The risk management system in the General Administration of Library Affairs aims to reduce threats and improve operational efficiency, ensuring the continuity of services and the provision of resources to users. This system requires advance planning, effective implementation, and continuous updating to ensure a safe and effective environment. It identifies potential risks and develops effective preventive and response strategies.

To implement this, potential risks and solutions were identified to mitigate their impact on the quality and development of services and resources provided to users in the library through the following:

Risk Identification Procedure
* Objective
The objective of this procedure is to achieve the following:

- Identify risks that prevent the achievement of the library's objectives.

- Manage these risks to minimize their negative impact on outputs.

* Risk
The likelihood of any direct or indirect threat occurring that prevents the achievement of the library's objectives.

Procedure for Identifying the Main Potential Risks in the Library
1. Compliance Risk
Occurs when the library fails to comply with local or university laws and regulations.
* The Solution

- The library is committed to reviewing laws and regulations and working to publish them. It also works continuously through the Technical Procedures Department, the technical support team, the library's platforms, and the website to maintain copyright compliance through several procedures.

- Specifying a specific number of pages for printing and photocopying.

- Approving publication by subscribing to scholarly theses by researchers and making them available on the library's scholarly theses platform.

- Continuous review and evaluation of the library's collections.

- Training staff to comply with these requirements.

- Using digital rights management systems.

2. External Risk
Relates to external factors that may affect the library's performance.
Examples: natural disasters (such as floods or fires), cyber threats.

* The Solution

- The library has contingency plans in place for disasters.

- Enhancing cybersecurity through collaboration with the university's General Administration of Information Technology.

3. Financial Risk
Includes risks associated with the library's funding and financial management.
* Solution

- The library is working to diversify funding sources, seek partnerships, and improve budget management through a number of tasks in the operational plan and several initiatives in the library's strategic plan.

4. Planning Risk
This relates to the inability to develop effective strategic plans for the library.
* Solution

- The library has developed a clear strategic plan.

- The annual operational plan has been prepared.

5. Operational Risk
This includes risks that affect daily operations within the library, such as disruptions to the cataloging and lending system, platforms, and staff shortages.
* Solution

- Regularly update systems.

- Train staff.

- Adopt digital solutions through a number of practices and initiatives that support this.

6. Strategic Partners Risk
This relates to the risks resulting from dealing with external partners.
This includes suppliers ceasing to provide the library with books and digital resources, and weak cooperation with other universities.
* Solution

- Conclude partnerships with suppliers under contracts that suit the library and its current situation, and ensure ongoing monitoring.

- Develop new agreements and activate existing partnerships with other university libraries.

Periodicals are an important artery of information, especially for university libraries, which pay special attention to scientific periodicals in various fields of knowledge. A periodical is a publication issued in successive issues at regular intervals (usually weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually), with a single title encompassing all its issues, and edited by a group of writers. Periodicals are of great importance to university libraries in particular, as they constitute the backbone of library collections.

Periodicals are used for research purposes by users from within and outside the university. The Periodicals Department includes:

- Arab scientific periodicals.

- Foreign scientific periodicals: Subscriptions to these periodicals have been discontinued, and the shift has shifted to international electronic periodicals subscribed to by the General Administration of Library Affairs, which provide full text research.

- Indexes of Arab periodicals.

- General cultural magazines.

Services provided by the department are as follows:

- Guidance and guidance for users on how to use periodical issues.

- Periodicals may only be viewed internally within the library hall.

- External borrowing of periodicals is not permitted.

- Providing users with access to printed bibliographies of the library's available periodicals, organized according to the Dewey Decimal Classification, displayed on a dedicated display cabinet to facilitate quick searches for the required periodical.

Providing users with access to the bibliographical lists of the periodicals electronically via dedicated computer terminals, allowing them to be displayed within the periodicals hall.

Providing information services to users, including:

- Guiding users to access the required articles by searching the automated catalog by journal title, identifying the classification number, and available issues.

- Assisting users in accessing the required articles using periodical indexes.

- Retrieving periodical articles for users who have obtained abstracts of scientific articles from databases.

Providing users with regular updates on new periodicals by:

- Making new issues of periodicals available on dedicated updates cabinets at the front of the hall.

- Displaying new issues of periodicals on a plasma screen at the entrance to the periodicals hall.

