Circulation
- Who May Use the Library
- Check-Out of Materials
- Loan Periods
- Overdues
- Renewing Books
- Recalls
- Lost Materials
- Missing Items
- Self-Service Photocopy
- Book Returns
- View & Update Your Library Borrower’s Record
- Subject Guide to the Collection
- Call Number Guide to the Collection
- Locating Books and Journals
- WU Copyright Policy
- Course Reserves
Staff List:
| Name | Phone | E-mail Address | Title |
| Murray, Carol | 362-4736 | murrayc@wustl.edu | Assistant Director, Information Services & Training |
| Holland, Erna | 747-0025 | hollande@wustl.edu | Assistant Circulation Supervisor |
| Rosengarten, Angie | 747-0023 | rosengaa@wustl.edu | Evening Circulation Supervisor |
| Bartley, Doug | 747-0023 | bartleyd@wustl.edu | Library Assistant |
| Johnson, Pam | 747-0023 | johnsopa@wustl.edu | Library Assistant |
| Klosterman, Daniel | 747-0023 | klosterd@wustl.edu | Library Assistant |
| Lauderdale, Jason | 747-0023 | lauderdj@wustl.edu | Library Assistant |
| Potts, Nathaniel | 747-0023 | pottsn@wustl.edu | Library Assistant |
| Steinbeck, Lucas | 747-0023 | steinbeckl@wustl.edu | Library Assistant |
| Williams, Anne | 747-0023 | williamsa@wustl.edu | Assistant |
| Wilson, Toby | 747-0023 | TWilson23@wustl.edu | Assistant |
Who May Use the Library
Bernard Becker Medical Library’s primary purpose is to provide library and information services to faculty, staff, and students of Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) and to the staff of Barnes-Jewish Hospital (Kingshighway Campus) and St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
Becker Library is open to other health professionals, scholars, researchers, and others needing to use its collections and resources for serious study. It is not a public library and people not engaged in biomedical study or research may be asked to leave. Children under the age of twelve are not permitted unless with a parent or guardian.
Due to limited study space, Washington University School of Medicine students have priority over non-WUSM students studying in the library. In the event that WUSM students cannot find study space, others may be asked to find an alternative place to study.
Library computers serve as access points for databases and web sites that assist WUSM faculty, staff, and students in their research, patient care, and class assignments. These uses have priority over any other use. Library computers may NOT be used for purposes unrelated to the mission of the school of medicine.
BORROWING PRIVILEGES
Borrowing (check-out) privileges are limited to:
- Faculty, staff, or students of Washington University, or alumni of the Medical School and Dental School
- Faculty, staff or students of Barnes-Jewish Hospital on the Kingshighway campus
- Faculty, staff, or students of Children’s Hospital, Central Institute for the Deaf, or the St. Louis College of Pharmacy
- Members of the St. Louis Medical Society
- Members of the Library
- Century Club members
- Persons with a valid InfoPass or HEC card
A valid Washington University, Barnes-Jewish, Children’s, or College of Pharmacy identification card is required to register for borrowing privileges.
Members of the St. Louis Medical Society must present a membership card prior to registering. Library members are automatically registered upon payment of annual membership fees.
Check-Out of Materials
Borrower’s registration
Washington University and Medical Center faculty, staff, and students must fill out a borrower’s information form and be assigned a borrower’s number at the Information Services desk to have check-out privileges. A Washington University, Medical School, or Barnes-Jewish ID card is required for registration.
Medical Society members, Century Club donors, and those holding HEC cards must present proper identification prior to registering to borrow materials.
Members of the Library are automatically registered upon payment of annual membership fees.
Library Cards
Medical School, Washington University, and Barnes-Jewish ID cards are used as library cards after a registration form is completed.
Check-out privileges are not transferable. Persons checking materials out of the library must use their own ID even if the materials are for the use of another person. The person checking out the material will be fully responsible for its return. Exceptions to this policy will be made under specific circumstances. Please inquire at the Information Services desk.
Loan Periods
| Books: | 2 week loan period 3 renewals – 2 weeks each |
15 books per person at one time |
| Journals: | 1 day loan period No renewals allowed |
5 journals (bound and unbound issues) |
| Reserves: | 2 hour loan period 1 renewal |
3 items |
| Audiovisuals: | 2 week loan period 2 renewals – 2 weeks each |
5 items per person at one time |
Hold List
If a book, audiovisual, or journal is checked-out to another borrower and is not overdue, you may be placed on the hold list to be contacted when the book is returned by:
- Asking at the Information Services desk
- Calling 314-747-0023
- E-mailing askcirculation@msnotes.wustl.edu
Overdues
The Becker Medical Library has no overdue fines.
However, in order to make the collection equally available to all, the library enforces the following policies:
- Books and audiovisuals may be renewed after they are overdue, as long as another borrower has not requested them
- Journals may not be renewed
- A block is placed on a borrower’s record when journals are one day overdue
- A block is placed on a borrower’s record when the third overdue notice for books and audiovisuals is sent
- Once a block is placed, no other materials may be checked out or renewed until the overdue items are returned
Renewing Books
Books may be renewed:
- By logging into your Library Borrower’s Account
- By calling the Information Services desk at 314-362-7080
- By email: askcirculation@msnotes.wustl.edu
- By bringing the materials to the Becker Library Information Services desk
There are no renewals on journals.
Recalls
Items on loan to another borrower will not be recalled until the initial two week loan period is over. Ask to be placed on the hold list or use the electronic hold list request in the Becker Catalog (Requires logging in to Library Borrower’s Account).
- Recalled items may not be renewed
- To have an item recalled for your use: Contact Information Services at 314-362-7080
- E-mail: circ@msnotes.wustl.edu
Lost Materials
Borrowers are responsible for materials checked out to them.
