Borrowing materials

 

Find how to get books, equipment, and other materials, how long you can keep them, and where to return them when you're done.

Guide to checking out materials Get step-by-step instructions on how to check out materials or request materials from storage.

Get It book delivery

Get It delivers loanable library materials to your choice of campus library location, campus office, or home. Available to current students, staff, and faculty.

Place a request

Search for an item, sign in to view full records, and click Get It to have an item routed or mailed to you.

Search the catalog

Turnaround time

  • Library pick up: Allow up to 3 to 5 business days to route materials. Items often arrive within 24 hours.
  • Office delivery: Allow 5 to 7 business days for delivery.
  • Home delivery: Allow 5 to 10 business days for delivery.

Contact us if you have not received a delivery request within 14 days.

Contact

Request help or ask questions about Get It materials and delivery at [email protected].

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Interlibrary Loan

Interlibrary Loan offers access to materials currently unavailable within the University of Minnesota Libraries, as well as digital copies of articles and book chapters from our print and microform collections.

Create an Interlibrary Loan request

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Borrowing information

Your U Card is your library card. There is no limit on the number of items that current University of Minnesota students and employees can check out with their U Card.

See the borrowing privileges policy for full details.

Loan and renewal periods

Materials renew automatically, until they reach a maximum renewal period (usually six months or more for most items). Users can also renew their materials and check due dates through My Account, on the menu at the top of the page.

Long-term loans

Most of our materials are classified as long-term loans. The initial loan period and maximum renewal period for long-term loans depends on the borrower type and the owning campus of the item.

Shorter loans

Shorter loan periods apply to certain material types and collections—including, but not limited to

  • periodicals,
  • DVDs,
  • maps,
  • equipment,
  • reference materials, and
  • popular reading collections.

Find detailed information on renewal limits and loan periods.

Media equipment

Cameras, tripods, microphones, hard drives, DSLRs, and other media equipment are available for checkout for UMN students, staff and faculty. 

Media equipment is

  • first-come first-serve, 
  • not eligible for delivery, and
  • a one day loan (loan extensions are allowed when demand is low).

Replacement costs if lost/damaged can be $500.00 or more.

Learn more about equipment loans.

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Returning materials

Book drop locations

Return your checked out University of Minnesota Libraries and Interlibrary Loan (ILL) materials to any of our locations or return materials at any time to exterior book returns at

Other return options

Faculty and staff can return items through Campus Mail.

UMN System (Crookston, Duluth, Morris) campuses also accept returns of UMN Twin Cities library materials.

Return materials via mail at your own expense to:

Wilson Library Circulation
309 19th Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Media equipment and laptops

Return media equipment to the library service desk where it was borrowed. Return CFANS/CBS laptops to Magrath Library.

Contact

Email us with any questions, or if you live outside of the seven-county Twin Cities metro area and can only return library materials by mail.

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Accessibility details

If you are experiencing a mobility disability, you can

  • identify another person to pick up materials on your behalf using the proxy service,
  • request delivery to your home or campus office, or
  • request specific chapters or articles for Digital Delivery.

Staff at the information desks can assist in finding and retrieving materials upon request. Requests may take up to two business days to fulfill. 

Contact

If the item is in an inaccessible format, contact [email protected] to check if an accessible version exists in Hathitrust or send a request to the Disability Resource Center (DRC).

Software

The vendor for Libraries search is actively working with an accessibility consultant service to improve its product. If you experience an accessibility issue, contact [email protected] with details (such as browser, operating system, assistive technology used) and we will file a report with the vendor.

Spaces

Many library spaces predate ADA requirements. Bookshelves may be too close together or extend too high for some people to access. When placing a Get It request, these materials are relocated to the main information desk near library entrances, which have more space, and staff hand you the materials directly.

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