USE OF LIBRARY SPACE POLICY
1.0 Definitions
1.1 The following words and expressions have the meaning hereby assigned to them:
1.1.1 Academic Members: Faculty Members and Instructional Members.
1.1.2 Alumni: Graduates of the University.
1.1.3 Borrower: Refers to University Students, Faculty/Staff members, or Alumni with a University ID, who receives a physical item/s from the Library Services Directorate with the expressed intention of returning the same.
1.1.4 Collection: The physical and electronic items, including Digital Media Centre Equipment, owned by Library Services Directorate and available to Students, Staff, Faculty, and Alumni to use and borrow.
1.1.5 Course: A set of Learning Sessions in a particular subject, with a defined scope and duration, and specific learning outcomes.
1.1.6 Credit: A unit of measurement assigned to a Course based on the total amount of learning time that counts toward a Program or credential completion, at a particular level of the Qatar National Qualification Framework.
1.1.7 Digital Media Centre: A collaborative workspace located in the Learning Commons equipped with digital media equipment and software.
1.1.8 Digital Media Centre Equipment: Equipment belonging to the Digital Media Centre.
1.1.9 Electronic Resources: Refers to any work encoded and made available for access through the use of a computer, including but not limited to databases, eBooks, eCourses, eJournals, and electronic serials.
1.1.10 Faculty Members: Members of the teaching and/or research staff, whether on part- or full-time, holding the following ranks: Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Senior Lecturer/Senior Technical Instructor, or Lecturer/Technical Instructor.
1.1.11 Instructional Members: Members of the teaching staff, whether on part- or full-time, holding the following titles: Assistant Lecturer/or Workshop/Lab/Clinical Instructor, Assistant Technical Instructor, Trades Technical Instructor, or Teaching Assistant.
1.1.12 Learning Commons: Refers to a division of Library Services Directorate that includes a collaborative learning space, help centers, and Student support services.
1.1.13 Learning Session: Classes, labs, placements or work term prescribed by a Course.
1.1.14 Library Services: Spaces, equipment, and services operated by Library Services Directorate, including, but not limited to: Main Library, Learning Commons, Digital Media Centre, and Archives.
1.1.15 Library User: Borrowers or members of the University Community using Library Services spaces, services, and electronic resources.
1.1.16 Main Library: A division of Library Services Directorate that includes Research services, the Library Collection, designated quiet and collaborative spaces, and Study Rooms.
1.1.17 Online Learning: A type of education that uses the Internet for teaching, interaction and distribution of study materials.
1.1.18 Program: A prescribed set of Courses leading to a qualification, including a Certificate, Diploma (2 years), Advanced Diploma (3 years), Bachelor, Master, or Doctorate, according to the Qatar National Qualifications Framework.
1.1.19 Research: The systematic and organized investigation of a subject/topic, and study of the materials and sources in order to establish new knowledge and/or reach new conclusions.
1.1.20 Staff: Person(s) employed by or working at the University as Academic Members or providing administrative support.
1.1.21 Student: A person who is presently enrolled at the University in a Credit Course or who is designated by the University as a Student.
1.1.22 Study Rooms: Individual and group study spaces which Students may reserve through the library website with valid University ID.
1.1.23 University: University of Doha for Science and Technology, established as per Emiri Decision No. 13 of 2022.
1.1.24 University Community: Academic Member, University’s administrative Staff, and/or Student.
1.2 Where the context requires, words importing the singular shall include the plural and vice-versa.
1.3 Where a word or phrase is given a particular meaning, other parts of speech and grammatical forms of that word or phrase have corresponding meanings.
2.0 Policy Purpose
2.1 Library Services Directorate strives to provide the University Community with information, tools, expertise, and space to support all aspects of academic life, and as such this policy and its relevant procedures aim to protect the rights and safety of all Library Users, and to preserve and protect the Library’s materials, equipment and facilities.
3.0 Policy Scope
3.1 This policy applies to:
3.1.1 The use of the physical spaces managed and operated by the Library Services Directorate, including Study Rooms, collaborative study spaces, Help Centre spaces, and the Digital Media Centre, and used by the following members of the University Community:
3.1.1.1 Library Services Directorate;
3.1.1.2 Students;
3.1.1.3 Alumni; and
3.1.1.4 Staff.
4.0 Policy Statements
4.1 Study Rooms
4.1.1 Study Rooms are only available for use by Students, with valid Student ID.
4.1.2 Terms and conditions of use for the Study Rooms are approved by the Vice-President, Student Affairs, and published on the Library Services Directorate’s website.
4.1.3 Violation of the terms and conditions of use for the Study Rooms will result in penalties up to and including suspension of Study Room privileges.
4.2 Digital Media Centre
4.2.1 The Digital Media Centre is available for use by the University Community with valid University ID.
4.2.2 Terms and conditions of use of the Digital Media Centre and Digital Media Centre Equipment are approved by the Vice-President, Support Services, and published on the Library Services Directorate’s website.
4.2.3 Violation of the terms and conditions of use of the Digital Media Centre and Digital Media Centre Equipment will result in penalties up to and including incurred replacement costs and the suspension of Digital Media Centre privileges.
4.3 Archives
4.3.1 The Archives space includes a climate-controlled environment that houses the collection and a reading room.
4.3.2 Only preapproved Staff have access to the building and the archival space. Library Users wishing to visit the Archives must be escorted by designated members of Library Service Directorate Staff to the reading room. The repository is a restricted space to Archives Staff only except for purposes of supervised tours and scheduled maintenance.
4.3.3 Records will be reviewed in the reading room, and will not leave Building 16 without expressed approval from the Archives and Records Librarian, Head, Library Technologies & Archives, or the Director, Library Services.
4.4 Responsibilities of Library Staff
4.4.1 Library Service Directory Staff will provide spaces for Library Users that are conducive for Research and study.
4.4.2 Library Service Directory Staff will treat Library Users with courtesy and respect, while providing access and assistance to tools and informational resources to promote academic success at the University.
4.5 Responsibilities of Library Users
4.5.1 Library Users are expected to treat Library Service Directorate Staff and other Library Users with courtesy and respect. Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated.
4.5.2 Disruptive behavior may include, but is not limited to, the following:
- Destruction of Library material or spaces;
- Offensive language or action that is intimidating or disrespectful to Library Staff or Users;
- Failure to comply with or adhere to Library Services policies and procedures;
- Failure to comply with or adhere to the Student Conduct Policy (PL-ST-01) and Student Conduct Procedure (PR-ST-01);
- Behavior that is unreasonably distracting or impedes Library Staff or Users’ ability to use the Library Services for its intended purpose;
- Refusing to leave the Library or Learning Commons at closing time.
4.5.3 Disruptive behavior by Student and Staff will be subject to, respectively, Student and employee conduct-related policies and procedures, and may result in penalties, including the suspension of Library privileges.
5.0 Procedures
5.1 The Vice-President, Student Affairs will ensure that procedures are developed for the implementation of this policy.
6.0 Related Documents
6.1 Study Room Procedure
6.2 Digital Media Centre Procedure
6.3 Right to Refuse Service Procedure
6.4 Student Conduct Policy
6.5 Student Conduct Procedure