Terms and Conditions of Library Use

Part I GENERAL PROVISIONS

1. The Slovak Agricultural Library (hereinafter referred to as the Library) is, within the meaning of Act No. 126/2015 Coll. on libraries and amending and supplementing Act No. 206/2009 Coll. on museums and galleries and on the protection of objects of cultural value and amending Act No. 372/1990 Coll. of the Slovak National Council on misdemeanors, as amended by Act No. 38/2014: an academic library that serves as a specialized scientific library focused on agriculture and related fields of study, the central library and information center of the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra (hereinafter referred to as SUA or SUA in Nitra), a center providing information on science, technology, research, and innovation in the field of agriculture and related fields of study.
2. The Library is an organizational part of SUA in Nitra.
3. Terms and conditions of the Library use and Borrowing rules govern the mutual relations between the Library and its users.

Part II LIBRARY RULES

Article 1 Mission and Activities

1. The mission of the Library is to provide free access to scientific and professional information and thus help satisfy the informational, scientific research, and educational needs of users, supporting their lifelong learning, information literacy, and creative personal development.
2. The Library provides services to scientific and pedagogical staff, students of the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, and the general public, both individuals and institutions.

Article 2 Library collections and equipment

1. The Library acquires, processes, archives, and makes available documents of Slovak and world production focusing on agriculture and related scientific fields, as well as the areas of education and research at SUA in Nitra.
2. The Library equipment and collections are the property of SUA.
3. Library visitors are obliged to protect them and must not damage them.
4. The Library deposits part of its collection at SUA workplaces. The handling of this collection is governed by special internal guidelines.
5. The borrowing of library documents is a binding legal relationship within the meaning of the Civil Code.

Article 3 Library users

1. Library users are recipients of Library and information services. The Library provides services to registered and unregistered users.
2. Any natural person aged 15 or over may become a registered Library user (exceptions to this provision may be granted by the director upon written request) upon presentation of an identity card and payment of a registration fee.
3. A legal entity (institution, organization, company) may become a registered user for the purpose of mediating interlibrary loan services.
4. Unregistered Library users may be, in particular, SUA students and employees who have not applied for registration but use its services.

Article 4 Library services

1. Document loans

• outside the Library,
• in the Library,
• e-loans,
• interlibrary loan service (ILL) and international interlibrary loan service.

2. Information services

• providing access to licensed electronic information sources and e-books
• providing bibliographic and factual information,
• research services (thematic research, citation research, and publication activity overviews),
• consulting services,
• advisory services,
• educational and professional events, especially for students and employees of SUA.

3. IT services

• remote access to electronic information resources (TuKAN),
• wifi,
• support for users with their own mobile devices.

4. Reprographic services

• copying and scanning of parts of documents from the Library's collection with the option of electronic delivery,
• printing.

Article 5 Terms and conditions of service provision

1. Basic Library services are free of charge. For some special services, such as thematic searches, reprographic services, and mediation of access to e-books, the Library may charge fees according to the valid library price list.
2. Reprographic services are provided in accordance with Sections 42, 44, and 48 of Act No. 185/2015 Coll. Copyright Act.
3. Library services are provided to SUA employees under special conditions.
4. Some Library services are provided to students with specific needs under special conditions (Article 9).
5. Internet access is provided by the Library in accordance with the Rules for Using the SUA Computer Network in Nitra. The Internet is primarily used for study and educational purposes. It is prohibited to view websites promoting violence, racial intolerance, fascism, and pornography.
6. Access to licensed electronic information resources and e-books is governed by the license terms set by their providers and is implemented locally (within the SUA network) or remotely (outside the SUA network). Remote access to electronic information resources may be used by registered Library users, students, and employees of SUA in Nitra, subject to compliance with the Rules for Working on the SUA Network.
7. Users bear full responsibility for any violation of license terms or copyrights when working with electronic information resources, and the Library may revoke the user's remote access.

