General Borrowing Policies

Account management via Omni

You can sign in to Omni and:

• Check personal information. (Please report any changes to the Library)
• See a list of books borrowed and due dates
• Place requests for available items
• Check the status of requests
• Review any fines owing
• Renew books online

Returning Library Material

Return items to:

• Book bins between the front doors of the Waterloo Campus Library
• Help desk, main floor, Waterloo Campus Library
• Circulation Desks at Brantford Public Library and the Social Work Library (Kitchener Campus)
• The return bin located in the Milton Education Village across from the Hawklockers
• Any of the 19 partner Omni university libraries across Ontario
• Note: Course reserves and items on loan from public, U.S. or international libraries must be returned to the desk from which they were borrowed

Transferring materials to other users

If you have borrowed an item and wish to pass it along to another users, bring the item to the Service Desk and have it signed out on the other user's card. Users are responsible for all materials signed out on their cards

Suspension of Borrowing Privileges 

All borrowing privileges will automatically be suspended until the issue is resolved, if any borrower has:

• 1 recalled item overdue
• or has accumulated $20 in unpaid fines and fees

Fines and Lost Books

Overdue fines will not be charged for regular loans of any materials. Patrons will be given 30 days to return materials that are overdue before the item is declared lost at which point a replacement charge will be added to their account.

For recalled materials, overdue fines apply. Materials recalled must be returned to the library within 7 days. Following the 7-day period, fines of $4.00 per day will be assessed to a maximum of $56. Fines for media will be assessed at $10 per day with a maximum fine of $100. 

Patrons will be given 14 days to return recalled material before the item is declared lost. 

Items declared lost will incur the following charge:

• $125 default replacement charge

Charges are in addition to assessed fines for recalls.

Patrons can purchase an identical copy of the book they lost and bring it to the library and the $125 default replacement charge will be waived if the book is deemed acceptable. A $25 non-refundable administration charge will apply to replacement books.

These fines and policies are standard across all Omni partner institutions. 

Study room keys that are returned late will result in a $15 fine.

Borrowing privileges

Laurier students, faculty, staff and retirees are automatically granted borrowing privileges for borrowing from Omni as long as they are actively enrolled, employed, or retired, and have a OneCard.

Faculty, student, staff users, as well as students in joint programs with Guelph and Waterloo, have borrowing privileges of print materials from the 19 partner Omni university libraries through a resource sharing agreement.

Faculty and students can borrow up to 500 print resources at a time.

Borrowing period

• Laurier students, faculty, staff and retirees may borrow books for 120 days (most recent issue of periodicals cannot be borrowed)
• Reserve materials may be borrowed for three hours or one day depending on the item
• Media such as DVDs or audio recordings, and government documents that have barcodes may be borrowed for 28 days
• In most cases, reference materials may not be borrowed but some exceptions are made. Please contact the service desk for more information.

The Library sends renewal reminders prior to items becoming due however it is the responsibility of the user to renew or return the items prior to the due date.

Borrowing in person from Omni and Canadian non-Omni libraries

In addition to borrowing from Laurier and the partner Omni libraries, faculty may borrow materials directly from all universities who are members of the Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL). To use the libraries at these universities, a current Laurier OneCard in good standing is required and must be presented at the appropriate desk. Any necessary registration form must be completed and collateral identification may be required. The lending library's policies on circulation of materials, fines, loan periods, etc. apply. Laurier students and faculty may also borrow directly from other Canadian university libraries through the Canadian University Reciprocal Borrowing Agreement. Some Universities may still require an IUBP card. This card may be obtained from the help desk in the library at the Waterloo campus. 

Arrangements may be made for Research Assistants to borrow Library materials in a faculty member's name (proxy). Contact Michelle Goodridge and please allow 5 business days for proxy requests to be processed.