- Providing selective broadcasting services and periodically providing faculty members and academic departments with the number of periodicals that fall within their scope of interest. This service is tailored to the needs of each academic department and its subject areas.

- Providing indexes of Arabic periodicals on designated shelves, with an indication of the search procedures.

- Providing general cultural magazines for light reading in a designated corner.

- Providing guided tours for beneficiaries to familiarize them with the periodicals available in the department, how to search them, and creating their own indexes.

King Abdulaziz University, represented by the General Administration of Library Affairs, is pleased to present this list to patrons of the Central Library and its branches, with the aim of familiarizing them with the rules and regulations for photocopying services and related matters. The administration, by informing the reader of these rules and regulations, hopes that it has succeeded in providing beneficiaries with a comprehensive picture of the foundations and principles of the information services it provides to all beneficiaries of this great resource:

Materials Permitted to be Photocopied:
All materials bearing the King Abdulaziz University seal.

Materials Not Permitted to be Photocopied:

- Documents, publications, and personal and private papers.

- Lectures and notes written by hand or typewriter.

- Original or printed manuscripts, or those for which permission has not been obtained from the Manuscripts Department, based on the rules for photocopying manuscripts.

- Unpublished master's and doctoral theses at King Abdulaziz University without the permission of their authors.

- More than 25 pages of a single book at a time.

- Any other materials that the General Administration of Library Affairs deems not to be photocopied.

Persons Permitted to Photocopy:

- University staff and students.

- Researchers and organizations from outside the university.

Rules for photocopying manuscripts:

- Fill out the form for requesting photocopying manuscripts for study by the Manuscripts Department.

- For graduate students at King Abdulaziz University, they must provide an official letter from their thesis supervisor, certified by their college, specifying their need for the manuscript and the purpose of photocopying it.

- For researchers affiliated with scientific institutions or organizations, whether inside or outside the Kingdom, they must submit a request to photocopy the manuscript to their affiliated organization, which in turn sends an official letter stating the researcher's need for the manuscript and the purpose of photocopying it. Faculty members at King Abdulaziz University are exempt from this requirement.

- For other categories, the researcher must prove their identity and academic expertise, specify their need for the manuscript, and specify the purpose of photocopying it. The matter is then presented to the Director General of the General Administration of Library Affairs for necessary action.

The library provides special collections through a dedicated section that helps users access rare information sources and special collections, such as academic theses (master's and doctoral), government publications, maps, and manuscripts. It also helps users locate these sources within the library. Additionally, it provides guidance and direction on how to use the special collections and access information from them. It also offers a training program for university students to familiarize them with the special collections and how to organize them on shelves. All information sources within the special collections are designated by specific letters, which appear on the source label above the order number. Special collections can be searched through the automated catalog. Special collections include the following information sources:

Academic Theses:

This refers to university theses—both master's and doctoral dissertations, whether printed or electronic—that have been approved by King Abdulaziz University, in addition to theses that are donated. Arabic theses are denoted by the letter (R) followed by the first letter of the name of the university that approved the thesis. Foreign theses are denoted by the letter (D) followed by the first letter of the name of the university that approved the thesis. Theses are arranged in the department according to a bibliographic list based on classification numbers.

Official Publications:

Official publications refer to official documents and publications issued by local, Gulf, Arab, and international bodies, ministries, institutions, companies, and banks. They also include research reports, statistical reports, development plans, manuals, regulations, and organizational structures. Official Arabic publications are denoted by the letter (S), while official foreign publications are denoted by (OD).

Manuscripts:

Manuscripts play an important and vital role in reviving and documenting the Arab-Islamic heritage. They open new horizons for scientific research and investigation, in addition to their historical and artistic significance, including their images, colors, and decorations. They remain a testament to the ancient and advanced Arab-Islamic civilization in various branches of human knowledge. A manuscript is something written by hand on paper or leather. The department contains 3,215 manuscripts, of which 2,407 are originals, while the remainder are copies of manuscripts. All of these manuscripts are indexed on the department's automated system, in addition to the printed manuscript indexes available in the department.

Private Libraries:

Personal libraries donated to the General Administration of Library Affairs at King Abdulaziz University by a group of pioneers in our beloved Kingdom, including Sheikh Muhammad Naseef, His Highness Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal, Muhammad Ali Al-Sanousi, Hassan Al-Bahkali, and others. In honor and gratitude from the university to these distinguished pioneers, special wings have been designated for these libraries, making them available for viewing so that all researchers can benefit from the precious and rare books they contain.