Article 6 Registration and protection of personal data

1. A registered user is a citizen/institution with a record in the user database.
2. The Library processes the following personal data during registration: name, surname, title, permanent address, temporary address, date of birth, email address, telephone number.
3. By signing the application form or filling in the pre-registration form, the user undertakes to comply with the provisions of the Library rules.
4. For the purposes of data verification, the Library requires the presentation of an identity card or passport.
5. User registration is valid for 365 days, after which an extension may be requested.
6. The Library also offers 24-hour user registration with a limited range of services. Users registered in this way are referred to as "one-day users." One-day users may only borrow documents for on-site study, use technical equipment intended for users, and use the Library premises for study.
7. Personal data processed by the Library in accordance with applicable legislation is used exclusively for the purpose of providing library and information services. The Library stores the personal data of registered users for the duration of their valid registration (i.e., 365 days after payment of the registration fee) and subsequently for 24 months, provided they have no outstanding debts to the Library (unreturned loans, unpaid fees, reminders).
8. The Library will delete the personal data of users who request termination of membership or who have not been active for 24 months after the end of their valid registration from the Library system and shred their application.
9. Registered users have the right to request an overview of the personal data that the Library processes about them.

Article 7 User card

1. A user card is used to identify registered users. Chip cards (student or employee cards) or user cards issued by the Library can serve as user cards.
2. The user card is non-transferable. To verify the user's identity, Library staff have the right to request an ID card or passport. The cardholder is responsible for any misuse of the user card.

Article 8 Rights and obligations of users

1. Registered users have the right to use the Library and information services and the Library collection in accordance with the Library lending rules (Part III).
2. Every user is obliged to comply with the Library rules, the instructions of Library staff, and to respect the measures necessary to maintain order and protect library property. Users are obliged to maintain silence and order in all areas.
3. Users are required to report any changes to their name, address, and email address to the Library. Users can also change their email address themselves in their user account.
4. If a user fails to comply with the Library rules, they may be temporarily or permanently deprived of the right to use the Library services. This does not exempt them from the obligation to compensate for any damage caused and they remain liable for it in accordance with applicable legal regulations.
5. The Library may refuse to provide services to a user due to inappropriate behavior and for hygienic reasons.

Article 9 Services for users with specific needs

1. Services for users with specific needs, provided under special conditions, include in particular

• advice on searching for literature from the Library's collection and in the field of working with information and information sources, "library assistance" services,
• setting special conditions for loans (free delivery of publications by post, extended loan periods),
• provision of digital copies of study materials, digitization of parts of documents,
• provision of assistive devices and technical aids, loan of electronic reading magnifiers outside the Library.

Part III LOAN REGULATIONS

Article 1 Types of loans

1. Loans are made in accordance with the mission and professional focus of the Library and the requirements for the protection of its collection. The Library decides on the method of loan.
2. The Library lends documents

• outside the Library,
• in the Library,
• e-loans.

3. The following items may only be borrowed for use on the premises

• bound periodicals,
• preservation copies of documents on agricultural topics,
• special literature - scientific and qualification theses, final theses, and research reports,
• documents borrowed from other libraries through interlibrary and international interlibrary loan services, if the lending library stipulates on-site borrowing as a condition,
• standards.

Article 2 Interlibrary loan service

1. If a user is interested in a document that is not in the Library's collection or in any other library in the city, the Library will, at the user's request, arrange for the work to be borrowed through the interlibrary loan service (hereinafter referred to as ILS) from another library in the Slovak Republic in accordance with the guidelines applicable to ILS.
2. If the requested document is not available in any library in the Slovak Republic, it may be borrowed at the user's request through the international interlibrary loan service (hereinafter referred to as IILS) in accordance with the applicable agreements of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA).
3. The Library requesting the loan of a document through ILL and the user to whom the document was loaned are obliged to comply with all general and individual conditions set by the Library that loaned the document.
4. An extension of the loan period within the ILL is requested by the library that loaned the document at the user's request. In the international ILL, if the Library itself was not the intermediary, the Library that mediated the loan will request the extension.
5. Fees for borrowing books and photocopying articles from other libraries are charged according to the Library price list or the invoice of the library that provided the ILL.
6. Within the ILL, the Library provides loans from its collection to users of other libraries.
7. Loans from the library collection are subject to the provisions of the Library Rules for the borrowing of documents.
8. The Library also provides copies of articles and essays from its collection to users of other libraries. Copies are sent by post or electronically, according to the requirements of the requesting library.

