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 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 Card 
  2. All Library Users are required to have a personal Library Card 
  3. The costs for the Library Card are €50,00 a year 
  4. The 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. Materials can be ordered through the Catalogue 
  2. When collecting books, Library Users will need to show their Library Card 
  3. A User can order a maximum of 14 materials 
  4. A User can borrow a maximum of 14 materials 
  5. Some types of User will not be able to borrow materials  
  6. In principle, all Users can order and view materials 
  7. Journals, Reading Room materials, serials and documents published before 1950 cannot be borrowed. These can only be consulted 
  8. Materials with a publication date before 1850 can be requested at the Service Desk. These can only be consulted under supervision 
  9. Requested materials will remain available for 7 days, calculated from the moment it's ready for use.  
  10.  It is not allowed to write in materials, damage or alter materials in any way 
  11. The 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 can be extended by the User 3 times x 2 weeks. 
  3. The lent materials need to be returned at the latest 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 department of Security will issue visitors an entrance card for the Library 
  2. When leaving the Peace Palace premises, the entrance card must be returned at the department of Security
  3. Lockers are available at the cloak room 
  4. Bags and coats are to be stored at the cloak room or in the lockers 
  5. The Stacks are not accessible for Visitors and Users 
  6. Mobile phones, laptops, I-pads and other media carriers must be turned silent. They can be used inside the Reading Room 
  7. Phone calls/Skype/Facetime are not permitted inside the Reading Room 
  8. Visitors must be properly dressed 
  9. Visitors under influence will be denied access 
  10. It is not allowed to eat, drink (except bottled water), chew gum or smoke in the Reading Room 
  11. It is not allowed to disrupt the Visitors and Users of the Reading Room 
  12. The 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. The policy regarding a late book return is as follows:  

I) If a book has not been returned at the end of the loan period, the User will receive a reminder that the book must be returned  

II) After 7 days, the User will receive a reminder stating that if the books are not returned within 7 days, the User's account will be blocked and a fine will be imposed  

III) 7 days after this, the User will receive another reminder that the account has been blocked and a fine has been imposed 

  1. After the 2nd reminder, a fine of € 5,- for each overdue material will be assessed to the record of the User 
  2. Handling a fine: the User reports personally to the Service Desk and returns the materials and pays the fine by card. 
  3. If the book has not been returned four weeks after the last (third) reminder, the purchase price will be charged for each book, with a minimum of 50 euros. This means that for a book with a purchase value of 25 euros, 50 euros will be charged. For a book worth 200 euros, 200 euros will be charged. 
  4. In the case of lost or damaged materials, the replacement of repair costs will be assessed to the record of the User, increased with a sum of € 50,- for each material 
  5. The Librarian reserves the right to block the Library Cards of violating Users, temporarily or permanent. The Librarian reserves the right to block the lending privileges of violating Users temporarily or permanent 
  6. The Librarian reserves the right to refuse violating Users access to the Library 

9. Additional Regulations 

  1. The Library Manager 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 Library Manager
  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 Library Manager 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 Library Manager there will be no appeal; the verdict is final and irrevocable