Faculty Services: Checking Out & Renewing Books

Circulation & Reserve

Phone: 251-460-7028
Circ Desk Email: circdesk@southalabama.edu
Reserves Email: lib.res@southalabama.edu

Information about USA Libraries’ books, audiovisual, new books, government documents, course reserve, and journal holdings and their formats and locations can be found on SOUTHcat, the Librarie's catalog, as can their order, processing and checkout status. SOUTHcat can be accessed from the Marx Library’s homepage at http://library.southalabama.edu/ .

For help with access call the Reference Department at 251-460-7028 or email webref@southalabama.edu.

To check out books, faculty present their current faculty ID card. Books are due in three months, but may possibly be renewed two times on-line. The library has the right to recall books if needed by another borrower. A research assistant can check out material for an instructor with the faculty member’s library card. Immediate family members are eligible for a Courtesy Card which has some borrowing limitations.

1. Access the Marx Library web site at http://library.southalabama.edu
2. Choose SOUTHcat Catalog
3. Click on Login to Your Account.
4. Enter your borrower's card barcode or J Number
5. Enter your last name. NOTE: Your name must be entered exactly as it appears in USA's official records. If you get a message that the patron name is not a valid one and your name contains a suffix, such as Jr. or III, enter your last name, a space and the suffix. If this still does not work, call Circulation at (251) 460-7028.
6. Click on the My Account tab.

The next screen should be your patron record showing the items currently charged out to you. If they qualify for renewal, there should be a column offering that option. Check the items you want to renew and choose Request Renewal; you can also renew all items at one time by choosing Select All and then clicking on Request Renewal.

Be sure that you Logoff, especially if you are on a public access computer.

Can't Renew?

• Maximum number of renewals exceeded?
• Title already overdue?
• Title has a hold or recall on it?

Blocked?

• • Too many overdues?

Problems?

Call the Circulation Desk at (251) 460-7028.

Holds and Recalls may only be placed on books that are already checked out. To place a hold on or to recall a book, use the following procedure:

1. Access SOUTHcat at http://library.southalabama.edu
2. Click on SOUTHcat Catalog.
3. Do a search to bring up the particular title you want, then click on the title.
4. Choose the Hold/Recall button from the top of the SOUTHcat screen.
5. Enter your library card number or J Number and your last name.
6. From the drop-down menu, choose either Hold or Recall. Do NOT choose Recall for an item that is due in less than 14 days.
7. Enter your library card number or J Number again. If you don't enter the number this second time, you will get a pop-up box that reads, "Please enter required fields.""
8. From the drop-down menu, choose the place where you want to pick up your requested book.
9. Click on Submit Request.
10. You should get a message that "Your patron-initiated request was successful."
11. Remember to Logoff when you are done, especially if you are on a public workstation.