Borrowing
All registered University of Toronto students, faculty, staff, and others with a valid UofT Library card (known as a TCard), may borrow books.
Students can obtain a TCard at the TCard Office on the first floor of the Koffler Student Services Centre (214 College Street). Visit the TCard web site for more information.
Staff and faculty can obtain their TCards from the Robarts Library (130 St. George Street) Reader Registration desk on the first floor.
Emmanuel College Alumni and United Church Ministers can get an Alumni Card from our Loan Services Desk in order to borrow books from Emmanuel College Library and the E.J. Pratt Library. See Services for Alumni & United Church Ministers.
Loan Periods
Loan Period |
Renewals | # of books that can be signed out |
|
Graduate students | 90 Days | 3 | 200 |
Undergraduate students | 14 Days | 5 | 50 |
Faculty | 90 Days | 3 | 200 |
Victoria University Alumni & United Church Ministers | 2 Weeks | no renewal | 10 |
Research Readers | 14 Days | 2 | 100 |
Alumni Research Reader | 14 Days | no renewal | 100 |
Staff | 90 Days | 3 | 200 |
Direct Borrower | 14 Day | 2 | 100 |
Notes:
Books on loan may be recalled at any time if needed for a course reserve, or after two weeks if put on hold by another reader. Recalled material which is not returned within 2 days will be fined at a rate of $2.00 per day.
Course reserves or short-term loans:
These are usually available for a 3 hour, 24 hour, or 3 day-loan period. Check the U of T Catalogue. Holds cannot be placed on Course Reserve items and they cannot be renewed.
Journals, Reference books, & Theses:
These items cannot be borrowed, but may be photocopied/scanned.
Birge Storage materials:
Materials located in Birge Storage can be retrieved by staff between 9:30 am - 3:30 pm, Monday - Friday. Ask at the Loan Services Desk or call ahead. These items can be borrowed (except Theses and Reference books).
Renewals
There are several options for renewing your books:
- online
- in person: visit the loan services desk of any UofT library
- by telephone: call our Loan Services Desk at 416-585-4550 during library hours
Note:
If a book is on hold for another user, no renewal is possible.
Returning Books
Always return material to the library from which it was borrowed. Borrowers will be held responsible if items returned to the wrong library are lost.
Please return Emmanuel Library books to the following places:
- during library hours: to the Loan Services Desk
- after hours: to the outside book return box at the south entrance of Emmanuel College
- by mail: books returned to the library by mail must be insured. Please enquire at the Loan Services Desk for details or contact us at 416-585-4550.
Requesting an Item
If an item is charged out/borrowed by another patron, a hold can be placed on the item for you. In the library catalogue, select “Request Item” and follow the instructions. Your holds can be monitored by checking My Account.
Books from the UofT Mississauga (UTM) and UofT Scarborough (UTSC) campuses may also be requested for delivery to the St. George campus (Pick-up locations are Robarts, Gerstein, and OISE Libraries only). In the library catalogue, select “Request Item” and follow the instructions.
If an item is not available at the University of Toronto Libraries (including UTM and UTSC), you may request an interlibrary loan (ILL). ILL service is available to all UofT faculty, students and staff who hold a valid library card. For more information, visit Request Items from Other Institutions (ILL).
Fines: Overdue & Lost Book Charges
Type of Item | Fees (per book) |
*no fine if returned the day after due date ‡if not returned within 2 days of recall §For further information, see Procedures for replacing a Lost Book |
|
Books (in stacks) | $0.50 a day* |
Course Reserves | $0.50 an hour |
Recalled Books | $2.00 a day‡ |
Lost Books | $145.00§ |
Notes:
The library reserves the right to charge fines in addition to the replacement cost of lost books.
Avoid accumulating fines. Our computerized check out system will automatically block you from borrowing if you owe $25.00 or more.
Failure to return books or pay fines may result in the withholding of transcripts, etc.
Services for People with Disabilities
It is the commitment of Emmanuel Library to make every reasonable effort to facilitate the use of our collections and services. We provide wheelchair accessible computers, and our Loan Services desk is designed to service people in wheelchairs. Emmanuel Library presently does not have an elevator to our second floor, however, library staff are more than willing to retrieve items from the second floor for anyone who has accessibility issues.
University of Toronto Libraries also has services to students with disabilities to assist with library resources. If you need any special accommodation, they can be contacted by phone at (416) 978-1957 or by email at access.services [at] utoronto.ca.
Last updated: January 19, 2021