Library Materials and Procedures

You will find a large variety of educational materials housed in the library, and most of them may be checked out. These include:

  • Classified books
  • Works of fiction
  • Juvenile works
  • Audio-visual materials
  • Vertical files of pamphlet material
  • Items placed on reserve by faculty members

Materials which must be used in the library include:

  • Reference works
  • Journals
  • Newspapers
  • Indexes
  • Microforms

The library presently houses approximately 69,000 books, 11,600 bound journals, 470 current subscriptions, 1,400 phonodiscs, 4,700 microforms, and various other materials. The total collection numbers approximately 91,000 items.

REFERENCE MATERIALS contain factual information. These are not the kind of works that you would read from cover to cover, but rather books that would be consulted for quick basic information on a subject - such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, yearbooks, handbooks, and atlases. They may not be checked out, since they must be available at all times.

VIRTUAL REFERENCE is available at all times, and includes information in the following areas:

  • News! Maine, U.S., and International News on the Web
  • Almanac: an Electronic Mariner Omnium Gatherum
  • Books and Publishing
  • Citation Guides
  • College and University Information
  • Copyright
  • Consumer
  • Directories: Who, What, Where
  • Full Text Web Sites
  • Genealogy
  • Grants
  • Health
  • Language and Writing Resources
  • Maine Maps and Geographic Data
  • Statistics Express
  • Travel and Regional Information
  • Weather
  • Other Virtual Reference Desks

RESERVE BOOKS must be requested at the circulation desk. These are books that are placed on restricted loan by a professor for use by students in that class, and they may be checked out only in accordance with the professor's instructions. Library use only, overnight, 3 day, and 7 day reserves are available. It is the responsibility of the borrower to check the time and date an item becomes due. This information will be stamped or otherwise indicated in or on the item. An overdue fine of $.25 for each hour is charged for overnight reserve materials. To avoid this fine, these items must be returned within one hour of the library's next opening. A fine of $2.00 per day per item will be charged for overdue 3 and 7 day reserves.

JOURNALS (otherwise known as magazines or periodicals) and newspapers must be used in the Library. A photocopier is available for your convenience.

MICROFILMS of the back issues of many journals are available to be viewed on the microfilm readers.

MICROFICHE items are stored in the small cabinet atop the microfilm cabinets located between the current and bound journal collections.

AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS are located in Merrill Library. URSUS lists the tapes, records, slides, filmstrips, video tapes, and color prints by title, subject, and the names of the person who is responsible for them (i.e. artist, composer, author, lecturer, etc.). These materials may be checked out at the Circulation Desk under the same rules that cover the general book collection.

VERTICAL FILES contain a great deal of useful information in pamphlets, clippings, booklets, reports, government documents, etc. Merrill Library has filing cabinets containing Maine materials, Educational materials, General materials, Maine Biography, General Biography, and UMM Archives. All of these materials circulate except for the UMM Archives.

URSUS (Online Catalog for Books) Information about and access to most materials at Merrill Library, and throughout the University of Maine System & beyond, is provided by URSUS, the automated online catalog. URSUS provides many ways of searching for information, including authors, titles, subjects, keywords, and call numbers. URSUS is an important tool that tells whether or not UMM or another library owns a book, the call number by which the book may be found, and whether or not the book is presently checked out. It lists resources held at the eight campuses and four branches of the University of Maine System. It is possible to limit searches to UMM materials. The Tri-Campus Digital Library provides an alternative approach to searching for materials at UMM, UMFK and UMPI.

Circulation Procedures

  • All patrons need a library card to check out materials.
  • The UMM student ID card, the Clipper Card also functions as a library card.
  • Maine residents may obtain a free library card at the Circulation Desk, and use of library materials within the library is free to all.
  • The circulation period is normally 4 weeks.
  • All materials should be returned to the library on or before the due date.
  • A book may be renewed provided it is not wanted by another person.
  • Those not returning library materials when they are due are not allowed to sign out other materials.
  • Any persons having materials out beyond the semester's end will be billed the standard UM System-wide library fee of $45.00 plus a $5.00 fee for processing. These charges also apply to lost or damaged books.