1. Working Hours:

The working house of the Libraries including their various sections will be fixed by the Vice-Chancellor from time to time. For the present, the Vice-Chancellor has fixed the following working hours of the University Library at Shimla.

(i) Semester period:

Monday to Saturday:- 9:00A.M  To 9:00P.M
Sunday & Holidays:- 10:00A.M To 5:00P.M

(ii) Vacation Period:

Monday to Saturday:- 10:00 A.M To 7:00P.M
Second Saturday, Sundays & Holidays:- 10:00 A.M To 5:00P.M

(iii) Holidays:

The Library will remain closed on the following holidays besides other holidays falling during the Vacation period:-

STATEHOOD DAY, REPUBLIC DAY, HOLI, HIMACHAL DAY, INDEPENDENCE DAY, GANDHI JAYANTI, DUSHERA, DIWALI AND CONVOCATION DAY.

(iv) Working hours of the Circulation Counter and the Stack Rooms:

The Circulation Counter and the Stack Rooms will remain open from 9: 00 AM to 4:30PM during Semester Period and from 10:00 A.M. to 4:50P.M. during Vacation Period the readers will be extended the privilege of direct access to the General Stack Rooms. Readers are not to shelve the books taken out by them for consultation they should, instead, either hand them over to the Library Attendant on duty or place them on the tables lying there.

(v) Working hours of other Sections:

The Reference Section, Periodicals reading Room and the Text Book Section will remain open to readers throughout the working hours of the Library. The detailed working hours of the Text Book Section have been given under Rule No.10.

2. Admission to the Library:

(i) Any person eligible to become member of the Library or permitted by the university Librarian may be admitted to the Library.

(ii) On entering the Library, every member shall be required to write legibly his/her Name and Department in the register specially provided for the purpose. Such a signature will be taken as an acknowledgement that the person agrees to abide by the library Rules.

(iii) The Janitor/Library Attendant at the entrance in authorized to examine everything that passes into or goes out of the Library.

(iv) Deposit of personal belongings at the Property Counter:

While entering the Library all personal belongings, such as Attach Cases, portfolios, Satchels, Umbrellas, Flat-Files and File Covers etc. (Except Shoes), Private Books and Books not meant to be returned to the Library, shall be deposited by each Reader at the Property Counter located at the entrance and the Readers shall obtain a Token from the Janitor/ Library Attendant on duty.

(v) The loss of a Token should be immediately reported in writing at the Circulation Counter of the Library otherwise the Library will not, in any way, be responsible in case any other person produces the lost Token and takes away the articles kept.

(vi) A fine of Rs.20/- (Twenty only) will be charged for the loss of Token issued to the reader in lieu of the article deposited at the Property Counter. The belonging kept at the ownership in produced by the depositor.

(vii) Facilities provided for depositing personal belongings at the Property Counter can be enjoyed only for the period the reader is actually present inside the Library. Articles deposited must in all cases beget back when the depositor leaves the Library or at the most before the closing time of the Library. The Library shall not be responsible for any articles not claimed before the closing time.

(viii) An amount of Rs.2/- (Rs. Two only) will be charged from the reader who claims back his belongings from the property counter on the next day of the deposit and Rs.1/- (Rs. one only) will be charged for every subsequent day, subject to maximum of Rs. 20 (Rs. Twenty only).

(ix) Although all possible care will be taken for the safe custody of the articles deposited, the Library will not be responsible for damage of loss of the same. As such, it is advisable for the members not to deposit bags containing cash or other valuable articles at the property counter of the Library.

3. Category of Membership and their privileges:

NOTE:- The recommending authority is responsible for the safe return of books and payment of dues, if any, by the member. The member should produce to the recommending authority a clearance certificate from university library at the time of leaving the institution.

(i) Members may be allowed to Borrow books for the period of vacation. The books issued to them shall have to be returned by them within three days after the vacation, failing which an overdue charge as provided in rule 5 shall be levied from the day the vacation ends. For the books not issued for vacation period or due before vacation or during vacation, the overdue charges will be levied for the entire overdue period.

(ii) The Librarian may recall any book from any member at any time.

(iii) in case a book is in great demand, the librarian may regular the use of such a book in such manner as he  considers proper.

(iv) No Book shall be issued on loan which in the opinion of the librarian, is not in a condition be safely handled by the borrower.

(v) Renewal of Books:
The loan of Books may be renewed at eh discretion of the librarian provided the books in question are not in demand by other members. Similarly, the librarian may allow the issue of additional number of books to a member to meet his special requirements.

(vi) Reservation:
A member may get a book requisition for loan by filling in a prescribed “Reservation Card” available at the issue counter and by affixing on it- postage stamp of proper denomination. However, member who does not want to be informed by post about reservation may fill in the “Reservation Card” without affixing such postage stamp. If the member who get the book reserved fails to collect the reserved book within 4 days after the intimation has been sent to him, such book may be issued to other member.

