Other Library Questions

Can I find out who checked out the item I'm looking for?

No. The library has a strict policy of not giving out patron information, whether it be circulation records or other information. This is a policy strongly championed by the American Library Association (ALA) and is required under the laws of many states. For more information, see our privacy policy.

Can I request the library purchase something?

Yes. We welcome any and all suggestions for improving the library and its collections. You may obtain order request forms at the circulation desk, or contact our Collection Development Librarian, Mark Froelich. Please note that while we welcome any collection recommendations, we have neither the budget nor the staff to incorporate every suggestion we receive. Please know that we will give your suggestion full consideration and will make a reasonable effort to accommodate it, but we can make no guarantees.

How do I make a donation to the library?

Donations of music books, scores, sound and video recordings, and microforms help improve the Music Library collection and are always welcome. The library is grateful for many donations, large and small, that it has received over the years.

Depending on the donated items and the library's current holdings, items may be added to the collection, offered to other libraries, or sold in a library book sale. The Music Library cannot provide appraisals of potential gifts.If you have a small number of items to donate, you may bring them anytime the library is open. You will be asked to fill out a "Gift Information Slip," though you may still donate the materials anonymously if you wish.

If you have a large donation, please contact Don Fortner ((850) 644-1567; dfortner@fsu.edu) to arrange a time to deliver the items.

Why do I need to pay for printing?

For several years the Music Library allowed patrons unlimited free printing from any of our public access computers. We found that the costs of this service were unsustainable for several reasons:

• We were going through many reams of paper per day, all of which we had to pay for
• Our printers were getting use far exceeding what they were built for, causing printer problems which were frustrating to both patrons and staff
• We were spending a fortune on printer cartridges
• Every week we would recycle many reams worth of printing jobs which no one claimed

Our decision to move to paid printing has many benefits. It should drastically reduce the amount of waste. And, since the printers will be serviced by people who are trained to service them, it will result both in more reliable printing and in less time lost by our already busy staff.