Sometimes users require access to our print and electronic resources who are not affiliated with the university in a traditional way. Examples of these includes;

• Visiting Scholars
• Visiting Professors
• Visiting Researchers
• Visiting Research Chairs

These affiliated researchers that are outside of the 19 partner Omni libraries will be issued a Special Borrowers Card upon receipt of their appointment letter as a visiting scholar/researcher from their Dean or department. This letter must include the term of their appointment and email address the user can be reached at. Once we receive this information we will create an account for the user so they have access to print and e-resources.

Please use the Affiliate User Account Request Form to submit your requests. 

All submissions will receive an email confirmation, followed by a second email once the user's library account and online access has been configured. Most requests will be completed within 5-7 business days.

Affiliated borrowers from outside of the 19 partner Omni libraries may borrow print materials for 14 days. They may borrow videos or music CDs for three days.

Students who have graduated and are working as Research Assistants do not qualify for Affiliated Research status. If they require electronic access we require that their faculty supervisor contact eresources@wlu.ca.

Register to borrow

Laurier alumni are eligible to obtain a library card through the Alumni Office by downloading the Golden Perks app.

Obtain your digital alumni card through Golden Perks

Register your alumni card with the Library by completing the Library Activation Form and you will be emailed once your account is activated.

Your alumni account will be valid for 5 years and can be renewed by contacting us.

Borrowing privileges

Alumni are able to:

• Borrow print materials (a total of 40 items at a time) from the Laurier Library for 21 days (with 1 renewal) by placing a hold in Omni for pickup in either Waterloo or Brantford or selecting books in person at a Laurier library location
• Borrow DVDs and audio recordings such as music CDs, for three days
• Visit the Annex in person by arrangement
• View material from Archives and Special Collections Department (the material must remain in the department)
• Access a defined list of online resources from off campus
• Access online resources (journals, databases) on public access computers at the Laurier Waterloo campus site. Note: public access computers for alumni are not available at the Social Work Library in Kitchener.
• Can borrow items from the music ensemble collection, but require permission from the Faculty of Music to do so - please contact libraryhelp@wlu.ca to arrange for permissions

Alumni are not able to:

• Order materials through resource sharing (interlibrary loan)
• Borrow items on reserve
• Book library group study rooms
• Renew books

Borrowing Period

Alumni may borrow items, including books, past issues of print periodicals and most government documents, for 21 days. DVDs and audio recordings may be borrowed for three days. An e-mail reminder is sent prior to the item becoming due.

Register to Borrow

Community members are welcome to apply for a community borrower's card upon presentation of a valid government issued photo ID. There is no fee for the card. Registration is valid for one year.

Separate cards from University of Waterloo and University of Guelph are required in order to borrow from those libraries.

Community borrowers include, but are not limited to:

• Adults or high school students who reside in Waterloo Region
• Full-time faculty members from community colleges and other post-secondary educational institutions (may register their home institution cards for no fee)
• Beckett School instructors
• Lifelong Learners (obtain a card from the Laurier Association for Lifelong Learning)

Borrowing Privileges

Community Borrowers are able to:

• Borrow print materials (a total of 40 items at a time) in person from the Laurier Library for 21 days (with 1 renewal)
• Borrow DVDs and audio recordings for three days.
• Visit the Annex in person by arrangement
• View material from Archives and Special Collections Department (the material must remain in the department)
• Access online resources (journals, databases) on public access computers at the Laurier Waterloo campus site
• Can borrow items from the music ensemble collection, but require permission from the Faculty of Music to do so - please contact libraryhelp@wlu.ca to arrange for permissions 

Community Borrowers are not able to:

• Order materials through resource sharing (interlibrary loan)
• Book study rooms
• Borrow items on reserve
• Renew items
• Due to licensing restrictions, most electronic resources are not available from off campus. Community borrowers may visit the Laurier library and access electronic resources (journals, databases) on site through our public terminals 

Borrowing Period

Community borrowers may borrow print items, including books, past issues of periodicals and most government documents for 21 days. Audio recordings and DVDs may be borrowed for 3 days.