Equipment and Technology Policies

Who Can Borrow Equipment and Technology?

Equipment and technology items are available for loan to current University of Delaware students, faculty, and staff only, with the exception of laptops. Laptops can be checked out only to current University of Delaware students (undergraduate and graduate).

DelTech and DelState cardholders may borrow in-house use materials, but are required to supply supporting photo identification. All IDs must be currently valid in the Library’s borrower database. Other borrower groups, including but not limited to Osher Academy of Lifelong Learning, spouses, and public borrowers, have limited or no access to equipment, technology and services of the SMDC. The individual associated with the ID or library card is solely responsible for all materials borrowed on his or her card and is liable for charges resulting from lost and/or damaged materials.

How to Borrow Equipment and Technology

To borrow equipment or technology from Morris Library:

1. Find the item that you wish to borrow in our Equipment List.
2. Click the Check Availability button under the item to see if the item is currently available for loan.
3. Take note of the location of the item – go to this location to borrow the equipment or technology if it is available. Equipment and technology are available on a first-come, first-serve basis – reservations are not available.

Members of the University of Delaware community (students, faculty and staff) are required to present a currently valid UD ONEcard in order to borrow equipment or other library materials. No other form of identification is accepted for this user group. The student, faculty or staff member must be present in-person to borrow equipment or technology. Members of the DelTech and DelState communities are required to present their respective college ID and, if necessary, photo ID to verify identity. All ID cards and library cards are non-transferable.

Equipment and Technology Loan Periods

Most equipment kits are available for a 3-day loan. Some restricted kits are available for in-building, 4-hour loans. Please see DELCAT for the specific loan period for the item you are interested in borrowing.

Equipment and Technology Renewals

Equipment Kits may not be renewed. Borrowed items are required to be returned after the four-hour or three-day loan period and cannot be checked out by the same user/group until 24 hours from the check-in time. However, as video editing can take more than three days, hard drives may be returned and checked out again twice for a total loan period of 9 days.

Equipment and Technology Recalls/Holds

Equipment is checked out on a first-come, first-served basis. Some equipment is for Library Use Only to try to ensure that there will be something available for use. There is a loan limit of three days to try to ensure that cameras will be available for others to check out.

Equipment Kit Pieces and Batteries

During the check-in and check-out process, all kit pieces will be accounted for. This includes laptops check out from the Help Center. If a kit component is not returned with the kit, or a laptop is not returned with the case and cables, the check-in process will be stopped and the user will be asked to take back the kit while he/she searches for the missing piece(s).  Should the item due date and time pass while the user is still in possession of the kit, normal overdue blocks will take effect.  In the event the missing part is not found or the user knows that the part is lost, a replacement charge and associated processing fee will be assessed on the user’s University account.

Rechargeable batteries are provided as a courtesy to users. All batteries provided with kits need to be returned. If anticipating moderate to heavy use of the kit, we suggest asking for an extra set of batteries or charger for kits that have these as optional items. Users are free to utilize their own batteries in equipment that accepts standard types, but the original batteries and case, if applicable, must be returned. Users will be assessed a replacement fee if the rechargeable batteries are not returned with the kit.

Overdue Equipment and Technology

Borrowers are individually responsible for keeping track of due dates and for returning in person at the SMDC service desk by the date due.

If equipment is not returned to the Student Multimedia Design Center before the due date/time, an automatic block will be activated on the user’s library account. While an overdue item block is in place, users cannot borrow any additional items from the University of Delaware Library, Museums and Press collections.

Should equipment be overdue for longer than 15 days (excluding days the Center is closed), the borrower will automatically be billed the associated replacement fee for the items/kits and the overdue block will be lifted. If items/kits are not returned within 15 days of the automatic billing (excluding days the Center is closed, for a total of 30 days overdue), the items/kits will be declared lost and no refund of the automatically applied replacement fee will be available.

Lost Equipment and Technology

If borrowed equipment is not returned fifteenth day after the due date, an automatic replacement charge for the items/kits will be assessed to the borrower’s University of Delaware account. Following the automatic billing, Student Multimedia Design Center staff will make efforts to contact the borrower. If after an additional 15 days the items/kits have still not been returned, the equipment will be declared lost and replacement items will be purchased. Consequently, no refund of the replacement fee can be credited to the borrower once the items/kits are declared lost. If a billed item is returned undamaged within 30 days of the original due date and time, the replacement fee can be waived. Processing fees, if any, cannot be waived since the Library has already incurred the cost of processing.

Damaged Equipment and Technology

Users will be billed for damages to equipment, unless such damages are deemed normal ‘wear and tear’ by staff. If damaged equipment cannot be repaired, the user will be billed the cost of replacement.