When a borrower claims to have returned an item, Library staff will check the Information Services system records and the shelves to make certain the material is not in the library.
Items not found will be billed to the borrower as follows:
| Books | Publisher's price plus $20.00 processing fee or $100.00 |
| Bound Journals | $150.00 |
| Unbound Journals | $75.00 |
| AV Programs | Cost of replacement plus $20.00 processing fee or $250.00, whichever is less. |
IF THE ITEM(S) HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED OR THE INVOICE PAID AFTER ONE YEAR, BORROWING PRIVILEGES ARE PERMANENTLY SUSPENDED.
Missing Items
If an item is listed as IN and cannot be located on the shelves, print out the information from the Catalog, write your name and telephone number on the printed copy and leave it at the Information Services desk.
Staff will try to locate the missing item for you. If an item cannot be found, the Library will attempt to purchase a replacement copy of in-print materials.
Self-Service Photocopy
Self-service photocopy machines are located on Levels 1, 2, 3 and 4. Prepaid copy cards or coins may be used with the copiers. Prices for copies are as follows:
- Coins at the copy machine: $ 0.10 per copy
- Copy cards from cash sale at the copy machine: 11 copies for $1.00
- Prepaid cards from departmental charges: 200 copies for $19.00 or 400 copies for $37.00
Copy cards may be purchased at the Information Services desk on Level 1. Cash, checks, and traveler’s checks are accepted. Departmental charge account numbers must be provided to charge prepaid copy cards to departments or grants.
Book Returns
Book drops are located:
- On the bridge of the Clinical Sciences Research Building
- In front of the McKinley Avenue entrance of the McDonnell Sciences building
- Just before the entrance doors of the 660 South Euclid entrance of the library lobby
Books may also be returned to the Information Services desk on the first floor of the Becker Medical Library.
View & Update Your Library Borrower’s Record
From the Becker Catalog, you may log in to Library Borrower’s Account and view your borrower’s record to:
- Update personal information (address, phone number, department, etc.)
- See what materials you currently have checked out
- Renew books you have checked out
- Place a circulating item on the hold list
- Request an item be recalled
- Cancel any hold list request you have placed
TO ENSURE THE PRIVACY OF YOUR RECORD, ON EXITING, PLEASE CLOSE YOUR BROWSER WINDOW.
Locating Books and Journals
Books, journals, audiovisuals and other materials owned by the library may be located by searching the Becker Catalog.
Reshelving
Please do not reshelve books and journals. Leave them on a study table or on the tables or carts by the photocopy machines. Information services staff record use of materials for statistical reporting and will reshelve materials.
Finding a book or audiovisual program
Books and audiovisual programs may be searched in the catalog by key words, by author, by title, by subject, or a combination of these. Search results are displayed in abbreviated form as shown below:
3 Record #353216:
AU:Riffenburgh, Robert H.
TI:Statistics in medicine / R. H. Riffenburgh.
C#:WA 950 R564s 1999
WUM0:Lower Level
Most books (monographs) are located on the lower level of the library, shelved in call number order. In general, the modern collection (1975-date) is shelved in the open book stack. The historical collection (1850-1974) is shelved on movable or compact shelving at the south end of the lower level. The Becker Medical Library uses the National Library of Medicine call number system. Most call numbers will look like the one shown below.
WH
100
D540a
1998
Audiovisual programs are shelved behind the Information Services desk.
Finding a journal
Journal issues received within the last 7 days are shelved in alphabetical order on the first floor across from room 112. Foreign language journals that ceased publication before 1950 are shelved in the movable shelving on the lower level. All other journals are shelved alphabetically on levels 2-4 as follows:
| A - I | Level 4 |
| J - Perspectives | Level 3 |
| Pfleugers - Z | Level 2 |
Journals are shelved alphabetically by their titles. Some titles begin with initials. One example is FASEB. This would be shelved as if the initials were a word. Many journals start with the word “Journal” and that is part of the title. For example, Journal of Cancer is shelved under J and comes after any journals that have “A” or “B” words in their titles, such as Journal of Bacteriology.
Course Reserves
Reserve Books
Books assigned or suggested for reading by instructors are placed on Reserve for students in Medicine, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Genetic Epidemiology, Health Care Administration, and Audiology and Communication Sciences. If the library does not own a requested book, it will be purchased on a rush basis.
The Reserve collection is located behind the Information Services desk on the 1st floor of the library. Reserve items circulate for two hours and may not leave the library.
Faculty should complete a Course Reserve Request Form to place books on Reserve. On receipt of the form, the Library will move the requested books to the Reserve collection.
Faculty may also place personal copies of books on reserve. Reserve books will not be returned to faculty unless a specific request is made when books are delivered to the library. Please contact Jason Lauderdale for more information at 314-747-0023 or lauderdj@wustl.edu.
Journal Articles, Handouts, Sample Exams and Other Non-Book Materials
Articles, handouts, sample exams and other non-book materials are made available to students in Medicine, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Genetic Epidemiology, Health Care Administration, and Audiology and Communication Sciences in print or as Electronic Course Reserves.
For Medical Students:
Electronic course reserves for medical students are available through Lotus Notes accounts. Please contact Kelly Noll, Curriculum Office, for more information at 314-362-3404 or nollk@wustl.edu to place non-book materials on the electronic course reserves.
For Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Genetic Epidemiology, Health Care Administration Program, and Audiology and Communication Sciences Students:
Electronic course reserves are available for students through the Electronic Course Reserves page. Please contact Jason Lauderdale, Becker Library, for more information at 314-747-0023 or lauderdj@wustl.edu.