Borrowing Process and Policies

(Includes graduate and post-doctoral, part-time, matriculated and non-matriculated students)

• Books can be borrowed up to 1 semester for undergraduates, one year for graduate and post-doctoral students
• Compact Discs can be borrowed up to 7 days
• Videos/DVDs and Games can be borrowed up to 24 hours for undergraduates, 3 days for graduate and post-doctoral students
• Remote Access to Online Resources
• Interlibrary Loan
• Library Computers
• Borrow Laptops, Gear and other Technology
• Use Study Rooms

If you live more than 30 miles from campus, we will mail items to your home. Use Request, Delivery and Interlibrary Loan and indicate you are a distance student in the Notes box. Interlibrary Loan books from other libraries cannot be mailed. Library items may be renewed online in your account.

All SU students have access to:

• Borrow books up to 1 semester for undergraduates, one year for graduate and post-doctoral students
• Compact Discs can be borrowed up to 7 days
• Videos/DVDs and Games can be borrowed up to 24 hours for undergraduates, 3 days for graduate and post-doctoral students
• Remote Access to Online Resources
• Interlibrary Loan
• Library Computers
• Borrow Laptops, Gear and other Technology
• Use Study Rooms

Faculty status is determined by the University and emeritus status is conferred by the University. 

• Books can be borrowed up to 1 year
• Compact Discs can be borrowed up to 21 days
• Videos/DVDs and Games can be borrowed up to 3 days
• Remote Access to Online Resources
• Interlibrary Loan
• Library Computer Use
• Borrow Laptops, Gear and other Technology
• Use Study Rooms (for active faculty and adjuncts only)

Includes part-time employees, but does not include temporary employees

• Books can be borrowed up to 16 weeks
• Compact Discs can be borrowed up to 7 days
• Videos/DVDs and Games can be borrowed up to 24 hours
• Remote Access to Online Resources
• Interlibrary Loan
• Library Computer Use
• Borrow Laptops, Gear and Other Technology

• Books can be borrowed up to 28 days with a 20 item limit
• Compact Discs can be borrowed up to 7 days
• Videos/DVDs and Games can be borrowed up to 24 hours
• Library Computer Use
• No Remote Access to Online Resources

Note: Former non-retired faculty and staff, please refer to "Guest Borrowers."

Alumni must visit the Check Out desk after graduating to activate an Alumni borrowing account.

• Alumni can borrow up to 20 items
• Items can be renewed up to 5 times
• Books can be borrowed up to 28 days
• Compact Discs can be borrowed up to 7 days
• Videos/DVDs and Games can be borrowed up to 24 hours
• Library Computer Use
• No Remote Access to Online Resources

With an annual gift of $100 or more to the Libraries, donors may apply for free Guest Borrower account. 

• Books can be borrowed up to 28 days with a 20 item limit
• No Remote Access to Online Resources

Visiting Scholars are formally associated with a Syracuse University department and should work with their sponsoring department to be assigned an SU I.D. for a defined period. Once an ID has been granted, apply for library privileges by completing and submitting a   Visiting Scholar Access Form. Visiting Scholars are granted the following library privileges:

• Books can be borrowed for up to 1 year
• Compact Discs can be borrowed for up to 21 days
• Videos/DVDs and Games can be borrowed for up to 3 days
• Remote access to online resources
• Interlibrary Loan
• Library computer use

Undergraduate Students

• Books may be borrowed for up to 28 days
• Compact Discs may be borrowed for up to 7 days
• Videos/DVDs and Games may be borrowed for up to 24 hours
• Library Computer Use
• Borrow Laptops, Gear and other Technology
• Use Study Rooms
• No Remote Access to Online Resources

Graduate Students and Faculty

Includes part-time, matriculated and non-matriculated graduate students

• Books may be borrowed for up to 1 year
• Compact Discs may be borrowed for up to 7 days
• Videos/DVDs and Games may be borrowed for up to 3 days
• Library Computer Use
• Borrow Laptops, Gear and other Technology
• Use Study Rooms (for graduate students only)
• No Remote Access to Online Resources

ESF Staff

Includes part-time staff, but does not include temporary employees

• Books may be borrowed for up to 16 weeks
• Compact Discs may be borrowed for up to 7 days
• Videos/DVDs and Games may be borrowed for up to 24 hours
• Library Computer Use
• Borrow Laptops, Gear and other Technology

ESF Alumni

• Books may be borrowed for up to 28 days with a 20 item limit
• Compact Discs may be borrowed for up to 7 days
• Videos/DVDs and Games may be borrowed for up to 24 hours
• Library Computer Use
• No Remote Access to Online Resources

ESF Continuing Education Program

May apply for free Guest Borrower card.

