Community Borrowers

The Seattle Pacific University Library offers limited library privileges to individuals who wish to check out books owned by the SPU Library.

Privileges and policies

Community borrowers may: 

  • Purchase a Community Borrower card from the Front Desk ($25 for access for three months from date of purchase).
  • Use SPU’s guest wireless account while in the building.
  • Use SPU computers to access online library resources (SPU faculty, staff, and students have priority access to these terminals).
  • Use self-service printers and copiers, learn more about printing on-campus.

With a Community Borrower card community members may: 

  • Check out material from the SPU Library’s General Collection, including curriculum, juvenile books, music scores, sound recordings, DVDs, and videos. 
  • Have up to 10 items checked out at a time.

Friends of the Library:

For greater access to the library, consider joining the Friends of the Library to receive alumni library borrowing privileges.

Loan Rule Information

Material Type Loan Period Max. items out by item type Renewal
General collection, Curriculum, Honors Projects, Juvenile, Music Scores, Kits 28 days Up to 10 1
CDs, Sound Recordings 24 hours 5 1
DVDs, Videos 7 days 5 1
Summit borrowing system, Interlibrary Loan, databases (when not in the library) No access n/a n/a
Reference, Atlases, Theses No loan n/a n/a
Periodicals No loan n/a n/a
  • Community borrowers may have a total of 10 items checked out at any one time.
  • Overdue items that go to 'lost' status before being returned are subject to a $5.00 per item late fee.
  • Replacement cost for lost SPU materials: $75.
  • Fees may be assessed for materials returned in a damaged condition.
  • Fines are higher for recalled items.

In the event of any overdue charges, the SPU Library will bill the patron. Consequently, the applicant must provide complete name, address, telephone number, and email.

Contact the Circulation desk at 206-281-2228 or circ@spu.edu if you have concerns about overdue, damaged, or lost items.

Patron responsibility. The Library emails a date-due record at the time of checkout and sends courtesy reminders and overdue notices to the email address you provide. However, whether or not you receive these notices, you are responsible for returning materials that have been checked out on to your library account on time.

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