Library Card
A library card is issued to every patron. For students, faculty, and staff, the library card also serves as the patron’s CTSFW identification card. Library cards are used for circulation and for accessing electronic resources where available. Patrons who are unable to present a library card may be asked to show another form of photo ID before checking out items. Community borrowers and rostered LCMS professional church workers wishing to obtain a library card may apply at the Circulation Desk. Lost or damaged cards may be replaced once at no cost. A $3.00 fee will be charged for each additional replacement. Photo ID may be required to obtain a replacement card.
Library Catalog
As a part of WorldCat, the Kroemer Library catalog contains all the materials held by Kroemer Library and libraries worldwide. The catalog is accessible from anywhere by visiting the Kroemer Library Catalog link on the More Library Resources Page, or by using the Library Catalog search box. The Kroemer Library Catalog may be accessed directly at ctsfw.on.worldcat.org.
My Library Account
The Kroemer Library Catalog provides access to the My Library Account page where patrons may view all items currently on loan from the library and renew eligible items. Patrons may also view due dates for items on loan and any fines on the account. My Library Account may be accessed from within the Kroemer Library Catalog, or by visiting the My Library Account link on the More Library Resources Page.
Online Circulation System
Kroemer Library uses a fully automated circulation system. This system reduces the amount of time required to check out materials and return items to the shelves. In addition, the online catalog provides real-time item status, allowing patrons to see easily which items are available for use and which are not.
Circulation Policies
Loan Periods
Loan periods for circulating books are determined by patron type. Certain material types, such as audio and visual materials, have a loan period of 30 days regardless of patron type. A due date is provided for each item at the time of checkout, and a receipt is emailed to the patron within an hour of checkout.
Patron Type Loan Periods
| Patron Type | Loan Period | Renewals |
|---|---|---|
| Community Borrowers and Student Family | 30 Days | 1 |
| CTSFW Staff | 45 Days | 1 |
| Rostered LCMS Professional Church Workers | 45 Days | 1 |
| M.Div., M.A., Deaconess, SMP, and Alternate Route Students | 60 Days | 3 |
| S.T.M., Ph.D., and D.Min. Students | 120 Days | 3 |
| CTSFW Faculty | One Year | No Limit |
Renewals
Items may be renewed one or more times depending upon patron type (see table above). Eligible items may be renewed from a patron’s My Library Account page. Renewal requests may also be submitted in person, by email, or by phone. All renewal requests must be submitted before the stated due date in order to avoid late fees.
Renewals for interlibrary loan (ILL) items must be granted by the item’s lending institution. Therefore, all renewals must be mediated by the library staff. Renewal request should be submitted to ill@ctsfw.edu several days before the stated due date in order to provide time for the lending institution to respond. Any item not granted a renewal must be returned to Kroemer Library by the stated due date.
Items labeled PALShare may not be renewed.
Fines
All items not returned or renewed by the due date are assessed a fine of $0.25 per item per day. Lost or damaged items will be assessed a replacement fine, which includes a processing fee. Unpaid fines in excess of $30.00 may lead to suspended borrowing privileges.
Recalled Items
Kroemer Library reserves the right to recall items before the original due date for library purposes (such as for course reserves). Recalled items are issued a new due date of seven days after the recall is issued. Recalled items not returned by the recall due date are charged $10.00 for the first day past due and an additional $1.00 each day thereafter.
Library Holds
All interlibrary loans and PALShare loans are fulfilled using holds. Patrons receive an email notification when a hold is ready to be picked up from the library. All held items must be checked out at the Circulation Desk before the patron may receive the item. If a held item is not picked up within two weeks, it may be returned to the lending institution.
In most cases, CTSFW patrons may not place holds on Kroemer Library items. Items which are available may be found in the library stacks, at which point patrons will often find many more items which are relevant to their current research. Items checked out to other patrons may be more quickly obtained through PALShare or ILL. If a hold is necessary, patrons must speak to library staff for assistance.
Access to Materials Beyond Kroemer Library
Kroemer Library extends the limits of its collections by offering students direct access to the collections of other area libraries and indirect access to materials beyond the area through a full range of interlibrary loan services.
Allen County Public Library
Students have direct access to the collections of Allen County Public Library (ACPL), which has multiple branch locations in Fort Wayne and the surrounding area. For more information, visit www.acpl.lib.in.us/.
PALNI
Kroemer Library is a member institution of the Private Academic Library Network of Indiana (PALNI), which is a state-wide, automated resource sharing network for private academic libraries. All PALNI schools use the same online circulation system and are able to easily share materials with each other. CTSFW students, faculty, and staff may visit any PALNI library and have borrowing privileges. Materials from PALNI libraries may also be borrowed directly from the Kroemer Library Catalog using the Request this Item button. Items borrowed from PALNI libraries are labeled as PALShare loans.
Interlibrary Loan Services
Kroemer Library provides interlibrary loan (ILL) services to current residential students, faculty, and staff at no cost. Items not held by Kroemer Library may be requested using the Request this Item button within the Kroemer Library catalog, or by asking the library staff. ILL items are received by Kroemer Library from the surrounding region and the entire United States, and are made available to patrons. In this way, the number of items available to patrons is far greater than just the collection housed within the library.
ATLA Reciprocal Borrowing Program
Kroemer Library is a participating member of the American Theological Library Association (ATLA) Reciprocal Borrowing Program in which member institutions grant check-out privileges to each other’s patrons/students. Distance CTSFW students who wish to make use of this program may find a nearby participating library on the map. It is recommended that you contact a library before visiting to determine the requirements for proof of enrollment in order to obtain borrowing privileges (e.g. Student ID, emails, current course schedule). For more information, contact the library or visit the ATLA Reciprocal Borrowing Program website.