Loan Policies
Regular Loan Periods, Renewals and Borrowing Limits
| Patron Type | Loan Period | Number of Renewals | Borrowing Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate Students Staff |
120 days | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Faculty Postdoctoral Fellows PhD. Students Masters Students |
120 days | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Librarians & Archivists | 120 days | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Faculty Emeriti Librarian/Archivist Emeriti |
120 days | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Program |
28 days | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Retired Faculty Retired Staff |
28 days | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Alumni | 28 days | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Guest Borrowers Direct Borrowers |
28 days | Unlimited | Unlimited |
Renewal of Loans
You may renew regular loan items unless:
- they are on hold for another patron
- they have been recalled
- your account has been suspended because of overdue items or fines over $20.00 in total
Reserve and short loan items are not eligible for renewal.
Reserve and Short Loans
Some items may be placed on reserve or short loan status. The loan periods range from one hour to seven days depending on demand. These items are not renewable.
Recalled Loans
Any item on regular loan item may be recalled. Faculty, students and staff of Western and the Affiliated University Colleges may recall such items. The original borrower is assured of at least seven days use of the requested item before it must be returned. Items on loan are requested through the academic search tool. These items are not renewable.
Non-Circulating Items
There are items in each library that do not circulate. Some non-circulating items may be circulated for a limited period at the discretion of the library holding them. These items will be subject to overdue fines.
Return Procedures
Library items should be returned as soon as they are no longer needed so they are available for use by others:
- regular loan and recalled items may be returned to any of the Western Libraries or Affiliated University College Libraries in person, mail or courier by the date specified.
- reserve and short loan items must be returned to the owning library (e.g. a Weldon Course Reserves book must be returned to the Weldon Library) by the date specified.
Short term and recalled items returned after the due date will be subject to overdue fines.
Fines and Suspensions
Fine Rates
Overdue fines will not be charged for regular loans of any materials. Patrons will be given 30 days to return materials before the item is declared lost.
Items declared lost will incur the following charges:
- $25 non-refundable administration charge
- $125 default replacement charge
| Material Type | Rate Per Item | Maximum Per Item |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly Loan Items | $2.00 / hour | $56.00 |
| Short Loan Items | $2.00 / hour | $56.00 |
| Recalled Items | $4.00 / day | $56.00 |
If items are recalled, it is your responsibility to return the item in person, mail or courier by the date specified on the recall notice.
You are responsible for any lost items, fines incurred or damage done to borrowed items. Suspension of borrowing privileges occurs when you have over $20.00 in fines.
Read more information about fines and suspensions.
