This policy supplements the policy on Building Use and Conduct Polices.

Mission

The mission of the Health Sciences Library and Biocommunications Center is to provide an environment conducive to student learning and the biomedical information resources necessary for teaching, research, service, and patient care and to support efforts to improve the health of Tennesseans.

Use of the Library

Although the primary users of the library are the students, faculty, and staff of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), the library is accessible to all citizens of Tennessee. The library’s biomedical information resources can be used by many groups of people: health professionals, those with personal health concerns, attorneys, educators, and students and faculty from other educational institutions. While borrowing privileges are generally restricted to UTHSC students, faculty, and health professionals, the library has reciprocal arrangements with other educational institutions both within Memphis and throughout the state (e.g., UT and Tennessee Board of Regents institutions). Certain library rooms (e.g., student study rooms, Multimedia Lab, E-classroom) are restricted for use by UTHSC students, staff, and faculty; however, special permission may be granted to others needing to do special biomedical research or healthcare work.

Computer and Internet Use

UTHSC library priority computer use is restricted to UTHSC faculty, students, and staff. Computer access is granted to visitors seeking health or biomedical information via several computers set aside for public use. A visitor is any non-UTHSC person.

The library currently provides three computers in the main reading room for use by visitors searching for biomedical information.

Access to the E-Classroom and Multimedia Lab is restricted at all hours for use by UTHSC students, faculty, and staff. Permission for visitors to access the Multimedia Lab and E-Classroom may be granted at the Information Desk or Circulation Desk for valid reasons related to education, health, or biomedical information use. Persons requesting such access must show valid identification and acknowledge that they understand and agree to this policy for computer use.

Computer use is on a first-come, first-serve basis. After one hour, a visitor may be required to log off the computer if another visitor is waiting for a computer. If a UTHSC student, staff, or faculty member needs to access the computer, a visitor may be asked to relinquish it.

Students enrolled in academic programs at another institution should use that institution’s library as their primary library. Because of limited resources, including staff time, the UTHSC library provides only limited assistance to non-UTHSC students.

Noisy or disruptive visitors will be asked to leave the library.

Unacceptable Use

Visitors may not use library computers for illegal or inappropriate activities or for activities outside the scope of health and biomedical research and education, including, but not limited to,

• Misrepresenting oneself on the Internet or engaging in fraud
• Viewing, downloading, or disseminating pornography
• Playing games
• Social media (e.g., Facebook, MySpace)
• Movies/JPEGs/MPEGs
• Issuing threats
• Violating copyright laws or licensing agreements
• Hacking, altering, deleting, or damaging computer software, hardware, system
• Network, programs, or data
• Removing any part of a computer
• Using computers and printers for nonbiomedical-related purposes

See also Procedures for Computer Use for Non-UT Library Patrons.

Children

Public-access computers in the library have full access to the Internet, and there are no content filters to prevent children from accessing inappropriate materials.

Penalties

The Health Sciences Library staff will take appropriate action if policies are abused. This may include revoking computer access privileges, revoking library access privileges, and contacting the UTHSC Campus Police. Disobeying a reasonable request by a member of the library faculty or staff to conform to library policies may result in the person being told to leave the library premises. If the person does not immediately leave the library, Campus Police will be called and will address violations appropriately by (1) verbal warning, and/or (2) removal from the premises, and possibly (3) criminal prosecution.

Disturbances and Emergencies

In case of any emergency in the library or on campus, faculty, staff, and students should dial 8-4444 to alert Campus Police. The dispatch officer on duty will obtain the necessary information and notify the appropriate authorities.

Please do not dial 911 to report incidents on campus. All emergency communications should be routed through Campus Police. This procedure is the surest and quickest method to get help from the proper emergency response team.