Rare Books:

A collection of rare books printed more than one hundred and fifty years ago, arranged on shelves and classified by subject. The total number of rare books in Arabic and English has reached (500) volumes.

Maps and City Plans:

Includes images, figures, and illustrative maps of geography, geography, agriculture, cities, roads, and climates of Arab and Islamic countries, in addition to urban and population plans for all cities in the Kingdom.

Private Collections Use Policy:

- Resources within the hall should be used for internal viewing only. No external borrowed resources may be borrowed from the Special Collections Hall.

- Photocopying of official publications is permitted.

- Photocopying (25) pages of university theses is permitted by completing the appropriate form and leaving an official document such as a university ID card.

- Electronic viewing of university theses available on CD-ROMs is permitted on a dedicated computer inside the Special Collections Hall.

Manuscript Use Policy

- The form for requesting the photocopying of manuscripts must be completed for study by the Manuscripts Department.

- Graduate students at King Abdulaziz University must submit an official letter from their thesis supervisor, certified by their college, specifying their need for the manuscript and the purpose of photocopying it.

- Researchers affiliated with academic institutions or bodies, whether inside or outside the Kingdom, must submit a request to photocopy the manuscript to their affiliated body, which in turn will send an official letter stating the researcher's need for the manuscript and the purpose of photocopying it. Faculty members at King Abdulaziz University are exempt from this requirement. For other categories, the researcher must prove their identity and academic expertise, specify their need for the manuscript, and the purpose of photocopying it. The matter is then presented to the Dean of Library Affairs for necessary action. Academic bodies with manuscripts are required to exchange copies in reciprocal form, with the Manuscripts Department selecting alternative copies. If they do not have manuscripts, the matter is presented to the Dean of Library Affairs. Payment of the prescribed photocopying fees is required, with the exception of manuscripts brought by individuals for photocopying and of which the Manuscripts Department wishes to obtain a copy due to the lack of an original copy.

King Abdulaziz University, represented by the General Administration of Library Affairs, is pleased to present this regulation to patrons of the Central Library and its branches, with the aim of familiarizing them with the rules and regulations for photocopying services and related matters. The administration, by informing the reader of these rules and regulations, hopes that it has succeeded in providing beneficiaries with a comprehensive picture of the foundations and principles of the information services it provides to all beneficiaries of this great resource:

Hall Reservation Policy

- This refers to the allocation of certain rooms in the library for study, research, and the holding of activities, events, courses, lectures, and meetings.

- This service is available to university members, including faculty members, administrators, and technicians.

- Reservations can be made in advance by filling out the designated electronic form and specifying the time and purpose of the room reservation.

- The room is equipped with a video conference system and a Data Show projector.

- Beneficiaries are responsible for maintaining the room's contents.

- In the event of any damage resulting from misuse, the beneficiary will bear the cost of repair and forfeit their right to rebook the room.

Individual Study Room Reservation Service Policy

- This service is available to faculty members and graduate students. Pre-booking is done by completing the designated electronic form.

- Reservations are for one semester, with the possibility of renewal.

- The rooms are equipped with computers connected to the internet.

- The user is responsible for maintaining the contents of the room.

- Do not leave any unborrowed books in the classroom.

- Return the room key to the responsible employee after use.

- In the event of any damage resulting from misuse, the user will be charged, and they will lose their right to rebook the room. The library is not responsible for any personal items inside the classroom.

Book Reservation Policy

- This is the process of reserving books through the library catalog after completing the designated reservation form. If the book is available, the user will be notified via email of the time and place to receive the book from the lending department.

- The book reservation service is available to all university staff, including faculty members, graduate students, and undergraduate students.

- Users must visit the lending department within (72) hours, otherwise the electronic reservation will be canceled. The library allows the reservation of books and references and allows them to be borrowed within the library only or photocopied, as these materials are placed on the reserved bookshelf for a period of (72) hours in the reading halls.

Reference Service

The purpose of this service is to provide reference information sources, assist in guiding library users, and answer their inquiries to obtain information as quickly and with minimal effort as possible. It also provides appropriate solutions to problems facing users on any topic. All Arabic reference sources are represented by the letter (M), while all foreign reference sources are represented by the letter (R), which appears above the reference number. These materials can also be identified through the automated catalog. This service is provided as follows:

- Reference sources are made available to library users within the reference room.