Article 3 Method of borrowing

1. Loans from the stacks are made on the basis of an order - a request from the online catalog (hereinafter referred to as the "request").
2. Loans from the reading room on Štúrova Street are made on the basis of a request or by free selection.
3. The Library sets the deadline for processing requests depending on its operating conditions; as a rule, requests are processed on an ongoing basis. The Library provides information about longer processing times for requests on its website and in the online catalog.
4. Unless otherwise agreed, the user may pick up the ordered document within 5 working days from the date of issue of the request.
5. Documents are usually lent to the user on an absentee/presence basis upon presentation of a user card or other identification document.
6. A receipt for the return of a document will be issued to the user only upon request.
7. Documents that are currently on loan can be reserved by the user through their account in the electronic catalog. The Library will notify the user by email when the reserved library item is returned. The reserved document must be picked up within 5 working days of the notification, otherwise the reservation will expire.
8. Students may borrow a maximum of 30 documents, other users 10 documents. Students may borrow a maximum of 20 documents from the stacks, other users 10 documents.
9. A maximum of 5 documents may be borrowed for the weekend, and a maximum of 3 issues of the current year's journals may be borrowed.
10. Library and SUA employees may borrow a maximum of 50 documents.
11. Foreign nationals with short-term stays and users with 24-hour registration are not eligible for off-site loans.

Article 4 Loan periods and penalties for non-compliance

1. The loan period for books is generally 30 days (with the possibility of three renewals), and for SUA lecture notes and textbooks 120 days (with the possibility of one renewal).
2. The loan period for selected books from the Štúrova study room may be 3 days/weekend (without the possibility of extension) and for current issues of journals 14 days/2 weeks (without the possibility of extension).
3. Weekend loans can be borrowed after 12:00 p.m. on the last working day before the weekend or holiday and returned no later than the first working day after the weekend or holiday during opening hours.
4. Students with specific needs have an adjusted loan period of 60 days for books and 240 days for SUA lecture notes and textbooks.
5. The Library may set a shorter loan period and, in justified cases, also require the immediate return of the document before the expiry of the set period.
6. Users may request an extension of the loan period in person at the Library, by telephone, or by e-mail. Users can extend loans (prolongation) with a loan period of 30 and 120 days through their account in the Library information system, but no earlier than 5 days before the expiry of the set period.
7. The Library sends the user an e-mail notification of the approaching end of the loan period 5 days before its expiry, and in the case of 14-day loans and weekend loans, one day before its expiry.
8. In the event of failure to comply with the loan period, the Library information system generates reminders, for which the Library charges penalty fees.
9. Reminders for loans of publications with a loan period of 30 and 120 days are generated as follows:

• 1st reminder - 10 working days after the loan period expires,
• 2nd reminder - 20 working days after the loan period expires,
• 3rd reminder - 30 working days after the loan period has expired,
• Director's reminder - 50 working days after the loan period has expired.

10. Reminders for loans for 2 weeks/14 days are generated as follows:

• 1st reminder - 2 days after the loan period expires,
• 2nd reminder - 7 days after the loan period expires,
• 3rd reminder - 14 days after the loan period expires,
• Director's reminder - 28 days after the loan period expires.

11. Reminders for loans for 3 days / weekend are generated as follows:

• 1st reminder - the day after the loan period expires,
• 2nd reminder - 2 days after the loan period expires,
• 3rd reminder - 3 days after the loan period expires,
• Director's reminder - 4 days after the loan period expires.

12. Reminders 1, 2, and 3 are not sent in printed form by post. Information about return dates and generated reminders is part of the user's account in the Library information system.
13. Penalty fees for reminders or for failure to comply with the loan period can be paid by the user in person at the Library or by bank transfer. If the user pays by bank transfer, they are required to inform the Library and submit proof of payment for verification.
14. After the third reminder, the user's account will be blocked in the Library information system regardless of the validity of their registration, and after a reminder from the director, their Library membership will be suspended.
15. If, even after a reminder from the director, the user does not return the borrowed document, its return will be enforced in accordance with the Civil Code.

