The Cosumnes River College Library is a support service promoting college and life-long learning. The library gives students access to a world of information. Library staff is here to help; please ask if you need assistance with finding or using library material.
Your Student Access Card is your library card. When using it, you agree to abide by Cosumnes River College's Library Borrowing Policy. You are responsible for any library items that are borrowed on your card.
Policy Sections
Students who are enrolled in a class at a Los Rios College during the current semester are able to borrow materials from the CRC Library. Faculty and staff who are currently employed also have borrowing privileges. Emeriti, alumni, and community members may establish a Friends of the Library account for borrowing privileges.
Visit the Library FAQs for current information on library hours and services.
Borrowing limits are how many library items you can check out at a time. You may check out the following number of each type of library material:
| Materials | Borrowing Limit |
|---|---|
| Circulating Books | 12 |
| Circulating Media (DVDs, videos, etc.) | 3 |
| 2 Hour Reserve Items | 2 |
| 1, 3, 7, and 14 Day Reserve Items | 2 |
| 1 Semester Reserve Items | 2 |
Loan periods indicate how long you can borrow a library item. Loan periods range from two hours to three weeks depending on the item. All library materials are due back by the last day of the semester.
| Materials | Loan Periods |
|---|---|
| Circulating Books | 3 weeks |
| Circulating Media (DVDs, videos, etc.) | 1 week |
| Periodicals (newspapers, magazines, etc.) | Use in Library Only (may vary by college) |
| Reference Materials | Use in Library Only |
| Reserve Materials | Varies (2 hours, 1 day, 3 days, 7 days or 1 semester) |
Note: If you do not know when your library item is due, you can check online at My Library Account.
You may find you need to use an item a little longer. Here’s how library materials may be renewed.
| Materials | Renewal |
|---|---|
| Circulating Books | The first renewal is automatic. After the first renewal you can renew online or in person as needed through the end of the current semester. |
| Circulating Media (DVDs, videos, etc.) | The first renewal is automatic. After the first renewal you can renew online or in person as needed through the end of the current semester. |
| Reserve Items | Some Reserve materials may be renewed. |
If another user requests an item you have borrowed, renewals will not be allowed and the item must be returned by the due date specified. View your My Library Account or contact the library for help with renewing materials.
All items should be returned on or before the due date, and all items will be due by or before the end of the current semester. Circulating items may be returned to any campus library but reserve items must be returned to the library from which they were borrowed.
You can return books in the curbside dropboxes on campus.
If items are returned after the due date or time, overdue fines may be charged. For circulating items (books and media), fines are only charged if another user requests the item and you fail to return it by the due date specified.
| Materials | Fine |
|---|---|
| Circulating Books and Media | Fines are only charged on circulating items if the item is recalled and you fail to return it by the due date. $0.25 per day/ maximum of $15 per item |
| 2 Hour Reserve Materials | $1.00 per hour/ maximum of $50 |
| 1, 3, 7, 10, and 14 Day Reserve Materials | $1.00 per day/ maximum of $50 |
| 1 Semester Reserve Materials | $1.00 per day/ maximum of $50 |
| All materials | Replacement cost of borrowed item. Charged after the item is more than 3 weeks overdue. |
For items that are lost, stolen, or never returned to the library, you will be charged the replacement cost of the material. These charges may be assessed in addition to overdue fines.
Non-payment of fines or failure to return checked out material may result in restrictions to your library borrowing privileges.
Paying Fines
See our frequently asked questions for current instructions for paying library fines or fees.
Library due dates were extended for materials checked out just prior to and during the campus closures. Since library services have resumed, it is expected that borrowed materials will be returned by the due date. Please contact your college library for additional assistance if a hardship has occurred that affects your ability to return materials.
Currently, the Library is only able to accept fine/fee payment with prearrangement. For questions regarding fines or fees, on your library account, please contact the Circulation desk (916) 691-7266 or email a librarian at library@crc.losrios.edu.
Appealing Fines
The CRC Library makes every effort to regulate fines according to well-defined standards. Each library patron is responsible for their card and any items checked out on that card. You have the right to appeal library charges if you feel fines or fees have been inappropriately applied to your account or if mitigating circumstances affected your ability to return items on time. Appeals must be made within 30 days after the billing date.
