Borrow and renew

SERVICE UPDATES:
Holds requesting reopens on January 10, 2022.
All regular loans due between December 21 – January 31 are now due back on March 1, 2022.

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Library cards (TCards)

You will need a TCard or library card to borrow from the libraries. 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+.

Loan privileges by patron type at most University of Toronto Libraries

PATRON TYPES	LOAN PERIODS	MAXIMUM POTENTIAL LOAN PERIODS	ITEM LIMITS
Undergraduate students	14 days	84 days	50
Graduate students	90 days	360 days	200
Faculty members	90 days	360 days	200
Staff	90 days	360 days	200
Alumni	14 days	14 days i.e., no renewals	25
Research readers	14 days	42 days	100
Direct borrowers	14 days	42 days	100
Associate members	14 days	42 days	100
Continuing studies students	14 days	84 days	50

Exceptions

• Items from from the Popular Collection and Periodicals
• Loan periods for items from short term loan collections, including course reserves and the Technology Lending Collection, vary between 3, 5, 24 or 72 hours and cannot be renewed

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	MAXIMUM POTENTIAL LOAN PERIODS	HOLDS
Books	14 days	1 renewals, 14 days	Yes
DVDs	14 days	1 renewal, 14 days	Yes
Magazines	14 days	1 renewals, 14 days	Yes
Board Games Video Games	14 days	1 renewal, 14 days	Yes

Periodicals

ITEM	LOAN PERIODS	RENEWALS	ITEM LIMITS
Periodicals	4 day loan period	No renewals	5 items

Designate a proxy borrower

• Faculty and staff may designate another library borrower to sign out items from the University of Toronto Libraries onto their account
• This service is also available to any library borrower unable to visit the libraries because of a disability
• Complete this application form to request this service

When another borrower places a hold on your checked out item

• If another borrower places a hold on an item that is checked out to you, it will be recalled, i.e., your loan period will shorten to 14 days and you will get an email asking you to return within 14 days
• If you do not return it within 14 days, you will be charged a fine of $2.00 per day until it is returned

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One more loan extension

All items borrowed before September 7, 2021 had due dates set at September 29, 2021. 

Due dates for these active loans have been extended for one final time as follows:

• Currently registered undergrads:  November 1, 2021

• Currently registered graduate students: January 31, 2022
• Current faculty: January 31, 2022
• Current staff:  January 31, 2022

All other library users must return their items by September 29, 2021.  

Items may be returned to any of the University of Toronto Libraries scheduled to reopen in September.

Items subject to recall

• As of September 7, all items currently on loan will be subject to recall if requested by another user. 
• Library users will receive email notification and be expected to return items within 14 days.
• If you cannot return your materials on time due to circumstances beyond your control, email libraryhelp@utoronto.ca, or the owning library to make alternative arrangements and avoid fines.  

Automatic renewals

Automatic renewals for new loans Items borrowed from September 7 on will be subject to the new automatic renewal policy.

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Returns

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

Return interlibrary loan materials to the Information and Reference Desk.

Return all other materials to the drop box across from the 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.

Renewals

Automatic renewals

• Two days before an item is due, the system will automatically try to renew it
• If the item is not eligible for renewal, you will get an email advising you to return it
• If another borrower requests an item checked out to you, it will not be eligible for renewal – if the due date is more than 14 days away, your loan period will shorten to 14 days, and you will get a email asking you to return it
• Once your maximum potential loan period (see table above) is reached, you must return your items to any University of Toronto library to avoid overdue fines.
• You can also proactively renew your items by signing into LibrarySearch 

Automatic renewals are not made when:

• The item is a short term loan, which include course reserves
• The item is an audio/video item
• Someone else has requested the item
• You have reached the maximum potential loan period for your patron type – see table above
• You are an alumni borrower – alumni borrowers do not get renewals

Request a hold

Holds

• To request a hold, sign in to LibrarySearch and find the item you want
• Select the GET IT IN PERSON option to request
• NEW! You may request a hold on items that are in the library as well as items which are checked out
• When you request a hold on a checked out item, the current borrower's loan period will shorten to 14 days, and they will get an email asking them to return it
• When your holds are ready, you will be notified by email, and will have up to 5 days to pick it up
• You can request items for pickup at the holding library, or for pickup at another campus

Exception

Short term loan items, including course reserves and the technology lending collection, are not requestable, i.e., holds cannot be placed on them.

Fines

• Library privileges are withheld when an item on your account is more than 14 days overdue or your fines and/or fees reach $25.00 or greater
• Privileges are also withheld when a short term loan, including course reserves, which are overdue by 24 hours or more
• Should you fail to return your items on time, fines will be incurred as follows:

FINES	COST
Regular books or media	$0.50 per day per item
Course reserves & technology lending materials	$0.50 per hour per items
Recalled items	$2.00 per day per item

How to pay

• Sign in to LibrarySearch and pay fines from your account
• In person: At the Information and Reference Desk by Credit Card (VISA, MasterCard, AMEX) or Debit

Forgiveness

Fines may occasionally be reduced or waived in extenuating circumstances.

Documentation may be required to reduce or forgive fines.

The following reasons do not warrant fine forgiveness or reduction: 

• Forgot the due date
• Did not receive a courtesy or overdue notice
• Was unaware of library policies
• Borrowed the item for someone else
• Returned late by someone else
• Did not report TCard stolen
• Items belong to another U of T library

To dispute fees, contact the library from which the item originated. If you wish to appeal your fine for items borrowed from the UTSC Library, please fill in the Fines appeal form. Wait until the appeal is resolved before paying your fine, as fine payments are not refundable.

Fees for lost & damaged items

• Fees for lost and damaged items are charged to cover the cost of replacing or repairing the item
• Additional fees could be charged, depending on the situation
• Items which are not returned within 42 days of the due date will be deemed lost, and a replacement fee will be assigned
• Returning items in a damaged condition will result in damaged item fees

FEES	COST
Lost book, CD, DVD, VHS, video or board game	$145.00 per item
Lost bound journal	$145.00 per item
Lost unbound journal	$75.00 per item
Lost charging cable, battery pack, headphones	$25.00 per item
Lost pico projector, camcorder, microphone	$300 per item
Lost laptop charger	$50 per item
Damaged item repair fee	$45.00 per item

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

To dispute fees, contact the library from which the item originated.

How to pay

• Sign in to LibrarySearch and pay fees from there
• In person: At the Information and Reference Desk by Credit Card (VISA, MasterCard, AMEX) or Debit

– Last update: December 2021