Using the Library
- Location and Hours
- Public Access
- Borrowing and Renewing Books: Austin Seminary students, faculty, and staff
- Borrowing and Renewing Books: Austin Seminary Alumni
- Borrowing and Renewing Books: Guest Borrowers
- Fines and Fees
Location and Hours
Click here for driving directions and campus map
Parking: There are two visitors' parking spaces in the small lot to the north of the library. You can get a parking pass from the circulation desk. The entrance to the library is on the east side of the building, facing the chapel.
Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary
100 E. 27th Street
Austin, Texas 78705
https://goo.gl/maps/schkGgHbHAELRtf37
Public Access
Stitt Library is open to all users from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. After 5:00 p.m. and on weekends, only currently enrolled Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Seminary of the Southwest, or Austin Graduate School of Theology students and faculty/staff will have access to the library.
- To ensure the safety of library patrons and staff, patrons using Stitt Library after 5:00 p.m. and on weekends are required to present their Austin Seminary or Seminary of the Southwest ID card and to sign a log-in sheet.
- Anyone who is not an Austin Seminary student, faculty member, or staff member who needs to use Stitt Library resources may request evening and weekend privileges by sending an email to the Stitt Library Director, Dr. Timothy Lincoln at: tlincoln@austinseminary.edu
- Other persons granted exceptional access must present a photo ID and a copy of the library director's grant of permission. They must also sign the log-in sheet.
Borrowing and Renewing Books: Austin Seminary students, faculty, and staff
Renewing Books
Borrowing policies
|
Category |
Book Limit |
Loan Period |
Card Expires |
|
Students |
50 |
30 days |
End of term |
|
Faculty / Staff |
100 |
End of term |
Retirement (extended for emeritus faculty) |
|
DMin students |
25 |
Varies |
End of term |
|
College of Pastoral Leaders |
10 |
30 days |
2 years |
|
Education Beyond the Walls |
2 |
2 days |
End of the week |
Notes:
- The loan period for books is 30 days.
- The loan period for audio/visual materials is 14 days.
- Toward the end of each semester, all items are due on a designated date to allow us to clear student records.
- Reserve books usually circulate for 3 hour loans (unless the professor has requested a different loan period); they may be checked out overnight beginning 3 hours before closing and are due one hour after the library opens the next day.
- Periodicals, reference materials, archival materials, and restricted circulation materials do not circulate.
Reciprocal Borrowing
Austin Seminary students have reciprocal borrowing privileges at the Booher Library of the Seminary of the Southwest, which is located near 32nd and Duval, just a few blocks from our campus.
- Present your seminary ID at their circulation desk to register to use the library.
- We have a shared library catalog with the Booher Library which makes it easy to see which resources they have.
Stitt Library also has a reciprocal borrowing agreement for Austin Seminary students, faculty, and staff at The University of Texas at Austin libraries.
- You can obtain a free courtesy borrowing card that gives you limited borrowing privileges at most UT libraries and will allow you to use most of the UT databases in one of their libraries on UT's campus.
- Take your Austin Seminary ID card to the Perry Casteneda Library on UT’s campus on the corner of Speedway and 21st. Go to the Courtesy Borrowing desk located in the circulation area, and tell them you are a student at Austin Seminary and would like a courtesy borrowing card.
- For more information about UT's Courtesy Borrowing Program, contact UT's Borrower Services Department here.
For more information about all our library partnerships, see our Partner Libraries guide (PDF).
Interlibrary Loan
The Stitt Library offers interlibrary loan services to current Seminary students and faculty. See our interlibrary loan information or ask the Access and Instruction Librarian for assistance with interlibrary loan requests.
Borrowing and Renewing Books: Austin Seminary Alumni
Renewing Books
Borrowing policies
|
Category |
Book Limit |
Loan Period |
Card Expires |
|
APTS Alumni (local) |
10 |
30 days |
One year |
|
APTS Alumni (out-of-town) |
4 |
30 days |
One year |
For more information on the resources and services offered to Austin Seminary alumni, please see the Alumni Resources page.
Borrowing and Renewing Books: Guest Borrowers
Renewing Books
Other Seminaries - Students, faculty, and staff
Borrowing policies
|
Category |
Book Limit |
Loan Period |
Card Expires |
|
Students (SSW, SWBTS, Perkins, DTS, AGST) |
10 |
30 days |
End of Austin Seminary term |
|
Faculty/Staff (SSW, AGST) |
10 |
127 days |
One year |
- Students at Seminary of the Southwest, Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary (Ft. Worth), Perkins School of Theology (Southern Methodist University), Dallas Theological Seminary, Austin Graduate School of Theology, and other members of SWATLA may request a free library card at the Stitt Library circulation desk by presenting their school ID and providing contact information.
- Faculty and staff at the Seminary of the Southwest and Austin Graduate School of Theology may request a free library card at the Stitt Library circulation desk.
- Students, faculty, and staff members at other seminaries may register as local or library associate patrons, as described below.
- Periodicals, reference materials, archival materials, and restricted circulation materials do not circulate.
The University of Texas at Austin - Students, faculty, and staff
Borrowing policies
|
Category |
Book Limit |
Loan Period |
Card Expires |
|
UT Austin Students |
4 |
2 weeks |
End of Austin Seminary term |
|
UT Austin Faculty |
4 |
30 days |
One year |
- Those who wish to borrow materials from the library will need to obtain a Stitt Library card. Please apply at the Stitt Library circulation desk, providing your UT ID card and contact information.
- Periodicals, reference materials, archival materials, and restricted circulation materials do not circulate.
Community Members and Local Clergy
Borrowing policies
|
Category |
Fee |
Book Limit |
Loan Period |
Card Expires |
|
Local* Clergy |
$5/year |
10 |
30 days |
End of Austin Seminary term |
|
Local* Community Member (non-clergy) |
$5/year |
4 |
30 days |
One year |
|
Library Associate |
$25/year |
25 |
30 days |
One year |
*local = Austin, Georgetown, Buda, Pflugerville, Round Rock, San Marcos, Bastrop, Cedar Park
- Those who wish to borrow materials from the library will need to obtain a Stitt Library card. Please apply at the Stitt Library circulation desk, providing your photo ID and contact information.
- Students and faculty at St. Edward’s University, Concordia Lutheran College, Huston-Tillotson University, Austin Community College, or Texas State University may register as local or library associate patrons.
- Periodicals, reference materials, archival materials, and restricted circulation materials do not circulate.
Fines and Fees
Overdue Fines
- Regular books, CDs and DVDs: $.20 per day / per item
- Reserve materials: $.60 per hour or portion thereof
- Late return of recalled item: $1 per day
- Students with unresolved overdue books or fines will be prohibited from registering for the next term or graduating.
Fees
- Replacement library card: $5
- Library associate: $25/year
- Local clergy: $5
- Community member (non-clergy): $5
- Book replacement fee: $75 per book
Library policies
- General library policies
- Cellphones and Other Electronic Devices
- Food and drink policies
- Study Rooms and Study Spaces
General library policies
- Weapons; sleeping; use of tobacco, alcohol, or drugs; begging; soliciting; sales; and animals (except guide dogs and other assistive animals) are not permitted in the library.
- Shirt, shoes, and appropriate clothing are required.
- Quiet conversation is allowed as long as it does not disturb others.
- Public computers and printers are intended for those conducting research. Please refrain from excessive printing or abuse of seminary resources.
- Library management reserves the right to ask anyone to leave whose behavior is disruptive, inappropriate for the library environment, or interferes with the use of the library by other patrons.
Cellphones and Other Electronic Devices
Patrons may use personal electronic devices in the library with the following restrictions:
- Please silence all electronic devices.
- Phone conversations should be conducted outside the library.
- Headphones must be used at all times.
- Levels of sound escaping from headphones must not disturb other patrons.
Food and drink policies
- Food is not allowed in the library.
- Drinks may be brought into the library in permanent spill-proof mugs or sport bottles (no disposable containers are allowed).
- Drinks are not allowed near computers or other electronic equipment or in the book shelves.
- Please report spills immediately to a staff member to minimize the damage to books and other materials. Patrons may be billed for damaged materials caused by beverage spills.
Study Rooms and Study Spaces
The library has open stacks, a large reading room, group study space, quiet study carrels, exhibits, and computers for our students, faculty, and guests.
- Stitt Library has closed study carrels available for Austin Seminary students and faculty.
- Closed study carrels are assigned on the basis of need for the duration of the academic year to Austin Seminary students and faculty who have completed an application.
- Use of closed study carrels is reviewed periodically and they may be reassigned as needed.
- Austin Seminary and guest patrons may use open study carrels if they are available.
- Nine lockers available on a first-come, first served basis for the duration of the academic term. Patrons must fill out an application and supply their own locks.
- All library materials kept in closed carrels or lockers must be checked out. Reference and non-circulating materials should be returned to the circulation desk by the end of the day.
- All library materials will be retrieved from open study carrels unless special arrangements have been made with the access and instruction librarian.