University Multimedia Equipment Collection (UMEC) Circulation Policy

The University Multimedia Equipment Collection (UMEC), located at the IDeATe Lending Office in Hunt A29, consists of resources designed to support the Carnegie Mellon University campus community and that may be borrowed by CMU students, faculty, and staff. This Collection is managed by IDeATe in partnership with Computing Services, and until August 2022 was managed by University Libraries as Multimedia Lending.

Borrowing from the University Multimedia Equipment Collection comes with the responsibility to respect these resources, and an understanding that the equipment you are using now may be of great importance to whomever is waiting to use it next. When you borrow items from this Collection, you are accepting the borrowing responsibilities outlined below. Please be kind and mindful when borrowing from this Collection.

Note that students enrolled in IDeATe courses also have access to the IDeATe Lending collection, which is subject to the IDeATe Lending Policy and is collocated with the University Multimedia Equipment Collection in Hunt A29. Although the two collections are collocated, they are currently operated separately.

It’s expected that you read any borrower notifications sent to your Andrew email. When you borrow an item, you’ll be notified of pending due dates and overdue notices via automatic emails to your Andrew email account. Because these notifications contain time-sensitive material, it’s important to read and be aware of your due dates to avoid potential late return fees. If you are not receiving these emails, notify help@ideate.cmu.edu immediately.

Once you borrow an item, you are responsible for its safe-keeping until you return it. Do not leave borrowed equipment unattended. Leaving an item out in the open increases the risk of misplacement or theft. If items are found unattended, the borrower will be notified. The act of leaving an item unattended could be considered an infraction of the UMEC Circulation Policy and can result in late fees and/or suspension of borrowing privileges.

Return borrowed items to the IDeATe Lending Office by the due date and time provided. When you borrow an item, the details of that transaction will automatically be sent to your Andrew email. Details include the item description, the due date and time, and a link to the Lending Office’s hours of operation. If you missed the email, or find anything in the email that you do not understand, did not borrow, etc., ask a Lending Office attendant or email help@ideate.cmu.edu.

All UMEC equipment must be returned directly to IDeATe Lending Office staff in Hunt A29. Do not attempt to return items using any University Libraries location or dropbox, and do not leave items unattended at any time.

Lending Office staff may opt to decline to accept return of equipment that is missing parts, tags, peripherals, etc. If you make an incomplete return of equipment, be aware that you may still be charged for any missing or damaged parts upon review by IDeATe staff. When you borrow items, you are responsible for alerting Lending Office staff if anything is missing from the items you borrow before you leave the Lending Office. The tag attached to the carrying case of each kit provides a photographic inventory for your reference.

If you need to request an extension of your due date, we’d like to help. A limited number of online renewals are available using the online account system. Online renewals can be made 24/7, beginning as early as the day before an item’s due date, and are subject to availability. Late items cannot be renewed. A normal extension is the same additional length as the original borrowing period, as long as there are no reserves or holds on the items (in which case the original due date still applies).

If you have an exceptional circumstance, please plan ahead. For renewal requests beyond our standard online renewal procedures, email help@ideate.cmu.edu at least one business day prior to your due date (Monday–Friday before 3pm) to request a longer extension. All requests are subject to approval and availability.

An overdue item from the University Multimedia Equipment Collection incurs a daily late fee of $15. An automatic alert will be sent to your Andrew email when your item becomes overdue and starts incurring a fee. It is best to take action right away if you get such a notice. You will continue to get notifications until the item is returned, or, after an item is 14 days overdue, a replacement fee is assessed.

For students who accrue late fees, we will submit late fees to student accounts on a regular basis. Late fees will appear on your statement as “IDeATe UMEC late return fee.” Again, it is your responsibility to be mindful of the due dates and to check your Andrew email. Faculty and staff who accrue late fees must provide an Oracle account number upon request for internal billing.

A replacement fee will be charged if an item is not returned at all and/or an item is returned broken or missing parts. When you borrow equipment or supplies from the University Multimedia Equipment Collection, you are responsible for taking care of it. If you have lost or broken a piece of equipment, you will be responsible for the cost of repairs or replacement. However, we understand that sometimes accidents happen, in which case we ask that you promptly write to help@ideate.cmu.edu to explain the situation. Depending on the circumstance and level of damage, we may be able to work on a solution with you.

If you fail to return an item within 14 days of its due date, and you take no other action to resolve the issue with IDeATe, we may charge a replacement fee. For students, such fees will appear on your student account statement as “IDeATe UMEC replacement fee.” Faculty and staff who incur replacement fees must provide an Oracle account number upon request for internal billing. These fees reflect IDeATe’s cost of replacing the missing item. Please understand that when something doesn’t come back, IDeATe needs to buy a replacement so other members of the university community can use that item.

Borrowing an item for another person under your Andrew ID is not permitted. We understand that in the spirit of collaboration, it’s compelling to want to help others. Please know that it is solely your responsibility to make sure any item borrowed under your Andrew ID is returned safely on time. Any late fees or replacement costs incurred on an item while checked out under your Andrew ID will be billed against you, regardless of who is in possession of it at the time. Note that, in compliance with the ID Card Terms of Use, borrowers must have their own Carnegie Mellon ID card ready to present when borrowing items.

The equipment in the University Multimedia Equipment Collection is primarily intended for use related to classes and activities held at Carnegie Mellon University’s main Pittsburgh campus. All of the equipment must be on-hand and reasonably available for these educational needs. Therefore, we do not condone nor do we support the loan of equipment for personal, off-campus projects. There are risks of late return, physical damage and total loss when equipment leaves campus, and these risks are even greater when traveling.

You are responsible for your own data. Any media, data, and/or documents that you create or save to our equipment or removable media storage devices may be permanently erased without notice after the equipment has been returned to us.

Infractions of the UMEC Circulation Policy can result in a prolonged suspension of borrowing privileges. Suspensions of UMEC borrowing privileges may also affect your ability to borrow from the IDeATe Lending collection and from University Libraries, if applicable. If your UMEC borrowing privileges have been suspended and you wish to reactivate them, please email help@ideate.cmu.edu to submit a written petition. In your petition, please explain the circumstances leading up to your suspension and indicate that you have reviewed and understand the relevant policy. The IDeATe staff will meet with University Libraries staff to review your petition and will reply with a resolution.

If you have questions about the UMEC Circulation Policy or about any IDeATe charge on your student account, please email help@ideate.cmu.edu.