Library Services

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. 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.

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	Maximum Borrowing Period*	# of books that can be signed out
Graduate students	90 Days	Unlimited	200
Undergraduate students	14 Days	Unlimited	50
Faculty	90 Days	Unlimited	200
Victoria University Alumni & United Church Ministers	14 days	Up to 28 days	10
Research Readers	14 Days	Up to 42 days	100
Alumni Research Reader	14 Days	Up to 42 days	100
Staff	90 Days	Unlimited	200
Direct Borrower	14 Day	Up to 42 days	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.

*Renewals are triggered automatically

Course reserves or short-term loans:

These are 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

Automatic Renewals:

Regular loan items will be automatically renewed on your behalf 2 days before the due date if the item is eligible for renewal. If the item cannot be renewed, you will receive an automatically-generated email asking you to please return the item.

You cannot Renew:

• Course Reserve/Short Term Loan items
• Items on hold for another person. If the due date is more than 14 days away, the loan period will be shortened to 14 days, and an automatically-generated email will be sent asking you to please return the item.
• Laptops, Chromebooks, Charger Kits
• If your library account is blocked with fines or fees

 

Returning Books

It is best to return material to the library from which it was borrowed.

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

Requests can be placed on items that are signed out to another borrower, as well as on materials that are available on the library shelves. Search for the item in the library catalogue, then select “Get It” and follow the instructions. You will receive an automatically-generated email when the item is available for pick up. Requests are held for 7 days. Your requests 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. In the library catalogue, select “Get It” 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 students, faculty, 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.