Find and Borrow

A hold is a request to have a book, DVD, or other library item set aside for you to pick up. 

You may want to place a hold if the item you want is: 

• Currently on loan (“checked out”) to another patron 
• Located at another University of Toronto campus (St. George, Scarborough, or Mississauga) library 
• Located at the University of Toronto’s Downsview storage facility 
• Available on the shelf at the library that holds the item (the “holding library”) 

You can request items for pickup at the holding library, or at another campus. When the item is ready you will be notified by email. You have up to five days to pick your item(s) up. 

If the item is currently on loan (“checked out”) to another patron, you will be notified when the item has been returned to the library and is available for you to pick up. 

If you have an item on loan, and another patron places a hold on it, you will not be able to renew the item. 

To place a hold, sign in to LibrarySearch and find the item you want. Select the “Library Pickup” option under the “Get It” heading to request the item for pickup. If the item is located at multiple libraries, choose your preferred pickup location. 

Exception: Course reserve and short-term loan items cannot be placed on hold. 

You may renew—or extend—the loan period on your items up to a maximum based on their patron category. Items can be renewed online by logging in to your LibrarySearch account and then selecting “My Loans.” You can also call or email us to renew your items. 

Renewals are also triggered automatically. Items will automatically renew at the end of each loan period until your maximum renewal period is reached. You will be notified by email when your items are automatically renewed. 

You will be unable to renew an item if a hold—a request to use the item you have checked out—has been placed by another patron. 

If your renewals have been exhausted, return your items to any U of T library to avoid overdue fines. 

Exception: Course reserve and short-term loan items cannot be renewed. 

A recall is when you place a request to use a book that is on loan (“checked out”) to someone else. You can request that the item be returned early so that you are next in line to borrow it. You can only recall items that have already been on loan to someone else for longer than two weeks. 

When the item is returned, you will be notified by email and have up to five days to pick it up. 

If a recall is placed on an item you have on loan, you will not be able to renew the item and will receive an email saying that you have 48 hours to return it to the library. If you do not return the item within 48 hours, you will be charged a recall fine of $2 per day. 

To place a recall, sign in to LibrarySearch and find the item you want. Select the “GET IT IN PERSON” option to request the item for pickup. 

Exception: Course reserve and short-term loan items cannot be recalled. 

While library materials can be returned to any U of T library, we strongly encourage you to return items to the library they belong to. Returning materials to the holding library reduces the chance of them being misplaced in transit and ensures they will be made available to other patrons more quickly. 

Items may be returned to the Kelly Library 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Please use the outside book return slot if the library is closed. 

If you are unable to find an item you need in the University of Toronto Libraries collection, you can request books, articles and more through a service called interlibrary loan (ILL). 

All current U of T students, faculty, and staff are eligible to submit requests free of charge. Fees may apply to other user categories. Users will be notified of any charges that apply before the request is processed. 

You can place an interlibrary loan request by signing into the LibrarySearch platform and using an inter-library loan request form. 

Alternately, you can expand your search results to include items beyond the library collection and place a request on any listed items not held by the libraries.  

Delivery times can vary based on the location of the item. Once ready, ILLs can be picked up at Robarts Library, UTM, or UTSC. 

A proxy borrower is someone who has permission to borrow materials on behalf of someone else. Faculty and staff may designate another library user to checkout materials from the U of T libraries onto their account. This service is also available to any library user unable to visit the libraries because of a disability. 

Proxy borrowers must submit an application to have their name added to a specific account.  

Loan periods for course reserves and short-term loan (STL) items vary between 3, 5, 24 or 72 hours and are not renewable.

Audio-visual materials, including video games, DVDs, and CDs carry a 14-day loan period with no renewals. This is applicable to all patron types. 

You will be charged fines if you do not return your library materials on time. Fines are applied to your account. You will lose the ability to borrow library materials when an item is more than 14 days overdue or your fines and/or fees reach $25 or greater. 

If items are not returned on time, fines will be applied to your account as follows: 

Fines may be paid by signing in to your LibrarySearch account and paying your fines online. You may also pay your fines over the phone (416- 926-7114) or in-person at the Kelly Library.  

Medical or other documentation is required to reduce or forgive fines. To dispute fines, contact the library where you borrowed the item. 

The following reasons do not warrant fine forgiveness or reduction: 

• Forgot the due date 
• Did not receive a courtesy or overdue notice 
• Unaware of library policies 
• Borrowed the item from someone else 
• Item was returned late by someone else 
• Did not report TCard stolen 

This is not an exhaustive list. 

You will be charged a fee if library items are lost or damaged. These fees are used to replace or repair the item. 

Items which are not returned within 42 days of the due date will be deemed lost and a lost fee will be automatically assigned to your account. 

Fines may be paid by signing in to your LibrarySearch account and paying your fines online. You may also pay your fines over the phone (416- 926-7114) or in-person at the Kelly Library. 

In the event an item is said to be returned by a patron but remains charged to the patron’s account please contact the library. The item(s) will enter a “claimed return” status and if the item(s) cannot be located within 90 days the item(s) will be declared lost, and the $145 lost book or media fee will be applied to the patron’s account. While the library will attempt to find the item(s) during the 90 day “claimed return” period within the library building, it is the patron’s responsibility to locate the item(s). 

If an item is lost and you can supply a suitable replacement copy, a $45 processing fee will be charged in place of the lost book or media fee.