• Books may be borrowed for up to 28 days with a 20 item limit
• No Remote Access to Online Resources

Project Advance Students

• Books may be borrowed for up to 28 days
• Remote Access to Online Resources
• Library Computer Use

Faculty, Staff and Students from Upstate Medical University, Onondaga Community College or LeMoyne College

May apply for free Guest Borrower account.

• Books may be borrowed for up to 28 days with a 20 item limit
• No Remote Access to Online Resources

Guest borrowers do not have computer access privileges.

Individuals may apply for a Guest Borrow account for a fee of $25/month, $50/semester or $100/year.

Corporate/Organization may apply for an account for a fee. Not-for-Profit $75/semester or $150/year; For-Profit $150/semester or $300/year.

• See Policy and Procedure for account information
• Books may be borrowed up to 28 days with a 5 item limit on account at any time
• No Remote Access to Online Resources

Anyone with current SU I.D. or Guest Borrower card has borrowing privileges as outlined. Other visitors may use library resources in-house. If you wish to have another SU-affiliated individual borrow materials on your behalf, you may request that a patron proxy user be created by library staff.

You are responsible for all materials checked out in your name and for all fines and charges.

Borrowing privileges are contingent upon continued eligibility and compliance with borrowing and library use policies. SU Libraries reserve the right to cancel borrowing privileges and forward unpaid charges to a collections agency.

Any library visitor may access the library catalog through quick look-up stations located on floors 1-5 of Bird Library. Please see the Computer Use Policy for additional information regarding in-library computer use.

Present your current SU I.D. or Guest Borrower card to check out items.

Books from the main collection:

• 1st Floor - Check In/Out Desk
• 3rd Floor - Check In/Out and Help Desk

Self-service check-out

• Self-check machines are located on the 1st, 3rd and 5th floors

Maps and Government Information:

• 3rd Floor - Check In/Out and Help Desk

Music recordings and videos:

• 3rd Floor - Check In/Out and Help Desk

Present your current SU I.D. or Guest Borrower card to check out items. Books can be checked out at the 2nd Floor Service Desk.

Library items may be returned at Bird Library:

• Book drop - outside on the Waverly Avenue side
• 1st Floor - Check In/Out desk
• 1st Floor - book drop next to Information Desk
• 3rd Floor - Check In/Out and Help Desk

Library items may be returned at Carnegie Library:

• Book drop - outside on side entrance door of Carnegie Library
• 2nd Floor - service desk

Distance Learners:

• Use the prepaid return label and box in which the item was originally sent.

Anyone with a valid SU or SUNY-ESF I.D. can safely borrow items from our physical circulating collections at Bird Library, Carnegie Library, or King+King Architecture Library. Users are also able to request items through the library catalog, which can be pulled and held for pick up.

Pickup location options:

- Bird Library Contactless Pickup Lockers (located near Waverly Street entrance),

- Bird Library Check Out desk,

- Carnegie Library service desk, and

- King+King Architecture Library service desk.

To request that an item to be pulled and held for you at a Service Desk or via the Lockers:

1. Find the item in our Libraries Search. Once the item is identified, select the "Item Request" button under "Get It."
2. Users will be directed to the "Request, Delivery and Interlibrary Loan" portal. After logging in, you can select your preferred delivery method, then Submit Request. You will receive a confirmation email that your request is being processed.
3. Once the item is available, you will receive another email with directions about picking the item from your preferred pickup location or having it delivered via UPS to your residence.
4. Please do not clean or disinfect borrowed materials, as it may damage the item. Libraries staff follow University as well as national safety guidelines in preparing items for loan and upon their return.

UPS Shipment

SU affiliates living more than 30 miles from campus can request to have items from SU Libraries’ collections shipped via UPS delivery to your residence.

Alumni

Alumni with requests should email circhelp@syr.edu.