- Reference sources may not be removed from the section without permission from the reference officer.

- Provide electronic reference sources and make them available to users via terminals within the reference department.

- Answer user inquiries.

- Provide a program to train students on the use of reference tools and sources (dictionaries, encyclopedias, bibliographies, etc.) and to train them on how to access information from them.

- Prepare, prepare, and make available subject-specific bibliographies.

- Providing document supply services using scanning technology, where the reference officer assists patrons in using the scanner to transfer the required images from printed form to electronic form, in accordance with intellectual property laws.

- Providing photocopying services for patrons using the photocopiers available in the library after obtaining a photocopying permit from the reference officer and presenting their university ID.

- Providing reference information services by completing a reference information service request form or responding to patrons' inquiries by phone, fax, email, or in person.

- Reference books may be reserved for faculty members on designated reservation shelves for a specific period, depending on their information needs.

- Reference materials may be loaned to faculty members and graduate students according to the following procedures:

1. Completing a reference loan form.

2. Making a copy of the patron's ID card.

3. Issuing a loan permit for the patron.

4. Reference materials may be loaned from the end of Thursday to the beginning of Sunday.

5. Delayed return of reference materials is not permitted. In the event of delay, the patron will be notified and will be denied access to the reference material.

Internet Usage Policy

- Users must complete the designated form for internet use.

- Users must be guided to the instructions and regulations for using the internet.

- Users are permitted to store information and files obtained online.

- The library does not guarantee the accuracy of information obtained via the internet, as this is the responsibility of the source and producer of the information.

Use of the internet for any of the following purposes is prohibited:

- For any purpose that may conflict with library and university policies or local or international laws.

- Use that may cause any threat, annoyance, or harassment to any person or entity, or that may include insulting or publishing personal or private information about others without permission.

- Use of the internet for any violation of any copyright, authorship, or intellectual property rights of any information or sources.

- Use or exploit the service in a manner that exposes the internal network to risk by opening security loopholes.

- Use the internet for purposes that contradict or conflict with any regulations or policies established by the state from time to time.

- Destruction or damage to library equipment, programs, or data.

- Viewing texts or scenes deemed indecent.

- Using library system resources to misrepresent yourself or the library, or for personal or commercial gain.

Electronic Library Usage Policy

- Guide users to the instructions and regulations for using CD-ROMs.

- Complete the Electronic Library Usage Form.

- All CD-ROMs may be viewed electronically through a dedicated computer in the Electronic Services Hall.

- Lending CD-ROMs is not permitted.

Donation is the acceptance of donated information resources, and is done to benefit the beneficiaries. Donation is a primary source of supply for the library's valuable, diverse, and varied collections. Donated resources are accepted from a variety of sources, such as authors, faculty members, students, visitors to institutes, and colleges. The library also follows a specific policy for exclusion, in accordance with the procedures followed by the Technical Procedures Department, based on the following conditions: (damaged, outdated content, duplicate copies, number of times used).

Conditions for Accepting Donations

- Donated resources are inspected before receipt to determine their suitability in terms of quality (not worn), content, freshness, and suitability for the educational and research process.

- Donations donated to the library must not conflict with the library's regulations and laws.

- Donated materials are added and cataloged on the automated system so that they become part of the library's main collections.

- The library has the right to place a seal bearing the name of the donating entity if the number of donated collections exceeds 100 titles. If the number of donated items is less than 100, the donating entity has the discretion to place its seal.

- The initials of the donating entity or the person's last name, if available, are placed next to the classification number in the library's automated system if the donated collection exceeds 100 titles.

- The donated items are treated like the rest of the library's collections in terms of the classification plan and their location on the library shelves.

- The donating entity signs an acknowledgment form stating that the library has the right to donate these items to other entities, making them its property and their disposal.

- The donating entity has the right to indicate its name on the cover of the donated items.

- The name of the donating entity and the number of donated items are included on the administration's website.

- The administration will provide a letter of thanks to the donor, and will announce donations exceeding 100 titles in appreciation of the donor. This will be done through the library's activities and on the honorary plaque.

Obtaining Library Membership
Fill out the membership form and attach the following documents:

- Students must bring a copy of this year's academic schedule and the original university ID.

