Borrowing and renewing

Library cards (TCards)

Present your valid TCard to borrow library material. If you lose your TCard, you must report it to the library to ensure material is not charged to your account.

TCards are issued by the TCard office in room BV498A.

You can add funds to your TCard using TCard+.

UTSC loan periods and library services

Status	Loan periods	Renewals	Item limits
Undergraduate students	14 days	5 renewals, 14 days each	50
Graduate students	56 days	3 renewals, 42 days each	100
Staff	56 days	3 renewals, 42 days each	100
Faculty members	84 days	3 renewals, 42 days each	100
Faculty members (Robarts Library and UTL at Downsview only)	6 months	3 renewals, 6 months each	100
Direct borrowers	14 days	2 renewals, 14 days each	100
Research readers	14 days	2 renewals, 14 days each	100
Alumni reader	14 days	no renewals	25
Alumni research readers	14 days	2 renewals, 14 days each	100
Continuing studies students	14 days	no renewals	20

 

Loan privileges may vary at some libraries. Please check with individual libraries for more information.

Popular collection

The popular collection includes books, DVDs and magazines. The collection is located in the Reading Room at the front entrance of the library. We welcome suggestions for new books, films, or magazines.

Item	Loan periods	Renewals	Holds
Books	14 days	3 renewals, 14 days each	Yes
DVDs	7 days	No renewals	Yes
Magazines	14 days	3 renewals, 14 days each	Yes
Board Games Video Games	7 days	No renewals	Yes

Periodicals

Item	loan periods	renewals	limits
periodicals	4 day loan period	No renewal	5 items

Returns

Return course reserves to staff at the Welcome Desk. If there is no one at the Welcome Desk, return course reserves to the drop box across from the Welcome Desk.

Return interlibrary loan materials to the Information and Reference Desk.

Return all other materials to the drop box across from the Welcome Desk, or in the external drop-box located outside the library doors (across from Tim Horton's).

Regular circulating items can also be returned to Robarts Library on the St. George campus or the UTM Library on the Mississauga campus.

Holds

If the item you need is being used, place a hold to ensure you get it next.

• Online:
  1. Find the item in the catalogue
  2. Go to Options
  3. Choose ‘request’
• In person: visit the Information and Reference Desk
• By telephone: 416-287-7500

Recalls

To request that an item be recalled, after its initial 2 week loan period or if it is overdue:

• Visit the Information & Reference Desk
• Telephone the Information & Reference Desk at 416-287-7500
• Email the Circulation staff

Recalled materials that are not returned within 2 days are fined $2.00 per day.

Renewals

Renew your books:

• Online: Choose My Account
• In person: Visit the Information and Reference Desk or self-check machine with your TCard
• By telephone: call the Information and Reference Desk at 416-287-7500

Fines

Overdue materials (books, journals, audio visual)

• Charged at a rate of $0.50 per day, per item.

Overdue Course Reserve and Technology Lending Service materials

• Charged at a rate of $0.50 per hour, including when the library is closed. No fines are charged for the first 15 minutes an item is late.

Recalled items

• $2.00 per day, per item.

Library borrowing privileges are blocked when fines reach $25.00.

How to pay fines

Fines may be paid online, in person at the Information and Reference Desk, or over the phone. See "Methods of payment" below.

Fines appeal

Fines may occasionally be reduced or waived in extenuating circumstances. Medical or other documentation is normally required. Please note that fines will not be excused for the following reasons, among others:

• Unaware of library policies
• Forgot the due date
• Renewed late
• Inability to renew online
• Failure to receive a courtesy or overdue notice
• Borrowed material for someone else
• TCard was lost but not reported to the library
• Books belong to another U of T library

If you have questions or concerns about fines or other charges on your library account, please speak to staff at the Information and Reference Desk. If you wish to appeal your fine, please fill in the Fines appeal form. Wait until the appeal is resolved before paying your fine, as fine payments are not refundable.

Lost or damaged materials

The library reserves the right to charge overdue fines in addition to replacement costs.

Replacement costs

• Book:  $145.00
• Bound Journal Volume:  $245.00
• Unbound Journal:  $75.00
• CD, DVD, VHS video replacement, Circulating game:  $145.00
• Technology lending items: $25.00*

Patrons may purchase a replacement copy of a lost book, and pay a $45.00 processing fee instead of the standard replacement cost, on staff approval.

*with the exception of the Pico Projector, Canon camcorder, and USB microphone: $300.00

Damaged item type

• Damaged library material: maximum $45.00

Methods of payment

In person

• Debit
• Credit Card (VISA, MasterCard, AMEX)

By phone (416-287-7481)

• Credit Card only

Online

• Debit (BMO Bank of Montreal, RBC Royal Bank, Scotiabank, TD Canada Trust)
• Credit Card (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX).