University Library Rules

A Summary Table of University Library Circulation Services

  1. Library Opening Hours

    Library opening hours are based on an approved university calendar and other circumstantial factors. Details of opening hours are posted by the Librarian's Office at the entrance of the Library.

  2. Admission to the Library

    The Library is open to the public. Children should be accompanied by an adult and observe all rules and regulations pertaining to the use of the Library.

  3. Conduct of Library Users
    • Silence should be observed in all parts of the Library.

    • Smoking, eating or drinking in the Library is prohibited.

    • Pets are not allowed in the Library.

    • No games are allowed in the Library.

    • No mobile phones are allowed in the reading area of Library.

    • Users are obligated to follow special regulations regarding the use of certain library facilities.

    • Users are responsible for any loss or damaged library books beyond repair, and the fine payment is twice the original price or current estimated price, or the purchase of another copy for replacement plus handling charges at MOP 60.00.

    • The loss of a Library Card must be reported to the Library without delay. A charge will be made for obtaining a replacement.

    • Personal property left in the Library is the responsibility of the owner.

  4. Borrowing
    • All borrowers must show a valid University Identity Card.

    • Loan Categories
      University Staff

      # Categories Quotas Period
      1 Full-time members of the teaching staff #
      - General books
      - Text books
      - Multimedia

      60
      10
      10

      120 days
      120 days
      10 days*
      2 Non-regular full-time members of teaching staff (within the contract period) #
      - General books
      - Text books
      - Multimedia


      60
      10
      10


      120 days
      120 days
      10 days*
      3 Non-regular non-full-time members of teaching staff (within the contract period) #
      - General books
      - Text books
      - Multimedia


      20
      10
      10


      120 days
      120 days
      10 days*
      4 Research staff
      - General books
      - Multimedia

      60
      10

      120 days
      10 days*
      5 Visiting professors (with declaration from their departments specifying the dates of beginning and ending of contract with UM)
      - General books
      - Multimedia



      60
      10



      120 days
      10 days*
      6 Members of the administrative staff
      - General books
      - Multimedia

      40
      10

      90 days
      10 days*
      7 Retired UM staff with the title of Professor Emeritus /Emerita
      - General books
      - Multimedia


      60
      10


      120 days
      10 days*
      8 Retired UM staff
      - General books
      - Multimedia

      30
      30

      120 days
      10 days*


      University Students

      # Categories Quotas Period
      1 Undergraduate students
      - General books
      - Multimedia

      20
      10

      21 days
      10 days*
      2 Honors College students
      - General books
      - Multimedia

      30
      10

      21 days
      10 days*
      3 Master’s degree/Postgraduate certificate students
      - General books
      - Multimedia

      40
      10

      90 days
      10 days*
      4 PhD students
      - General books
      - Multimedia

      60
      10

      120 days
      10 days*


      Others

      # Categories Quotas Period
      1 Members of International Lady Club of Macao (for the Fiction Collection) 3 21/10 days*
      2 Cooperated Library Card 3 21/10 days*
      3 Outside Users (annual fee is charged) 3 21/10 days*

      *

      The 10 days’ loaning period is applicable for all Multimedia, however:
      (1) The multimedia kits will have loan period of 120 days by teaching members, and
      (2) Any user can apply to the Library for longer loan period than 10 days if he/she has such a need and any such application will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

      *

      For teaching staff, the loan items will be automatically renewed if the due dates are in summer holiday (15/6-31/8). If necessary, faculty members are allowed to use their quotas of AV and Text books for loaning general books.

    • No library books or other types of library materials may be checked out unless it has been cataloged and is issued by a member of the Library staff in accordance with proper loaning procedures.

    • Material(s) borrowed must be returned to the Library on or before the due date.

    • Library materials other than the Circulation Collection are not to be taken out of the Library. Under exceptional circumstances users may obtain special permission from the Librarian's Office to borrow such materials for a short duration of time.

    • The Library may suspend its borrowing operation during the period of conducting its inventory on book stacks. In such a case, an announcement will be made to that effect at least one week in advance.

    • Academic staff can request certain library materials be placed on the reserved section for class use purpose.

    • "Recall" policy: The loan items may be recalled by the teaching members, master and doctoral students and it must then be returned to the Library within 14 days. Late return will be fined on an overdue basis.

    • Readers can renew the loan items by themselves in the Library Webpage (My Library Account) or informing the Library via letter, email ( lib_renewal@um.edu.mo ) or bringing the loans to the Circulation Counter. The academic members are subject to six consecutive times of renewal and other users, three.

    • Overdue notice and penalty: Borrowers are responsible for returning their loans on or before the due date. In case of late return, borrowers will receive overdue notice and suspension of the borrowing privileges as presented hereunder.

    • Notices Penalty Remark
      Pre-overdue Alert Notice (3 days prior to the items' due date) None
      1st Notice (loan item is overdue for 3 days) Suspension of borrowing privileges The borrowing privilege will be immediately resumed after the loans are returned.
      2nd Notice (loan item is overdue for 10 days) Suspension of borrowing privileges for 14 days It will be counted after the loans are returned.
      3rd Notice (loan item is overdue for 17 days) Suspension of borrowing privileges for 30 days It will be counted after the loans are returned.
      Final Notice (loan item is overdue for 31 days) Twice the original price or current estimated price of the loan item, or return it plus handling charges at MOP 60.00

      If the material has been recalled three times without getting compliance, or after the deadline for books on the recall status, the delinquent borrower will be charged as if the book were lost.

    • In the case of overdue or book missing, borrowers will automatically be suspended from further borrowing.

    • Borrowing of journals:

      (1) This service is applicable only for academic members.

      (2) The loaning quotas are two bound or non-bound volumes of journals could be checked out each time for maximum duration of two library opening days and no renewal is allowed.

      (3) Checking out of journals is restricted to twice a week per academic member.

      (4) Borrowings of journals are restricted to 100 units per day.

      (5) No journal holding request is entertained.

      (6) Checked out item(s) not returned on the fourth day will be charged as missing.

      (7) Penalty for journal overdue is calculated at MOP 50.00 per item for each overdue day and borrowings will be suspended until the items are returned.

      (8) Penalty for missing journal is calculated at three times of its original price.

  5. Library Services Charges
    Library Borrower's Card for Outside Users
    Categories Outside Users (1) Current Students of Other Institutions of Higher Education (2) Alumni Card Holders (3) Members of UM Alumni Association (4)
    Annual fee MOP 400.00 MOP
    200.00
    MOP 100.00 Free
    Caution fee (Deposit) MOP 1,000.00 MOP
    1,000.00
    MOP 500.00 Free
    Onsite Use of Electronic Resources (5)
    Annual fee MOP 500.00 Free *

    (1), (2) & (5): For Macau residents only.
    (3) & (4): For both Macau and non-Macau residents.
    * For the valid members of UM Alumni Association: To register at the Circulation Counter of the Library each time, the free access right will be granted for the onsite use of electronic resources in the Library.

  6. Photocopying

    Care must be taken to avoid any breach of copyright laws in using the copying machines in the Library. Users are warned that they are fully responsible for any legal consequences, which may result in their use of the Library's copying machines.

  7. SpeciaRules

    Notwithstanding the above enumerated rules and regulations, the Librarian or the most senior member of staff on duty shall have the discretion, under unusual circumstances, to make special temporary rules for the safety of our library patrons and/or for the smooth operation of the Library.