment by library staff takes precedence over community fax usage, so some delay in transmittal may be necessary. The Matas Library accepts no responsibility for damage to materials during the fax process, so it is suggested that delicate originals first be photocopied and the copies sent as a fax transmission. Originals may be held for pickup at the Information Desk. A fax confirmation will be presented as a confirmation of successful transmission, but the Matas Library can only guarantee that the fax was sent. To confirm that a fax was received, it is the responsibility of the user to contact the recipients for verification. The Matas Library is not able to receive faxes for individuals. No refunds.
Tulane University Libraries follow the principles of borrower confidentiality. Matas Library staff will not divulge any details of a patron's library record to other patrons or agencies unless required to do by law. Tulane Libraries follow the Code of Ethics of the American Library Association which states, "We protect each library user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted."
Physicians and medical students utilizing or accessing electronic health record (EHR) systems, integrated delivery systems/networks, clinical data repositories, and/or shared databases should access to confidential patient information carefully. The utmost care should be taken to respect the patient's confidential and privileged information.
View the AMA Code of Medical Ethics: Privacy, confidentiality, and medical records.
The Matas Library has PC laptops available for checkout at the Information Desk. A valid Tulane Splash Card is required.
- The loan period for a laptop is six (6) hours for use within the Matas Library.
- Two laptops are available that can leave the Matas Library for six (6) hours. Ask the Information Desk for details.
- Laptops are configured to connect to the wireless network.
- Laptops must be returned in person to the Information Desk. Failure to return a laptop on time will result in a fine of $1 per hour.
- Laptops may be renewed when there is no waiting list.
- If a laptop is lost, stolen, or damaged while checked out, the patron will be billed for replacement or repair cost.
The Matas Library offers paper recycling bins near the printers. Recycling containers for paper, plastics, and aluminum are located throughout the School of Medicine Building.
For more information about Tulane's recycling program, visit recycle.tulane.edu. Thank you for being Green and keeping the Matas Library clean.