Doctoral Student Borrowing

A. Borrowing Books

1. Books checked out by doctoral students will be due at the end of the current semester.
2. Books may not be “renewed” during the semester and must be returned at the end of the current semester.
3. Once books have been returned, they may be checked back out for an additional semester.
4. If another patron has placed a "hold" request on the book, additional check outs will not be permitted.
5. If a book is lost or damaged, the patron will be responsible for any charges assessed.
6. Items not returned by the end of the current semester will be billed and a hold placed on the student’s university account.

B. Accessing Other Libraries

1. Doctoral students residing in Texas are eligible to receive a "TexShare" card for use at over 1,000 participating Texas libraries.
2. Locate a local public or university library that participates in the TexShare program.
3. TexShare cards are issued only to currently-enrolled students who are in good standing and must be renewed each semester.
4. Doctoral students may acquire a TexShare card at the library Circulation Desk, or request a card to be mailed to their residence by contacting the Circulation Manager at (254) 295-4637.

C. Interlibrary Loan

1. Journal articles not owned by the library may be requested directly through databases (“Request via Interlibrary Loan” link) or by filling out the Interlibrary Loan Article Request Form on the library website. All ILL policies apply to doctoral students.
2. Books not owned by our library may be available through the following options:

• Your local public library, most of which will provide Interlibrary Loan services at no charge.
• The WorldCat database can show which libraries near you own the book; you may be able to borrow it directly from them via TexShare card (see “Accessing Other Libraries”).
• Books may be requested through our library’s ILL services via our online request form; however, books borrowed from other libraries cannot be shipped directly to students. ILL items must be picked up in person and returned by the due date, which varies depending on the lending library. Because of these limitations, this option is not recommended for doctoral students living outside of the local area.

D. Online Databases

Townsend Memorial Library offers more than 180 subscription databases that provide access to thousands of articles from scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, and other information sources. Many offer the full text of articles to read online or print from your computer. Accessing databases requires using the university’s OneLogin authentication process. If you receive a login error, please contact the library by phone at (254) 295-4637.

E. Assistance from a Librarian

1. Doctoral students who need assistance with library research may use the Ask-a-Librarian page to submit questions via email, text, chat, or Zoom, or to schedule an online consultation with a librarian. Students may also call the library at (254) 295-4637.
2. Learn the basics of library research by using the "Start Your Research" link on the library’s homepage.
3. Research Guides on a variety of topics and for specific courses are available as starting points for research.

Borrowing Periods, Item Limits, Overdue Fines