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Borrowing and Access

Your Western ONECard is your library card and can be used to borrow items at any Info Desk or Self-Checkout.

Regular Loan Periods and Renewals

All students (undergraduate/graduate), staff, faculty, and faculty emeriti have access to:

  • General-loan materials for 120 days with unlimited renewals
  • Short-term loans, course readings, and inter library loans with no renewals
  • Online resources

All Alumni, Guest/Direct Borrowers, and Retired Faculty and Retired Staff have access to:

Where Can I Borrow?

You may borrow items from any of the Western Libraries and the Affiliated University College Libraries.

Western faculty, students and staff may also borrow general-loan print materials from all participating Omni Libraries. Users may request items via the search tool for pick up at a Western or Affiliate University College library location, or borrow in-person at any participating library.

Renewal of Loans

You may renew regular-loan items unless:

  • you have more than $20 in fines on your account
  • the items have been recalled

Course Readings and short loan items are not eligible for renewal.

Recalled Loans

On rare occasions, an item may be recalled by staff for Course Readings or other unique circumstances. You will receive an email notification and must return the item within 7 days of the date of recall. Recall fines accrue at $4 per day.

Return Procedures

Regular loans may be returned to any of the Western Libraries or Affiliated University College Libraries in person, by mail or via courier by the date specified. They may also be returned at any of our Omni partner libraries. Course Readings and short loan items must be returned to the owning library by the date specified (e.g. a Weldon Course Readings book must be returned to the Weldon Library).

Retired Faculty and Staff Borrowing

You are eligible for borrowing privileges if you are:

  • A retired Western faculty member with less than five years of service
  • A retired Western staff member

Off-campus access to online databases and resources ends upon retirement. On-campus access is available with a one-day guest pass you can request at any Info Desk. Your library account will continue for one year after your retirement date unless updated at any Info Desk.

Emeriti

Western faculty, librarians and archivists who attain emeritus status continue to have the same borrowing privileges. This includes access to online resources and other library services.

Identification

To borrow items, present your Western ONECard at any Info Desk.