Article 5 User responsibility for borrowed documents

1. The loan of a document is non-transferable. The user may not lend the borrowed document to other persons.
2. The user is obliged to return the borrowed document in the same condition in which they received it. Upon borrowing, they should inspect it and report any damage immediately. If they fail to do so, they are liable for any damage discovered later and are obliged to reimburse the Library for the cost of repairing the document as in the case of loss (Article 6).
3. The user may also return the borrowed document by post. The Library will notify the user of receipt of the shipment by e-mail.
4. The user may use the book return box (hereinafter also referred to as the "bibliobox") to return the borrowed document. Documents from the bibliobox will be written off from the user's account no later than the following working day. The user is obliged to check the removal of books from their account and to report any discrepancies. If the user incurs late fees, they are obliged to pay them in person during their next visit to the Library or to use the option of bank transfer. Returning books to the bibliobox is not recommended for weekend loans and ILL loans.
5. Upon request, the Library will issue a confirmation of settlement of claims against the Library to SUA students in Nitra who are completing their studies and to employees who are terminating their employment at SUA in Nitra. This document does not include any loans from branch libraries at SUA workplaces.

Article 6 Losses and compensation

1. The user is obliged to immediately report any damage or loss of a document to the Library and to compensate for the damage within the specified period in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Civil Code.
2. The Library requires compensation for damage in the following forms:

• delivery of a copy of the same document in the same edition,
• delivery of the same document in a different edition,
• delivery of another document of the same price not older than 3 years,
• financial compensation in the amount of 3 times the price of the document listed in the accession list, if the documents were published before 1950 and the user is unable to replace the document with the same title.

3. At the same time as compensating for the damage, the user shall pay a handling fee.

Part IV OPERATING RULES

1. The Library provides its services in the main building at Štúrova 51.
2. Services are provided year-round on working days. Opening hours vary according to the needs of teaching at SUA in Nitra. The Library provides information about current opening hours on its website and social networks.
3. Access to the Library premises is barrier-free. An elevator is available on Štúrova Street. A barrier-free toilet is located on the ground floor.
4. The Library is equipped with lockers for visitors to store their belongings.
5. Smoking and open flames are prohibited in the Library. Smoking areas are designated in front of the building, marked in accordance with applicable regulations.
6. The Library premises are cleaned on an ongoing basis, including wiping tables and cleaning the keyboards of devices used by visitors.
7. Air exchange in the visitor areas is ensured by natural ventilation and is carried out regularly, at least three times a day.
8. In the main Library building, users have access to the lending desk, a universal study room, and a small study room.
9. Access to the study room on Štúrova Street is permitted to registered users.
10. Library staff may request, if necessary for operational reasons, that visitors to the study rooms leave their coats, bags, etc. in a designated place before entering the study rooms.
11. Visitors are required to remain quiet, be considerate of others, and follow the instructions of Library staff.
12. Users have the right to use the study rooms' collections, documents ordered from the Library's storage facilities, and technical equipment, to the extent specified for visitors.
13. Visitors may only use pre-installed software on Library equipment and may not interfere with the settings of the workstation or desktop. They may not use Library equipment for commercial purposes. After finishing work on the computer, they are required to close all running applications, but may not turn off the computer or monitor. Only Library staff may restart the computer.
14. Visitors may use their own portable electronic devices at their own risk. The Library is not responsible for any damage to data or media. It is prohibited to connect devices to the electrical network that may pose a risk to the safety and health/life of Library visitors or Library property.
15. The Library may refuse entry to the study rooms in the event of inappropriate behavior, for hygienic reasons, or if a visitor/library user shows signs of alcohol/drug use.
16. In the event of an accident on the Library premises, it is necessary to inform the consultation service.

Part V FINAL PROVISIONS

1. Exceptions to the Library Rules are permitted by the Library director, exceptions to the Loan Rules are permitted by the head of the Library Services Department.
2. These Library Rules shall enter into force and effect on September 1, 2025.

In Nitra on September 1, 2025