Directive of the Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University No. 1/2022
OPERATING RULES
OF THE CENTRAL LIBRARY
OF THE FACULTY OF ARTS, MASARYK UNIVERSITY
In accordance with Section 28(1) of Act No. 111/1998 Coll., on Higher Education
Institutions and on Amendments and Supplements to Other Acts (Act on Higher Education
Institutions), as amended, I issue this Directive:
Section 1
Subject matter, terms
(1) The operating rules of the central library of the Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University
(hereinafter referred to as “FF MU central library” or “library”) set out the conditions
for the provision of public library and information services by the FF MU central
library and its sub-libraries in accordance with Masaryk University Directive No.
10/2014 Masaryk University Library Rules (hereinafter referred to as “MU Library
Rules”). The operating rules of the FF MU central library (hereinafter referred to as
“operating rules”) also set out the rules of operation in the library premises.
(2) The operating rules of the FF MU central library are a binding contractual document
in relation to the user in the provision of public library services, and in this sense
they define the contractual conditions for the participants in the contractual
relationship.
(3) For the purpose of this Directive, the following expressions have the following
meanings:
a) library document – an information source registered as a separate unit of
the library’s library collection,
b) library collection – an organized, systematically supplemented, processed,
protected, and preserved collection of library documents.
Section 2
Status and internal structure of the library
(1) The FF MU central library is a part of the Masaryk University (hereinafter referred
to as “MU”) library system.
(2) The FF MU central library serves as the central library coordinating the activities of
the sub-libraries and the full-time study rooms that are part of it. The organizational
structure of the library is described in Annex 1 of the operating rules.
(3) The FF MU central library is registered in the library register as a specialized library
with a specialized collection in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 and
Section 13(1) of Act No. 257/2001 Coll., the library Act, as amended.
(4) The status and scope of the FF MU central library as a non-academic department of
the Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University (hereinafter referred to as “FF MU”) is
derived from the FF MU organizational regulations.
Section 3
Library users
(1) The FF MU central library provides public library and information services primarily
to the MU academic community.
(2) In accordance with the MU library regulations, the user is identified by an MU chip
card (student, employee, external library user, graduate card).
(3) Service users are:
a) internal users whose identity can be verified in the MU information system:
1. students of MU Bachelor’s, continuing Master’s, and Master’s degree
programmes,
2. participants in lifelong learning programmes provided by MU,
3. students of MU doctoral study programmes,
4. MU academic staff,
5. non-academic MU staff,
6. MU professors emeritus,
7. persons (MU students and employees) with specific requirements,
8. users registered as members of the MU Alumni and Friends
Association and holders of the alumni card;
b) external users:
1. without registration, with access to the library collection only,
2. with paid registration providing access to the library collection and
access to computers in the study rooms of FF MU;
c) legal entities that have access to the FF MU library collection through
interlibrary loan services.
Section 4
Library premises
The following areas are part of the FF MU central library, and accessibility to users
depends on the established method of use:
a) Building B2
• library deposit (non-public space);
b) Building D
• self-service kitchen on the ground floor,
• reading room on the ground floor (community space for sharing and
informal learning);
c) Building E
• specialized computer room for educational activities of the FF MU
central library,
• makerspace,
• administrative premises for the staff of the FF MU central library,
(non-public premises);
d) Building F
• service counters,
• individual study places (quiet spaces for individual study),
• the FF MU central library fund stored in the first to fourth floor of
the building,
• self-service lockers, kitchen.
Section 5
Library services
(1) The FF MU central library provides public library and information services listed in
Section 4 (1) of the Library Act free of charge, except for the services listed in the
following paragraph of this Article.
(2) For the provision of public library and information services referred to in section
4(2) and other services referred to in section 3 of the Library Act, the library is
entitled to claim reimbursement of the costs actually incurred. The library shall also
be entitled to claim reimbursement of the costs incurred for administrative tasks
related to the registration of library users pursuant to Section 4(5) of the Library
Act. The price list for services is set out in Annex 3 to the operating rules.
(3) The FF MU central library provides the following services:
a) a lending service consisting of the transfer of a library document (also
“document”) to a user for free temporary use, in the form of:
1. absentee loans outside the library,
2. full-time loans (only for studying in the study room),
3. long-term loans to students of doctoral studies, academic and nonacademic
staff of FF MU (for a document acquired from the financial
resources of the relevant department of the faculty),
4. reservation of documents for absentee loans,
5. mediation of borrowing from libraries that are part of the library
system according to the Library Act (interlibrary loan service) to
registered library users,
6. lending documents from its own collections to other libraries
(interlibrary loan service);
b) information services:
1. bibliographic-information,
2. advisory,
3. consultative,
4. reference;
c) electronic services:
1. access to their own reader account for registered users, checking
borrowing, extending borrowing, ordering books,
2. notifications sent before the end of the loan period,
3. reminders,
4. ensuring access to electronic information resources;
d) other services:
1. educational – information education and training of users,
2. reprographic – copying, scanning, printing of documents,
3. promotional,
4. cultural,
5. operation of self-service lockers.
