Library Guidelines in the New Normal 

 In order to protect the rights of users and employees, to protect and preserve library materials and facilities, and to maintain the environment and atmosphere essential to the proper operation of the library facilities, rules of conduct will strictly be enforced.   

Students are the primary patrons of the library who must have a valid student number and must register in the library for the issuance of the Library ID.

Professors and staff can also avail of the library services and collection upon registering in the library.

Guest researchers can also avail of the library services and collection after presenting the following requirements:

·         Valid ID

·         Referral letter or request letter

·         Library Fee

The IFRS library uses an “Open Shelf System” so that students, faculty, and researcher(s) from other agencies/ institutions can easily find the materials they need, and browse freely through the entire collection. Books are arranged according to Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) scheme.

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In the new normal set-up,  here’s a quick guide on the current  policies and guidelines of the IFRS library regarding the use of its facilities, handling library materials, and services offered to the students and faculty. 

1. In order to maintain a safe learning environment, library  users are required to follow the minimum health standards and other guidelines such as :

• Wear  a  facemask (no facemask no entry).

• Sanitize your hands before and after the transactions. 

• Observe physical  distancing. 

• Students shall write their student information on the log book for easy contact tracing. 

• Observe standard  library rules and regulations . 

• The number of persons  to be accommodated in the library shall be reduced to 50% (see the table below) at any given time to ensure that physical distancing shall be observed at all times. 

Library Facility

Reading area: 15

Computer Area: 5

Periodical Section : 4

Discussion Room: 4

Total: 28

• Students/faculty  may request an appointment to use the library  for 1 day by sending an e-mail request to the  librarian. Students/faculty  may send their e-mail request every Monday to schedule the date of appointment. The library  will operate from Monday (8:00 am to 5:00 pm) to Saturday (8:00 am – 12:00 noon).

• No casual conversation  with anyone is allowed. 

2. Guidelines in Accessing and Handling Library  Materials:

• The library will strictly implement closed-shelf system wherein only the librarian  and student assistants will be allowed to access the library materials.

3) Guidelines in Borrowing Library Materials: 

• As part of Document Delivery Service, students may borrow a maximum of 3 books (except References, Thesis, Journals) for 7 days through pick-up. Faculty may borrow a maximum of 15 books for 30 days. Students/faculty  may use social media platforms (E-mail, Messenger, Facebook) to submit their  accomplished request form indicating the following information:

• Full name:

• Course/Year:

• Address:

• Mobile number

• Email/Gmail/Messenger account:

• Query/Concern:

• Title and Author of book:

A  requested book  will be ready after 1-3 working days from the date of request. For pick-up service, please follow these protocols. 

• The librarian  will notify the student/faculty  if the requested book  is ready for pick-up. 

• Upon arriving at the Institute,   kindly inform the librarian/student assistants to prepare the books requested. 

• Wear mask and practice physical distancing. 

• Old students are required to present their library card. 

• To avoid physical contact, the  librarian/student assistants will write the student information on the due date slip.

• The  librarian/student assistants will place the  requested books  in a designated area where the student/faculty  may  get them. 

•  If the physical book is not available,  the librarian will try to find the requested book   by accessing free online resources. 

• All the books borrowed should be returned promptly on the exact date stamped on the due date slip. Otherwise,  fines shall be charged according to the approved rate of the library. (5 pesos per day for General Education books and 10 pesos per day for Reserved books). 

• Books returned from home use shall undergo 72 hours or equivalent of 3 days  quarantine period in a designated area. After isolation, the books are checked in and shelved for the next use. 

• Due to copyright provisions, scanning/digitizing library materials is limited to a maximum of 10 pages. To process your transaction, just send an e-mail request to the Librarian and follow the format below:

      For Books

• Full name:

• Course/Year:

• Title of the book:

• Author of the book:

• Page numbers :

 For Journals 

• Full name:

• Course/Year

• Title of the Journal:

• Editor of the Journal:

• Volume/issue/page numbers :

• To limit the physical contact in the library, students/faculty  are advised to check the free online resources listed (please see attached file). 

• The  librarian offers online/ virtual services to students/faculty such as:

• Answering online reference queries

• Document Delivery Service

• Online book request 

• Access to online resources 

• Online reference assistance and research support services

The IFRS  library reserves the right to refuse entry to any person  who poses threat, breaches safety protocols, and/or shows any symptoms related to the Covid-19 virus. 

For further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact the  Librarian via Gmail: ifrslibrary@gmail.com or Facebook/Messenger: @MarkGilTenorio.