• Renewing Materials
• Circulation Policy
• Access Policy
• Assistance for Physically Challenged Users
• Using EAL Special Collections

In most instances, books checked out from the East Asia Library can be renewed automatically online by using the UW Library Online Renewal Form. However, you may also renew your books by e-mailing East Asia Library Circulation at ealcirc@lib.washington.edu. Please include the following information in your e-mail: (1) Your Name. (2) Your Borrower's Barcode Number. (3) Title of the book(s) to be Renewed. You can also renew your book(s) in person.

Loan periods in the East Asia Library are as follows:

Books

Faculty and academic staff: one year (renewable)
Graduate students: end of current quarter
Undergraduates and staff: 4 weeks
Off-campus borrowers: 2 weeks

Periodicals

The loan period is 3 days for unbound and 7 days for bound periodicals.

Newspapers do not circulate.

Microforms

Microfilm circulates for the same time period as books. Microfiche circulate for 7 days. Microfilms cannot be renewed.

Video and Audio Cassettes

Video cassettes, audio cassettes, and CDs circulate for 1 week and cannot be renewed.

Reserve Materials

Reserve materials are shelved at the circulation desk. Listings of titles on reserve can be found in the Libraries Catalog under course name and the instructor's last name. A folder containing lists of reserve material organized by instructor is also available at the circulation desk.

Reserve materials circulate for varying lengths of time as designated by the instructor and must be returned to the circulation desk of the East Asia Library. Reserve materials cannot be renewed.

Reference Materials

Reference materials are designated for "Library Use Only" and may not be checked out, except by special permission of the appropriate area studies librarian.

Some materials shelved in the general stacks are restricted to library use only.

The East Asia Library is open to use by faculty, students, and staff of the University of Washington. Individuals and representatives of organizations not affiliated with the University are welcome to use the reading room, the open book stacks, and certain library services during their in-person visits. Eligible off-campus users (including graduate students from other institutions) may apply for borrower cards at the Library Cashier's desk in Suzzallo Library. The telephone number is (206) 543-1174. Current members of the University of Washington Alumni Association and the Friends of the Libraries have borrowing privileges.

Closed stacks

Some of the collections of the East Asia Library are kept in closed stacks, due to lack of space in the open stacks. Materials are retrieved twice a day by Circulation staff. UW-affiliated borrowers may place retrieval requests for most book titles while browsing the online catalog. Materials from the closed stacks may also be requested by all users at the Circulation Desk or via e-mail to ealcirc@lib.washington.edu or by telephone (206) 543-4490. Visitors to the library who do not have borrowing privileges may request that books and other items retrieved from the closed stacks be kept behind the Circulation Desk for one week for their use.

Back issues of journals are in remote storage locations and may be requested online. UW graduate students and faculty may check out the key to West Stacks to browse and retrieve volumes from current subscriptions. Materials are paged from storage at least twice a day weekdays.

Additional information on access and borrowing policies for the university libraries can be found on the Borrowing and Delivery page of the main library.

The East Asia Library is wheelchair accessible. Staff members are available to assist physically challenged users in locating and obtaining library materials.

USING EAL SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

The East Asia Library’s special collections are open to members of the UW community, visiting scholars, and the general public. The EAL special collections contains mainly valuable and unique rare books as well as other type of materials that require special security measures to ensure they will be available for years to come. We ask your patience and understanding since we must balance between making these materials accessible and preserving our rare and fragile collections.

Availability of Materials

All EAL special collections are non-circulating. All materials are housed in secure, non-browsing stacks and are retrieved for users upon request.

EAL special collections are available during the hours that the EAL is open. (make a link to EAL hours). Due to staff and facilities constraints, the use of EAL special collections materials need to be requested 48 hours prior to your visit, so our staff can retrieve the materials and make them available for you to pick up at the EAL Circulation Desk and use in the library.

The retrieved materials will be on hold at the Circulation Desk for you for up to three days. The holds can be renewed after each use. EAL special collections materials can only be used in the East Asia Library. Some EAL special collections are housed in Suzzallo/Allen library’s Special Collections department. Those materials are subject to the terms and conditions established by the Special Collections. Please check the hours and policies of Special Collections when accessing those materials. (make a link to Suzzallo Special Collection’s website).

HANDLING OF EAL SPECIAL COLLECTIONS REQUEST

All Special collections are non-circulating. Requests should be made 48 hours before the patron’s visit. When Circulations receive special collections requests:

1. Retrieve the materials requested and keep them at Circ Desk (identify a safe place for this) and keep there for the patron up to three days. If patron did not show up to use them, return the materials to Smith 9-A.

2. Keep a logbook for the items requested, date requested, number of hold renewals, and date of return to Smith 9-A. (logbook will be designed by Circulations, which can be an online file or a paper file)

3. Users need to present their IDs in order to use special collection materials

4. Circulations will use circulation system to track user information to ensure security of the materials.

5. Materials can only be used in the first two reading tables in the reading-room for easier assistance and supervision of use. Circulations will design a sign, which we can put up at the designated tables once we receive request and know when the user will be here.