Section 6
Loan services and conditions of their operation
(1) The borrowing protocol of the library is automated; the paper borrowing records
have been replaced by electronic records.
(2) Types of loans and loan periods:
a) absentee loans:
Documents are lent for a period of 30 days with the possibility of extension
according to the service limits specified in Annex 2 of the operating rules.
b) attendance loans:
Documents are lent only to the library’s study room, according to the service
limits specified in Annex 2 of the operating rules.
c) long-term borrowing:
Documents are borrowed for a longer period of time, however, no longer
than until the end of the employment relationship or studies at FF MU, except
for the borrowing of a library document acquired from a project or grant,
which is agreed only for the duration of the project or grant and, if applicable,
for the specified period of sustainability of the project or grant.
(3) This type of loan can only be requested by a doctoral student or an employee of
FF MU. Long-term loans can be extended to another user only with the consent of
the user for whom the loan is registered and with the participation of the library’s
lending department, which mediates the contact. The form and time limit are a
matter of agreement between the user in whose name the loan is registered and
the third party. Long-term borrowing is not counted towards the limits set out in
Annex 2. The current operating hours of the FF MU central library and the individual
sub-libraries and study rooms are published on the FF MU central library website
(at the date of publication of the operating rules, at https://knihovna.phil.muni.cz/)
and in the library premises. During the summer holidays and in other justified cases
the operating hours may be adjusted. Individual sub-branches or the entire library
may be closed for the time necessary due to sudden or planned operational reasons.
Section 7
User rights and obligations
(1) A registered user has the right to use the library’s public spaces, funds, and services
in accordance with the rules applicable to the category of users in which the user is
classified in accordance with Annex 2 of the operating rules. An external user
without registration has only the right to use the library’s funds in the form of a
loan, by browsing in the study rooms.
(2) User registration is carried out in accordance with Article 5 of the MU library
regulations. When registering, the user confirms that they have duly familiarized
themselves with the MU library regulations and the MU library operating regulations,
including the FF MU library operating rules, and that they will abide by them for the
duration of the contractual relationship agreed between the user and the library.
(3) The user has the right and obligation to properly use borrowed documents for the
specified loan period. Proper use of the document means, in particular, protecting
it from damage, destruction, loss, or misuse, as well as preventing a third party
from using the document, except for the use of the document by a third party in
the case of a long-term loan in accordance with Article 6(2)(c) of the operating
regulations. The user must return the document intact no later than the last day of
the loan period. A user who exceeds the borrowing period is in default and is obliged
to pay a contractual penalty to the library in accordance with Article 8(3)(5) of the
operating rules.
(4) The user is obliged to immediately report the loss of the chip card to the library,
otherwise the library is not liable for any damage caused by this, including its
misuse.
(5) It is forbidden to enter the library under the influence of alcohol or other narcotic
and psychotropic substances, or with a weapon, including a dummy weapon, or in
heavily soiled clothing. It is forbidden to enter with animals except for assistance
animals. It is forbidden to smoke and to consume alcohol or other narcotic and
psychotropic substances in the library premises. No sleeping is allowed in any library
area.
(6) In the premises of the FF MU central library, users are obliged to maintain peace,
order, and cleanliness, to behave respectfully towards other users and other
persons, and to respect the instructions of the library staff. The users should adapt
their behaviour in the individual library premises according to its use. Patrons who
disturb others with noise, odour, or inappropriate or aggressive behaviour will be
restricted or excluded from services. Users must not move or take equipment from
individual rooms off of the FF MU central library premises and must not damage it.
(7) The user adapts their behaviour in the individual areas of the library to the manner
of their use as set out in Article 4 of the operating rules.
(8) The self-service lockers in Building F are used by registered library users to deposit
items. Users are required to leave the locker open and free when they leave the
library and no later than five minutes before the end of library hours. Library staff
have the right to open lockers that have been left locked after hours, check them,
and remove and store any contents outside the locker. Items left in this way will be
returned to the user upon payment of a clearance fee in accordance with the fee
schedule in Annex 3 of the operating rules.
(9) Food and drink are allowed in the library only in designated areas. After
consumption, the user is obliged to restore the premises to their original condition.
Removing dishes from the kitchen is not allowed.
(10) It is not permitted to use a mobile phone to make calls in the central library
premises (Building F) outside the designated areas.
(11) Users are not allowed to change the settings of the library’s computers or make any
changes to the installed software and hardware. After finishing work on the
computer, the user is obliged to terminate all the programs they have been working
with.
(12) A user who seriously or repeatedly violates the obligations set out in these operating
rules may be temporarily or permanently restricted in their user rights in the library
system under the jurisdiction of the FF MU.
(13) For the protection of property and personal safety, the premises of the FF MU
central library are monitored by a camera system operated in accordance with
Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April
2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal
data and on the free movement of such data and repealing Directive 95/46/EC
(General Data Protection Regulation), as well as Act No.110/2019 Coll., on the
processing of personal data. By entering the premises of the FF MU central library,
users acknowledge and agree that their stay may be recorded.
Section 8
Liability of the user, method of compensation, and contractual penalty
(1) The user is obliged to immediately notify the library of the loss, damage,
destruction, or misuse of a borrowed document and to compensate the damage
without undue delay. The manner of compensation shall be decided by the
authorized library staff member, taking into account the circumstances of the case,
as follows:
a) restoring the document to its original state (repair, rebinding),
b) delivering the document in the same or a different edition,
c) delivering a document of comparable content and financial value,
d) providing financial compensation equal to the purchase price of the
document,
e) exceptionally, by supplying a copy where it is not possible to ensure the
supply of a replacement document under (b) or (c) of this paragraph due to
unavailability on the market.
(2) The user is obliged to return the borrowed document on time, i.e. in case of
a) absentee and attendance loans within the loan period agreed in accordance
with Article 6(2)(a) and (b) and Annex 2 of the operating rules,
b) long-term loans within the long-term loan period agreed in accordance with
Article 6(2)(c) of the operating rules, i.e. on the date:
i. termination of the employment relationship with FF MU,
ii. graduation from the FF MU,
iii. the end of the specified duration of the project or grant.
(3) The actual borrowing process (except for issuing receipts in paper form) is fully
automated through the MU library system. After logging in the electronic catalogue,
the user can check the list of borrowings, the borrowing period, and the current
amount of the contractual fine. The web interface for access to the electronic
catalogue is available on the library’s website (as of the date of the publication of
the operating rules, at https://knihovna.phil.muni.cz/). The library also notifies
users of overdue items by sending electronic reminders to the registered contact email
address.
(4) In the event of the user’s delay in returning the loan, the user is obliged to pay the
library a contractual penalty in the amount specified in Annex 3 of the operating
rules.
(5) The contractual penalty is payable within 5 days from the date of receipt of FF MU’s
request for payment.
(6) New borrowings are possible only after all outstanding debts of the user have been
settled.
(7) The obligation of the user to pay a contractual penalty for delay in returning a
borrowed document does not exclude the library’s right to compensation for
damages incurred in this connection, regardless of the amount of the damage.
(8) Costs associated with legal action to enforce the release of the document, liquidated
damages for delay in returning the document, and/or damages shall be borne by
the user.
Section 9
Library staff permissions
(1) In the event of a violation of an obligation under Article 7 of the operating rules by
a user, library staff are entitled to refuse to provide library services to any user or
to restrict or cancel their provision, or to expel the user from the library premises.
(2) In the event of suspicion of unauthorized removal of library documents or other
property of the FF MU central library, FF MU or third parties, a library employee has
the right to ask the user to present luggage or clothing for inspection.
(3) If it is necessary to establish all the circumstances of damage to the property of
FF MU, to FF MU, or to third parties, a library employee has the right to ask the user
to prove their identity.
(4) Exceptions to the rules set out in the operating rules may be authorized by the head
of the library or by a member of staff authorized by the head.
Section 10
Final provisions
(1) This Directive repeals the Operating Regulations of the central library of the Faculty
of Arts of Masaryk University dated 22 November 2005 as amended on 31 August
2007.
(2) This Directive follows MU Directive No. 11/2014 Masaryk University library
Regulations.
(3) The interpretation of the individual provisions of this Directive, its continuous
updating and control of compliance are carried out by the head of the FF MU central
library.
(4) This Directive shall enter into force on the date of signature.
(5) This Directive shall enter into effect as of 1 July 2022.
Annexes: No. 1 - List of sub-libraries and full-time study rooms and their scope
No. 2 - Loan periods and limits for absentee loans
No. 3 - Price list of services and contractual penalties
signed electronically
doc. Mgr. Irena Radová, Ph.D.
Dean