The first priority of the Ladd Library is to serve the needs of the students, faculty and staff of Bates College. Reference services are available to the public, but are limited by the library’s responsibility to serve the Bates community first.

The MRBP does not replace the need for strong public and school libraries, which are essential to the life of the community. The library asks you to rely on your own local library for reference and recreational reading materials.

Bates materials continue to be requestable and delivered to patron’s home library through MaineCat. Bates materials restricted from loan within MaineCat are also restricted from loan through walk-in reciprocal borrowing.

Ladd Library provides library services to the public, we do not provide word processing, printing, internet searching or other general computing services. We ask that you use your own equipment or your public library for such services. As a limited resource and in fairness to other patrons, public access computers may be limited by library staff. Our equipment and database licenses allow walk-in patrons to use resources such as the catalog, periodical indexes, government information and other electronic collections for your research. However licensing for most of the college’s databases restricts access to use only by Bates students, faculty, and staff and those resources are not available to guest patrons.

Interlibrary loan (Illiad) borrowing services through Bates College are not available to MRBP patrons. ILL borrowing services must be requested through your local library.

 

Ladd Library is open to the general public through the main entrance from 8am-6pm during the regular academic semester.  Access the building after 6pm is restricted to the Bates College community.

Circulation Policies

Adults in good standing from participating MRBP libraries may borrow in person from the Ladd Library collections. A valid library card and a photo I.D must be presented at check out.

• A maximum of 10 items total may be checked out at any one time.
• Books and Children’s Books circulate for 21 days, with one 21 day renewal.
• DVD and CDs circulate for 7 days, with one 7 day renewal.
• Reference materials, periodicals, and newspapers may not be taken from the building.
• Fines may be assessed for overdue, lost or damaged materials by your local library. Contact your local library for all questions regarding due dates, fines, and renewals.
• Borrowers must comply with all regulations of the college.
• Borrowing privileges may be revoked without notice.

High School students and adults are welcome to use the building to study and to borrow materials.

Minors must be accompanied by an adult at all times and may not borrow on a public library child account.

Material borrowed must be for personal use; nothing taken from the library may be placed on reserve or other similar use at another library or school.

All materials are subject to recall for course purposes and must be returned immediately.