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Borrowing, Renewals and Overdue Fines

Borrowing, Renewals and Overdue Fines

Getting Started

Before a patron can borrow materials from the Thurgood Marshall Library and access resources remotely, you must have an university identification card from your home institution. If your home institution is Bowie State University an identification card, known as the Bulldog ID Card, must be obtained from the Bulldog Card Office on the first floor of the Student Center, Room 1025. Office Hours for the Bulldog Card Office are: Monday thru Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

If you are an active student, your Bulldog ID Card will automatically be registered with the library. If you have any issues gaining access to library resources please contact the Circulation Department at 301-860-3870.

Can I check out print books at the Library? I'm an online program student.

Online program students are welcome to visit the Thurgood Marshall Library, and access print resources. Online students can request print books from other USMAI (University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutes) member libraries via Catalog USMAI with a valid Bulldog Card (Student ID). How to obtain a Bulldog Card? 

The Bulldog Card also allows Bowie State University patrons to use resources from other libraries within the Universities of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions (USMAI) consortium, and check out those materials as well. However, before a patron can have remote access to our catalog, their Bulldog Card must be registered at the Thurgood Marshall Library. Once registered, a patron can place requests on materials that are owned by other libraries within the USMAI. Loan periods for those items are determined by the patrons' status (undergraduate student, graduate student, staff, faculty) and by the borrowing privileges for the owning library.

What should I know about borrowing, renewals and overdue fines?

Your Bulldog ID Card provides access to all of Bowie's library resources. The Bulldog ID Card also allows Bowie State University patrons to use resources from other libraries within our USMAI consortium, and to check out those materials (books) as well. 

Loan periods for those items are determined by the patrons' status (undergraduate student, graduate student, staff, faculty, etc) and by the borrowing privileges for the owning library.

Loan periods for Bowie State University items:

Undergraduate Students and Graduate Students

The due dates are:
May 1st
August 1st
December 1st

*The due date will advance one month prior:
e.g.: Loans/renewals on 4/2 will have a due date of 8/1
e.g.: Loans/renewals on 3/30 will have a due date of 5/1

Faculty and Staff: 180 days

Follow the instructions on this link to renew your items online.

Should you have any problems, please contact the Circulation Department at 301-860-3871

a. Overdue fines are as follows:

  1. $0.50 per day per item for each day returned after the due date and carry a maximum overdue fine of $15.
  2. An item is considered lost if it is 40 days or more overdue and will incur a replacement charge of $65.

b. Recall fines are as follows:

  1. $0.50 per day per item for each day returned after the recall date and carry a maximum overdue fine of $15.
  2. An item is considered lost if it is 40 days or more overdue and will incur a replacement charge of $65.

c. Information about fines, etc. from other libraries in the USMAI consortium:

Can I borrow books from other libraries with my Bulldog ID Card?

YES.  The Bulldog Card also allows Bowie State University patrons to use resources and check out books from the other sixteen (16) libraries within the University System of Maryland and Affiliated Institutions (USMAI) consortium.

A Bowie Thurgood Marshall Library patron can place requests for books that are owned by other libraries within the USMAI. Loan periods for those items are determined by the patrons' status (undergraduate student, graduate student, staff, faculty, etc) and by the borrowing privileges for the owning library.