University of Guelph Library
Your Library Card
Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students, & Distant Ed. Students
Your University of Guelph ID card is your library card. Your patron data is automatically added to the Library's patron database.
Joint Program Students
Students in TriUniversity Group (TUG) joint programs may on occasion need to access licensed resources only available to students at the partner institutions. To register please submit a joint program registration form.
New Faculty & Staff
New faculty and staff and those issued a replacement card may need to be self-registered.
Open Learners
Open learners in the Open Learning Program receive library cards through the Centre for Open Learning and Educational Support. Your patron data is automatically added to the Library's patron database.
Alumni & Community Users & High School
Alumni can obtain a free alumni card or replace a lost card at Alumni House and activate it in-person at the Circulation & Interlibrary Services desk in the library. Alumni cards expire every 2 years. Contact the Circulation desk at for re-activation.
Community members (including continuing education students, independent studies students, some OMAFRA staff, and foreign trained vets) can purchase a community borrower card (a $20.00 annual fee applies) at the Circulation & Interlibrary Services desk.
High school teachers and high school students please contact the Circulation desk at for borrowing information.
University of Guelph students (including co-op), faculty, staff, and retirees can find details of their borrowing privileges below. Students not-registered maintain privileges for up to two consecutive semesters.
Primo Library Resources
Primo, the cooperative online public access library catalogue of the combined resources of the University of Guelph and affiliated campuses, the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, and the Annex is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week year-round.
Policies
- Undergraduate students may borrow an unlimited number of books for a two-week period.
- Faculty, graduate students, contract sessional, staff, and retired faculty and staff may borrow an unlimited number of books for a full semester.
- Some materials have restricted loan periods; for example,
- A/V materials (videos, compact discs, dvds) – one day loan and no renewals.
- Laptop computers – two-hours with renewal if there are sufficient laptops available.
- Patrons may place a hold or recall request in Primo on eligible material.
- Books may be renewed online or in-person an indefinite number of times barring any holds or recalls on the item (some exceptions apply).
- Patrons may borrow in-house course reserve material (2 hour loan).
Open Learners & Distant Education Students
See special instructions for open learners and distant education students.
Alumni & Community Borrowers
Except where noted above, alumni and community borrower privileges are limited to the following:
- Material placed on Reserve for course use is not available to alumni and community borrowers, however the OVC Reserve - audiovisual material and textbooks, are available for in-library use with a validated Alumni or Community Borrower card.
- Borrowing of laptops is not permitted.
- Recalling of materials is not permitted.
- May borrow a maximum 20 books at a time on 2 week loan (from University of Guelph, University of Waterloo, or Wilfrid Laurier University).
- Books may be renewed online or in-person an indefinite number of times barring any holds or recalls on the item.
- Alumni and community borrowers may only use videos, compact discs and DVDs in-house.
- Due to licensing restrictions alumni and community borrowers may only use electronic resources on-campus. Databases available to Ontario residents: Resource Ontario databases via your public library; the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) service covers free, full text, quality controlled scientific and scholarly journal articles.
- Access to the campus wireless network can be obtained through the Circulation & Interlibrary Services Desk.
Ontario Veterinary College Patrons
See special instructions for veterinary practioners.
Resources Not at Guelph
For resources not at the University of Guelph please see: