The primary function of the Libraries is articulated in the Mission Statement drafted by the Libraries and accepted by the Library Council and the Council of Presidents of The Claremont Colleges in Spring 1993.

The Libraries of The Claremont Colleges participate in the learning and teaching ventures of The Colleges by building collections, establishing links to an increasingly global body of knowledge, and providing users with guidance to a wide range of resources. The Libraries are a shared asset of a diverse academic community dedicated to fostering achievement, leadership, and life-long critical thinking. With a welcoming environment that encourages personal enrichment, the Libraries tie the academic community to varied cultural and scholarly traditions.

Implicit in this statement is recognition that no library system can be self-sufficient. The Claremont Colleges community relies on other libraries and information services to supplement locally available resources, and the staff of the Libraries recognize a responsibility to share resources with the broader local and scholarly community.

All faculty, currently-enrolled students, and staff of the Colleges, including retired staff/faculty and emeriti, have the privilege of using the Libraries and borrowing materials without fee. Persons who are not part of the Colleges community (external users) have access to the resources of the Libraries through four primary ways.

External users may obtain materials from The Libraries of The Claremont Colleges by requesting them through the user's home academic, public, school, or special library. The Libraries participate in interlibrary loan networks within the State of California and on the national level and are designated as one of twenty-one statewide resource libraries in the State. In addition, they are active in several consortial arrangements for the cooperative development and sharing of library collections and services.

External users who are members of the following groups may register for the privilege of on-site use of the collections, including borrowing of materials for use outside the Libraries without payment of fees. (A non-refundable charge for an identification card or for replacement of an identification card may be assessed.)

• Faculty members of institutions covered by reciprocal or special agreements, e.g., members of the G4 Library Consortium and the OCLC Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Program.
• Students of affiliated institutions, i.e., the School of Theology at Claremont.
• Faculty and staff of affiliated institutions, i.e., The School of Theology at Claremont, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, The Tomas Rivera Center, Francis Bacon Foundation Library, Robert J. Bernard Biological Field Station, and California Institute of Public Affairs.
• Spouses and domestic partners of The Claremont Colleges faculty and staff.
• Dependent children (ages 16 to 22) of The Claremont Colleges faculty and staff.
• Senior citizens (ages 65 and over) resident in Claremont (zip 91711).
• Persons recommended to the Director of Libraries by the President or his/her designee of one of the Colleges.
• Members of the Friends of the Libraries for The Colleges. (included in membership fee).
• Visiting Scholars upon recommendation from the Dean of Faculty of one of The Colleges.

External users who are members of the following groups may register for the privilege of on-site use of the collections, including borrowing of materials for use outside the Libraries, for a fee. (An additional non-refundable charge for an identification card or for replacement of an identification card may also be assessed.)

• Residents (ages 18 and older) of Claremont, LaVerne, Pomona, Montclair, and Upland (areas with boundaries contiguous to Claremont). Fees: residents of zip code 91711 -- $50 for twelve months; all others $100 for twelve months.
• Alumni of The Claremont Colleges residing in Southern California.
• Registered students of institutions covered by reciprocal or special agreements, e.g., University of California, Los Angeles and members of the G4 Library Consortium and the Southern California Electronic Library Consortium. Fee: $75 for twelve months.
• Registered students of Claremont High School or the Webb Schools upon recommendation of principal or librarian AND completion of library instruction session by The Libraries of The Claremont Colleges. Fee: $35 for current school year

External users who are members of the following groups may register for the privilege of on-site use of the collections, NOT including borrowing of materials for use outside the Libraries, without payment of a fee. (A non-refundable charge for an identification card or for replacement of an identification card may be assessed.)

• Residents (ages 18 and older) of Claremont (zip code 91711).
• Registered students of Claremont High School or the Webb Schools upon recommendation of principal or librarian AND completion of library instruction session by The Libraries of The Claremont Colleges.
• Spouses of currently enrolled students of The Claremont Colleges.
• Alumni of The Claremont Colleges.

In addition, every effort is made to meet the needs of scholars and others for limited, short-term access to the collections. Day passes are available for up to two days per semester, and special arrangements for a longer period may be made through the office of the Director of Libraries or directly with the manager of the collection(s) to which scholars or others need access. Referrals from academic, public, high school, and other libraries in Southern California are accepted for limited access to specific resources. Access to the U.S. and California government documents depository collections is provided as mandated by the depository programs.

Approved by the Council of Presidents on August 25, 1993, these policies are effective September 1, 1993. They are subject to change anytime thereafter without prior notice.

Revisions approved by the Council of Presidents on August 23, 1994, and effective September 1, 1994.