Library User Regulations

We herewith present our Library User Regulations.

1. Access

  1. The Peace Palace Library is accessible for all Visitors intending to use our Collections and facilities for research
  2. Visitors need to carry a valid Photo ID-card (passport, EU ID-card/EU driver’s license) at all times
  3. By gaining access to the Peace Palace Library, you are accepting the House Regulations and commit yourself to following these regulations. See point 6

2. Library Membership and Costs

  1. When signing up, you will receive a personal Library Membership Card
  2. All Library Users are required to have a personal Library Membership Card
  3. The costs for the Library Membership Card are €50,00 a year
  4. The Peace Palace Library reserves the right to change Membership fees and/or to adjust the pricing for our services

3. Signing Up and Details

  1. By signing up for a Library Membership, you are accepting the requesting and lending regulations and commit yourself to following these regulations. See points 4 and 5
  2. You commit yourself to inform us as to any changes in your personal details

4. Requesting and Borrowing

  1. Documents can be ordered through the Catalogue
  2. When collecting books, Library Users will need to show their Library Membership Card
  3. A User can order a maximum of 14 documents
  4. A User can borrow a maximum of 14 books
  5. Some types of User will not be able to borrow documents
  6. In principle, all Users can order and view documents
  7. Journals, Reading Room materials, serials and documents published before 1950 cannot be borrowed. These can only be consulted and copied
  8. Documents with a publication date before 1850 can be requested at the Service Desk. These can only be consulted under supervision
  9. Requested documents will remain available for 14 days, calculated from the moment of request
  10. It is not allowed to write in documents, damage documents or alter documents in any way
  11. The Peace Palace Library reserves the right to restrict the maximum number of publications that can be borrowed by Library Users at any given moment

5. Lending

  1. The standard lending period is 2 weeks
  2. The lending period will automatically be extended 11 times with 1 week
  3. The lent materials need to be returned on the last day of the lending period
  4. Returning is possible at the Service Desk. Returning books by mail is possible as long as they are properly prepaid, packaged and registered. The risk of sending books by mail is for the lending User
  5. It is not allowed to pass on lent materials to third parties
  6. Library Users are responsible for the materials in their possession

6. House Rules

  1. During each visit to the Peace Palace premises, the Security department will issue Visitors an entrance card for the Library
  2. When leaving the Peace Palace premises, this entrance card  must be returned at the Security department
  3. Regular Users can be issued a personalized entrance card. This card does not have to be returned at the Security department but must be shown at every visit
  4. Lockers are available in at the cloak room
  5. Bags and coats are to be stored at the cloak room or in the lockers
  6. The Stacks are not accessible for Visitors and Users
  7. Mobile phones, laptops, I-pads and other media carriers must be turned silent. They can be used inside the Reading Room
  8. Phone calls/Skype/Facetime are not permitted inside the Reading Room
  9. Visitors must be properly dressed
  10. Visitors under influence will be denied access
  11. It is not allowed to eat, drink, chew gum or smoke in the Reading Room
  12. It is not allowed to disrupt the Visitors and Users of the Reading Room
  13. The Peace Palace Library is not responsible for the personal property of Library Visitors. We recommend that Visitors use the lockers in the cloak room to store their belongings

7. Online Content

  1. Every User can use the Library’s online content
  2. Online content is available on the Reading Room terminals
  3. It is forbidden to download excessive amounts of documents
  4. In case of excessive downloading activities, one warning will be issued to the User
  5. Ignoring this warning will result in sanctions. See Point 8
  6. If the Library will be prosecuted for abuse of the download-facilities by Library Users, the Library will trace the User responsible and keep them accountable for any damages

8. Fines and Sanctions

  1. Violating the lending or House Regulations will be met with sanctions or fines
  2. After the 2nd reminder for a lent document, a fine of € 5,- for each overdue document will be assessed to the record of the User
  3. In the case of lost books and other Library materials, the replacement costs will be assessed to the record of the User, increased with a sum of € 50,- for each document
  4. In the case of damaged documents, the replacement of repair costs will be assessed to the record of the User, increased with a sum of € 50,- for each document
  5. If documents are not returned within 3 months after the third reminder, a new copy will be purchased and the replacement costs, increased with a sum of € 50,- for each document, will be assessed to the record of the User
  6. The Librarian reserves the right to block the Library Membership Cards of violating Users, temporarily or permanent
  7. The Librarian reserves the right to block the lending privileges of violating Users temporarily or permanent
  8. The Librarian reserves the right to refuse violating Users access to the Library

9. Additional Regulations

  1. The Director of the Library reserves the right to refuse Visitors entrance to the Library without giving an explanation
  2. The department of Security reserves the right to refuse Visitors entrance to the Library without giving an explanation

10. Objections

  1. In case of objections against issued fines and sanctions, Users can contact the Director of the Peace Palace Library
  2. A letter of objection has to be sent in writing to:
    Peace Palace Library
    Library Manager
    Carnegieplein 2
    2517 KJ  The Hague
    The Netherlands
  3. A letter of objection needs to be sent within 4 weeks after the issuing of the sanctions and fines. Letters sent after these 4 weeks will not be taken into consideration
  4. The letter of objection must include:
    - The User-information (name, Library card number, address)
    - The complaint, sanction or fine
    - The complaint with reason for leniency
  5. The Director will take the complaint into consideration within 4 weeks and will respond to the complaint in writing, after which the complaint will be accepted or rejected
  6. To the verdict of the Director there will be no appeal; the verdict is final and irrevocable