- Faculty members must bring the original university ID.

Former Library Deans
Number of Books Allowed for Loan and Loan Period
Category Number of Books Loan Period
Faculty Members: 15 Books for 120 Days
Lecturers: 15 Books for 60 Days
Graduate Students: 10 Books for 30 Days
Regular Students: 6 Books for 15 Days
University Staff: 4 Books for 15 Days

Information Sources Not Allowed for Loan

- Arabic and foreign references (encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, yearbooks, rare books, guides, bibliographies).

- Arabic and foreign periodicals.

- Scientific research and theses (Master's-PhD).

- Manuscripts and official publications.

- Non-traditional information media (CD-ROM) accompanying the media.

- Single-copy books.

- Books that require restoration.

Returning Books

- Beneficiaries must return borrowed books at the end of the loan period and hand them in to the designated staff member or return them personally through the self-checkout machine.

- Borrowed books that are not overdue are accepted from anyone who brings them to the loan department.

- Borrowed books may be returned to any library branch.

- The loan department will send a notification and alert via phone call or email in the event of late return of books.

- Borrowers must return books at the end of the loan period to avoid fines and penalties.

Fines for Late Returns and Lost Items

- Books that are overdue by the specified date will only be accepted by the borrower.

- Beneficiaries will be denied access to borrowing books if they are late in returning them, for a period equal to twice the period of delay.

- If books are unintentionally lost or damaged by the beneficiary, they will be given a grace period to bring or purchase a similar copy, or they will pay a fine determined by the library administration. The beneficiary pays for a lost or damaged book within a set or series by paying the full price of the set or purchasing the missing or damaged book with the same specifications.

Renewing Loan

- Beneficiaries may renew books two days before the loan expires by visiting the Loan Department directly or by calling the Loan Department.

Release of Liability

- The beneficiary's release form is signed by the library after ensuring that there are no overdue books or financial claims.

- The Loan Officer is fully responsible for the clearance procedure, and the employee is responsible for any errors in the procedure thereafter.

- The electronic release form for faculty members and university staff is sent to the beneficiary via the automated system.

Cooperative Loan

- Within the framework of cooperation between libraries and various universities and academic institutions inside and outside the Kingdom, the Library works to provide books and reference materials to faculty members and students through cooperative loans or photocopying various materials from information sources, including books, articles, theses, and the like.

Cooperative Loan Conditions:

- The borrower must be affiliated with one of the two universities.

- The borrower must hold a membership card from their university library.

- Regular correspondence between the two departments must be conducted on a case-by-case basis, and ready-made forms may be used.

- The borrower must complete a written declaration of their desire to borrow from the other institution, pledging to preserve the collections and adhere to the rules and regulations (an agreed-upon form must be prepared in advance for this purpose).

- There must be a permanent coordinator, preferably the head of the loan department at each institution.

- The borrower must visit in person to receive and return books and receive a release of liability.

- In urgent cases, coordination may be conducted by phone to determine whether a borrower has books with both institutions.

- The borrower's loan will be suspended if the fine reaches a maximum of 50 riyals.

Cooperative Loan Regulations:

- If the problem of indexing on both sides of the automated loan files can be resolved, it is sufficient to loan through the system. If this is not resolved, a loan system will be opened within the system at each university, using the old card system. The borrower must have a card in hand, stamped each time a loan or payment is made. It is their responsibility to maintain the card and present it upon request. They are responsible for the costs of losing it.

- When clearing the loan, proof of their clearance from the other university must be provided.

- In the case of contracted individuals from outside the Kingdom, a special status is granted to them that is appropriate for their travel circumstances each year.

- Cooperative Loan Regulations for Faculty Members:

- The loan period is one month only.

- The number of books that may be loaned to faculty members is (10).

- The loan may be extended once for half the previous period.

- The loan may not be renewed if the book is reserved by another beneficiary.

Cooperative Loan Regulations for Students and Other University Staff:

- The loan period for each book is (15) days.

- A maximum of (4) books may be loaned.

- The loan of a book may be extended once for the same period.

- The loan shall not be renewed if the book is reserved by another beneficiary.

Self-Loan
The self-loan system enables library beneficiaries to borrow permitted items independently and directly. This system automatically manages the loan process, while the borrower completes the loan process himself (borrowing the items he desires) instead of the loan officer and without the need for intervention from any loan department staff.