• You can view a list of books loaned to you, renew books and check on the status of pending requests by logging in to your account.
• You can renew in person or online. Online renewals must be done BEFORE the date the item is due. To use online renewal:

1. Click on My Accounts, then enter your NetID and Password.
2. Scroll down to ITEMS CHECKED OUT and click in the RENEW box to the left of the item(s) you want to renew.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the list and click RENEW ITEMS.
4. Note the new due date(s) in the ITEMS CHECKED OUT list.
5. Be sure to LOGOUT at the top of the page to keep your personal information secure.

Questions? Call the Bird Library Check Out Desk at 315.443.5727.

• To view fees or fines, sign in to My Accounts (located in the upper right corner of the website or the Sign In link on Libraries Search), then click on your name in the top right, select Library Account from the drop down options.
• Fees may be paid by credit card online, at the Check Out Desk in Bird Library, or the service desk in Carnegie Library (Visa and MasterCard only).
• Fees are applied for items that are returned late or unreturned.
• Note that fees for reserve items are higher than general collection books.
• Borrowers will be charged a lost item replacement and processing fee for non-returned library materials.
• The lost item replacement fee defaults to $70 per item ($75 per item for Music and Architecture), plus a $15 processing fee .
• Technology loaner equipment has different lost item replacement fees. Please check with the Borrow Laptops and Gear page for more information.
• The Libraries report unpaid fines/fees to the bursar's office.
• Circulation policies differ at affiliate libraries: Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library and ESF's F. Franklin Moon Library.

Interlibrary Loan will obtain needed materials that are not available in Syracuse University Libraries.

All current Syracuse University students, faculty, and staff are eligible for these services. SUNY ESF students and faculty should contact Moon Library for interlibrary loan services. We are unable to offer interlibrary loan service to alumni or members of the local community. Visit the Onondaga County Public Library Interlibrary Loan web page for more information on their interlibrary loan services.

This allows all faculty members from Syracuse University and other participating institutions to gain borrowing privileges and on-site access to many research libraries in North America. View the OCLC Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Program membership roster. For information on how to gain access to other libraries, email circhelp@syr.edu to facilitate establishing the needed credentials.

Participating SU Faculty Guidelines

• Obtain and present appropriate identification when requesting a Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Program card from your home library.
• Show that card, along with other required identification, when borrowing materials from another library.
• Observe the borrowing policies of the lending library.
• Return materials in the method defined by the lending library within the loan period prescribed.
• Return materials immediately, in person or by express shipping, if recalled by the lending library.
• Pay any and all fines or other charges incurred due to late return or damage to materials.

On-Site Access Program

Allows faculty, students and staff from Syracuse University and other participating institutions to gain on-site access to collections at many research libraries, museum libraries and archives in the United States and several other countries.

Syracuse University patrons visiting other SHARES partner libraries must present a valid Syracuse University I.D. to get on-site access.

Participating partner institutions can be found on the SHARES website.

If you have questions about this program, contact Syracuse University Libraries' Resource Sharing Coordinator. 

On-Site Borrowing Program

In addition to accessing any of the SHARES Partner Institutions, a small number of SHARES libraries offer the opportunity to create a library account and check out materials. Partners in the pilot program are: Binghamton University; Brandeis University; Cornell University; Northwestern University; Syracuse University; Temple University; University of California, Los Angeles; University of Maryland; and Washington University in St. Louis.

Syracuse Patrons: Complete and submit the SHARES application online.

• A Syracuse Universities Libraries staff member will verify your status and forward your application to the SHARES institution for which you plan to visit.
• You will receive a confirmation email from the SHARES institution with details about when you can pick up your library card.
• It is your responsibility to observe the policies for on-site access set by the lending library.

Visiting Syracuse University from a SHARES Institution?

If you are visiting from one of the On-Site Borrowing pilot institutions and would like to borrow materials from Syracuse University Libraries locally, you will need to:

• First apply through your home college/university library.
• Your home institution will submit your completed SHARES Reciprocal Borrowing Program Application to Syracuse University.
• Syracuse will contact you directly when your SHARES application has been received and processed.
• Once the application has been processed, stop by the Check Out Desk in Bird Library during open hours.
• Present a government issued photo ID card (ex. passport, driver's license).

Your Syracuse University Library Card will:

• Be valid for one year from the issuing date.
• Allow physical access and borrowing of circulating books in Bird and Carnegie Libraries. 
• Allow you to check out up to ten items for 4 weeks with one renewal.
• Items can be returned at either Syracuse or your home institution's library.