(vii) Out station member who wish that books be sent out of Shimla will have to bear packing and postage charges both ways.

(viii) So long as return entry is not noted in the library pass book-cum-identity card, the member will be responsible for books or other materials found against his/her name.

(ix) Before getting books issued any mutilation or marking should be pointed out immediately by the member to the issue counter Assistant and his initials be obtained there, otherwise the member shall be responsible for mutilation and marking discovered afterwards.

(x) A gate pass will be issued by the issue counter assistant for each book issued to member. The gate pass along with the issued book will be handed over by the member to the janitor/library Attendant on duty at the gate who after verifying the particulars will return the book to the member and keep the gate pass with him.

4. Overdue Charges:

For Members of all the Categories:

(i) At the rate of Rs.2.00 (Rupees Two only) per day per volume.
(ii) The amount of overdue charges may be remitted or reduced by the Librarian.
(iii) The amount of replacement cost of a book or any other charges in this behalf will be deposited at the circulation counter against receipt.

5. Loss of Library Pass Book-cum-identity Card:

(i) The loss of Library pass book-cum-identity card should be reported immediately in writing to the Librarian with the copy of F.I.R. lodged with police station to enable such member to continue the membership. Duplicate Library Pass Book-cum-identity card would be issued on payment of Rs.200/- (two hundred only) after expiry of one month from the date of reporting the loss to the librarian.

(ii) Borrowers shall be responsible for any loss which the library may suffer through the loss or misuse of their library pass book-cum-identity card. Person/member who makes use of Library Pass Book-cum-identity card declared as lost would be fined to Rs.500/- (five hundred only). Despite taking all the precautions against misuse of the Library pass Book-cum-identity card, if the library suffers any loss the same would be written off by the competent authority.

(iii) The mutilation or misuse of Library Pas Book-cum-identity card e.g. by the converting that as a personal Diary, member have to pay a fine of Rs.200/- (Two hundred only).

(iv) Triplicate (after loss of duplicate Library Pass Book-cum-identity Card) Library pass book-cum-identity card will be issued on the payment of Rs.500/- (five hundred only).

6. Loss/Mutilation of Books:

(i) In case of damage or loss of a book, the member shall be required to replace the book or pay five time of the original cost of the book, plus postal and other incidental charges to be incurred in procuring the book, if such a book is gift/out of print its price is not known, the price to be charged will be determined by the librarian in consultation with the Vice-Chancellor.

(ii) Rs.30/-(Thirty only) be charged as postal and incidental charges to be incurred in procuring the Book.

(iii) For a serious mutilation a fine of upto Rs.200/- (Two hundred only) may also be imposed by the librarian.

(iv) If a volume of a set/series is mutilated or lost and a new volume is not separately available the member concerned shall be liable to replace the whole set/series or pay the replacement cost of the same. The other volume of the set/ series will be given to the member after replacing or paying the cost of the whole set.

7. Issue of Clearance Certificate:

(i) A member will obtain a Clearance Certificate from the university library after returning all the books issued, surrendering the library Pass Book-Cum-Identity card. Pay Rs.200/- (Two Hundred only) in case of its loss and after paying outstanding dues, on the expiry of membership of termination connection with the library of the parent institution, as the case may be.

(ii) The head/chairperson of the department will issue Roll No. to the students member appearing in II, IV and (VI in case of law) Semester Examination after the they produce a clearance Certificate from the library. The head/ chairperson of the department will also inform the library of the names of those students members who leave their studies in mid-session and their library Security/Detailed marks card will be released/issued by him to them only after they produce the clearance certificate from the library.

8. Restricted Categories of Reading Material:

Reference Books, under lock and Kay Books, Loose issues/Bound volumes of Periodicals, rare books, Ph.D. theses/M.Phil., LLM, M.Tech Dissertation and project reposts submitted for M.A., M.Ed./ M.B.A., & M.C.A. degree, and such other materials as may be placed under Restricted Categories by the Librarian may not be lent out ordinarily, but the Ph.D. theses/ M.Phil., LLM &M.Tech Dissertation/Project Reports submitted for M.A, M.Ed., M.B.A. & M.C.A. degree will neither be issued not be allowed for XEROXING.

9. Text Books:

(i) One copy of the copies of a Text Book placed in the Text Book section will be stamped as “Reserve Copy”.

(ii) A book will be lent out in exchange for his library Pass Book-Cum-Identity Card which would be returned to him after the book is returned by him otherwise it will be returned after the overdue charges paid by him.

(iii) A book which is in great demand may not be re-issued to the same student on consecutive days even if he fill in requisition/Reservation Slip.

(iv) Before leaving the Library, students will be required to return the text Book borrowed by them for consultation in the library.

(v) Besides students, research scholars, the facilities of the Text Book Section will also be available to the Teachers to whom books pertaining to the subject may be issued for a period of 3 days (three). However, the librarian may allow me loan for a longer period also.

