Library

Hours and Information

Regular Fall and Spring Semester Hours

   Fall  Semester Holidays and Closed Dates

Circulation Policies 

In order to check out materials, all patrons need to be entered into our computer system and must show a valid picture ID, such as a current student ID or a current driver's license. There is no separate library card. 

Due Dates:

The normal checkout period is 21 days. Items placed on reserve by professors have varying checkout periods. You may renew books in person or by phone (714-966-5474), unless another patron has requested the materials you have checked out. 

When you check out materials, you will receive a list of the items you are checking out, plus any you have previously checked out and still have. However, patrons with overdues or fines over $5.00 will not be able to check out any materials. 

Fines:

Although we're a Christian university, there's a limit to our grace! Charges for overdue materials are listed below: 

Lost Books:

If you check out material and fail to return it, we consider it to be lost. If you're a VUSC student, you will be notified that your educational loan will be charged for the overdue fine and replacement costs (which may run over $100 per item). If you're a guest patron, you will receive a bill.  The minimum cost to replace any lost item is $25.00, plus late fees. The maximum cost will be the amount charged the library. Items that cannot be located or are out of print will be an automatic $100.00 charge, plus late fees. If you've lost something and want to replace it yourself, this must be done within a month and the replacement item must be in good condition. DVDs and music CDs must be new. After one month, the library will replace the item and charge you for it.

Recalls:

The library reserves the right to recall any item checked out if it is  needed by another patron. In that case, the person with the book checked out will have two days to return it. If not returned promptly, a fine will be placed on the person's record.

Suspension of checkout privileges:

The library will suspend checkout privileges of anyone who is consistently overdue with materials, or whose contact information has expired or is wrong. It's the responsibility of the patron to notify the library if their phone number or email has changed.

Non-circulating materials:

Some items do not circulate outside the library without a librarian's permission. These include: 

• Reference materials  
• Periodicals  
• Periodical Indexes  
• Rare and Pentecostal Collection books  
• Microfiche and microfilm  
• Records  
• Yearbooks 

Guests

Guests from the community or from other universities are welcome use the library and its databases. Guests who want to have checkout privileges pay a fee to do so.  Contact a librarian for more information.

Library of Congress Classification System 

We use the Library of Congress (LC) classification system to catalog most of our materials. 

Reference 

A reference librarian is here to help you everyday the library is open with the exception of Saturdays. Reference rooms are located to the left of the main entrance. Reference Room I contains general encyclopedias, psychology and philosophy reference works, and many religion materials, including Bibles, concordances, commentaries, Bible-related dictionaries and encyclopedias. Reference Room II contains atlases, dictionaries and thesauri, and various reference works in the areas of history, education, business, art, music, theater, language, literature, and science, plus our computer instructional lab. 

Databases 

We subscribe to a growing number of online databases. These are accessible off campus for students enrolled at VU. Ask a librarian for more information. Guests must come to the library to use the databases. To access more information about them, consult A Guide to Subscription Databases Available at VUSC's Online Library.