Fines will be fully waived if there is clear and valid evidence that the material was returned on time.
Fines may be waived or decreased if there is clear and valid evidence that you were unable to renew or return items because of circumstances beyond your control, such as illness, bereavement, accident, or similar circumstances.
If you are submitting an appeal based on such circumstances, you must provide supporting documentation, such as a doctor’s note that includes the dates of illness/sudden surgery or a death certificate or notice that proves your relationship to the deceased. NOTE: The dates on supporting documentation must correspond to the late period for the items in question.
Fines will NOT be waived for the following reasons (Note: this is not an all-inclusive list):
- Ignorance of due dates and library policies
- Late or non-receipt of the courtesy overdue notices
- Failure to return the item on time due to forgetfulness or inconvenience
- Failure to notify the Library that your library card was stolen before the due date
- Another person used your card, with or without your permission, to borrow library materials
- Unsupported claims that verbal or online renewals were made but not recorded
- Item lent to someone else and he/she returned it late or failed to return it
- Item was returned via mail and was received late or failed to arrive
- No memory of checking out item; did not use item; or, did not find item useful
Appeal Process
If you want to appeal a fine, first contact the Library Circulation desk at (916) 691-7266 to discuss your situation.
If you cannot resolve the issue with a library staff member and wish to carry the appeal further, please complete and submit the Library Fine/Fee Appeal Form, attaching any necessary supporting documents. Your appeal will be carefully reviewed and investigated by a Library Fines Appeal Committee. This review process may take time. You will be notified of the Committee's decision via mail and/or your Los Rios gmail account.
The Reserves collection consists primarily of textbooks and required class readings. The Library does not have copies of every textbook. Reserve materials have a shorter loan period so that more students have access to use them.
Use the Textbook Search to find reserve materials by your instructor's last name (e.g. SMITH), by course title (e.g. ENGWR 300), or textbook title. View our FAQs for information on requesting and borrowing reserve materials. Please note that some 2-hour reserve materials may be designated for in-library use only.
Remember to return your reserve items before they are due to avoid overdue fines.
Request library items by placing a hold through OneSearch and pick up the item via a library locker. You may also request an item that is already checked out by another person or is owned by another Los Rios Library.
Some Reserve materials may be requested; however, Reserve items owned by other Los Rios Libraries must be borrowed from the owning library.
If you want an item not owned by the CRC library or by any of our sister colleges, you may request a free interlibrary loan. You must have a current, activated Student Access Card to use this service.
Interlibrary Loan Request Form
As with any library materials, you are responsible for any overdue fines, cost of damage, or loss of borrowed materials.
If you are not a currently enrolled Los Rios student, faculty, staff, you may apply for a Friends of the Cosumnes River College Library account, which includes borrowing privileges at CRC. Fill out the Friends of the Cosumnes River College Library application form.
If your card is lost or stolen, report this immediately to library staff. You are responsible for all library items checked out on your card and any fines and fees that those items may accrue. Do not lend your card to anyone.
The Library will deliver pick up requests for books, videos, and other library materials through no-contact pickup lockers. The following outlines the borrowing process for locker pickups.
- The lockers are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm. The lockers will be locked up at all other times.
- The lockers are located in the Business and Social Science (BS) building near the Disabled Support Programs and Services office in room BS-104.
- Items delivered through a locker will be checked out to the borrower through the library system before delivery to the locker.
- When library items are ready for pickup, instructions will be sent from the locker system to the borrower’s email.
- The borrower may view the checkout term and due date through their My Account login.
- The borrower may cancel the request anytime, even if they have received a pickup notification.
- Borrowers have five days after they have received a pickup notification to pick up their library items from the locker.
- If the borrower does not pick up the item from the locker during the allotted time, the item will be removed from the locker. It will be marked as “returned” on the borrower’s library record and become available to other patrons.
All other borrowing policies and terms apply to items delivered through the no-contact pickup lockers.
Find out more about the library pickup lockers in our FAQ: Where are the library lockers and how do I use them?