(vi) The following timings have been fixed for the present for reservation, issue and return of text books, other than the reserve copy, provided such books are being used or have been reserved at that time either for consultation or for overnight issue.

1. Reservation:  From the opening to the library upto 3:30 P.M.
2. Issue for overnight Use: Daily after 4:00 P.M. upto half an hour before the closing of the library.
3. Return of Books: Daily with one and half hours of the opening of the library.

(vii) Reserve Copy will be issued half an hour before the closing time or the library. It will be issued for overnight use during one week preceding the semester Examination and during the Examination days.

(viii) Text book borrowed for overnight use shall be returned in one and half hour of the opening of the library, falling which an overdue charges of Rs.5/- (five only) per hour per volume subject to a maximum of Rs.10/- (ten only) per volume per day will be charged.

(ix) For a Text Book, kept overnight during one week preceding the semester examination and during examination days a special overdue charge of Rs.5/- (Five only) per hour per volume subject to a maximum of Rs.25/- (rupees twenty five only) per day per volume will be charged.

(x) The amount of overdue chares may be remitted or reduced by the librarian.

(xi) The consultation fee will be charged from the Non-members of H.P. University Library.

(i) Students/readers of other universities/Educational institutions with the permission letter/identity card of the same will be allowed to consult the reading material of this library as under:-

1. One day Rs.50/- (rupees fifty only)
2. One week     (Six working days) Rs.300/- (rupees Three hundred only)

(ii) No consultation fee will be charged from Ph.D. Scholars of other universities/Educational institutions who have written recommendation letter from their concerned chairperson/Head of the department of consult H.P. University Library. Such Ph.D scholars will have to obtain a written permission of the concerned Head of the department/chairperson of H.P. University.

10. Inter Library Loan:

(i) Books and other reading materials not available in the library may be procured for the use of the readers on inter-library Loan from other libraries. Similarly, reading materials may be loaned to other libraries when a requisition is received on inter library loan basis.

(ii) The Librarian may also issue books when a requisition is received for it form any office of government or the university for official use.

(iii) The reading materials procured on inter-library loan will ordinarily be offered for use to the members with in the premises of the library. However, the librarian may allow their issue for home use for a very limited period in special circumstances.

(iv) When a book or other reading material is not available in the library its Photostat/mimeograph/microfiche/microfilm copy may be procured for the members for their personal use at their cost after a request for the same is received from the member.

(v) If a person belonging to this university or any other library/institution requests for a Xerox copy of any article or a book or a portion of a book for his personal use it may be supplied to him provided there are adequate facilities available for the purpose. However, for this service such a person shall have to pay at the rates fixed by the librarian keeping in view its actual cost to the university.

11. General Rules:

(i) Readers shall maintain perfect order and silence in the library

(ii) Making Noise, spitting, smoking or doing anything else which may disturb other
readers or which may be against the discipline of the library is strictly prohibited.

(iii) No reader will bring inside the library a dog or any other pet.

(iv) No person entitled or permitted to use the library shall mutilate, disfigure deface by writing in the margins, by under-lining sentences by marking passages or by damaging  a Book, periodical, Map or chart or any other property of the library.

(v) A reader responsible for any damage caused to the reading materials any other property of the library shall be required to replace the reading material or pay for property besides the penalty imposed upon him by the library.

(vi) If book issued to a member are found mutilated at the time of return he/ she shall have to replace or pay the price thereof. Therefore, members are requested to check the books thoroughly before getting them issued.

(vii) No tracing or mechanical reproduction of any book, Map or Manu shall be made without the express permission of the librarian.

(viii) Readers shall vacate their seats ten minutes before the closing time of the library or earlier if the librarian, or in the absence of the librarian, the senior most staff member of the library orders so.

(ix) The librarian reserves the right to suspend/ cancel the membership privilege of any member founds misbehaving with the library staff or for any other indecent behavior. Such a member is also liable to be expelled from the library.

(x) When the students have any complaint about the services provided by the library they should not enter into argument with the library staff provided by the library they should not enter into argument with the library staff. Instead, they are advised to bring it to the notice of the librarian.

(xi) Any infringement of the library Rules will render a member’s privilege of admission to and of borrowing books from the library liable to cancelation.

(xii) In all other matters, the librarian shall have the power to take such action as he may deem fit.

(xiv) These library Rules may be altered or new Rules may be added to the existing ones by the Executive Council from time to time without notice to the members  and these rules or any alterations or amendments to them shall be effective and binding on all concerned.  A copy of these rules will be made available when asked for.

(xv) The janitor/library attendant at the entrance and exit gate of the library is authorize to search the person or a reader if he suspects that he is carrying any unauthorized book or other reading material or any other property from the library.

12. Rules for sectional libraries at Shimla:

The above mentioned Rules 1-12 will also apply to the university sectional libraries at Shimla. The working hours and the loan privileges for student member of these sectional libraries will be determined by Vice-chancellor from time to time. For the present, the Vice-chancellor has fixed the following timings:-