Circulation & Borrowing
- Library Card & Borrowing Privileges
- Access to eResources (Passport York)
- Library Loans & Renewals
- Reserve Collection (Short-term Loans)
- Holds, Recalls & Special Requests
- Special Collections (Rare Books & Archives)
- Returning Library Materials
- Inter-campus Borrowing (ICB)
- Privileges at Other Universities
- Inter-library Loans (ILL)
- Unpaid Fines & Suspension of Privileges
- York University Libraries related resources:
Library Card & Borrowing Privileges
For York University students and faculty, your YU-card is also your library card, extending you borrowing privileges at the Osgoode law library and all other York University libraries.
Adjunct Faculty can obtain a library card by making a request at the circulation desk in person, by phone (416-736-5206) or by email. You can also download an application form here. Completed forms should be faxed to the attention of the Circulation Desk at 416-736-5298.
All other users must register at the Circulation Desk as External Borrowers. Upon registration and payment of the appropriate fee, you will be given a temporary library card. The following are eligible to register as External Borrowers:
| * Alumni (upon presentation of Alumni Association card). To obtain card click here. | $25.00 annual fee |
| * Members of the public (Excluding high school, community college and undergraduate students from other universities) * | $100.00 annual fee |
| Faculty, students and staff from universities which participate in the Direct Borrowing agreements | No fee |
* Please note that alumni and external reader registration is valid for one year from the date of issue and is recognized at all York University Libraries.
Access to eResources (Passport York)
York University students and faculty must apply for a Passport York account, which provides access to online library services and electronic resources (e-resources) both on campus and remotely. You can apply for a Passport York account here. For more information about remote access, click here.
Electronic and online resources are not available to External Borrowers
Library Loans & Renewals
Before any materials may be taken from the library, they must first be charged out at the Circulation Desk.
Current Email Address: Borrowers are requested to supply a current e-mail address to the library. This e-mail address would be used for communications such as courtesy reminders for materials becoming due (excluding items from the Reserve collection) and notices of availability of items for which a Hold was placed. E-mail addresses can be kept current by use of the online form Update My E-Mail Address.
Loans are limited to 50 items for undergraduate students.
MATERIALS |
LOAN PERIOD |
HOLDS |
RENEWALS |
|
|
|
|
||
General Texts |
14 days |
100 days |
Yes |
Yes |
Reserve |
3 hours/ Overnight |
3 hours/ Overnight |
No |
No |
Special Collections |
Library use only |
Library use only |
n/a |
n/a |
Law reports, Statutes, Periodicals |
Library use only |
14 days |
n/a |
n/a |
Fiction Collection & DVDs |
14 days |
14 days |
Yes |
Yes |
DVDs & CD-ROMs |
7 days |
7 days |
Yes |
No |
Laptops, Power packs, Audio-recording equipment |
4 hours |
4 hours |
No |
No |
Microforms |
Library use only |
Library use only |
n/a |
n/a |
Loans are subject to immediate recall if needed for the Reserve collection.
Loans can be renewed using the following methods. Please note that 14 day loans are limited to a maximum of six renewals, while 100 day loans may be renewed twice provided there are no other requests for those items.
- Online: You can renew your library loans yourself online here. A YU-card and a Passport York account are required for to take advantage of this service.
- In Person: You can renew your library loans at the Circulation Desk at any of the libraries on campus. You must have your YU-card and the materials to be renewed with you to.
Reserve Collection (Short-term Loans)
Items held in the Library's Reserve (i.e., short-term loan) collection are indicated in the catalogue by the location LAW-RESV. To borrow any item held on Reserve, make a record of the item's call number and request it at the Circulation Desk.
During the day, Reserve items can be borrowed for three (3) hours only. If borrowed anytime withing three (3) hours before closing, they may be kept overnight until 10:00 am the next morning.
Materials borrowed overnight must be returned to the Osgoode Library Circulation Desk (not to another library) or to the book-drop in HNES (just inside the main entrance, at the top of the stairs) before 10:00 am the following morning. Overdue fines on Reserve items are calculated at $3.00 per hour or any part thereof.
Some Reserve materials are designated READING ROOM ONLY. They may only be borrowed for a period of 3 hours and may be used in the Library only.
Loans for Reserve items cannot be renewed!
Holds, Recalls & Special Requests
Holds: If you locate an item in the library catalogue that you need but that has been checked out to another patron and there are no other copies available, you may place a HOLD on the item. A HOLD request can be processed online by clicking on the HOLD ITEM button at the bottom or top of the screen while viewing the item record in the library catalogue. If the item is out on a 14 day loan, a HOLD will be placed for you. If it is out on a 100 day loan, the item will be RECALLED.
You will be notified when the item is returned, and it will be held for you at the Library's circulation desk for 7 days. If there is an additional hold request for any "held" itemm the normal loan period will be reduced to seven (7) days.
Online HOLD requests are placed on the next working day. HOLD requests can also be placed in person at the Circulation Desk of any York University Library.
Searches: If the library catalogue indicates that an item is available but you are unable to find it in the stacks, you can request at the Circulation Desk that a SEARCH be conducted to find the item. You will be notified by email when the item is found and it will be held for you at the Circulation Desk for 7 days. SEARCH request forms are available at the Circulation Desk.
Library Backlog: For items designated in the library catalogue with the location LAWBACKLOG, please submit a request for retrieval at the Circulation Desk. Backlog materials will be retireved and made available to you within two hours.
In-process: Materials designated in the library catalogue as being IN-PROCESS may be requested by following the online instructions.
On Order: Items deisgnated in the library catalogue as being ON-ORDER have not yet been received by the library and are unavailable. The designation is for your information only.
Special Collections (Rare Books & Archives)
Materials from the Balfour Halévy Special Collections can be requested at the Circulation Desk and will be retrieved within two hours. Special Collections materials may be used in the library only. Photocopying or other types of reproduction by borrowers is not allowed; however, photocopying arrangements can be made through the library staff. Guidelines for for using materials from the Balfour Halévy Special Collections are available here.
Return of Materials
With the exception of Reserve items (short-term loans) and DVDs, library materials can be returned to the Circulation Desk in the Osgoode Law Library, to one of the other libraries on the York University campus, or deposited in any of the book return boxes on campus. Materials must be returned on or before the due date and time to avoid overdue fines.
A book return box is located in HNES at the top of the stairs leading to the Osgoode Library Services facility to facilitate return of materials when the library is closed. The after-hours book drop is cleared one hour after the library opens.
Reserve books (short-term or overnight loans) books and DVDs borrowed from the Osgoode Law Library must be returned library’s Circulation Desk (not to a book drop!) within one hour after the library opens on the following day (normally 9:00 am). Reserve items borrowed on weekend loan must be returned by 9:00 am on Monday. Overdue fines on Reserve items are calculated at $3.00 per hour or any part thereof.
Any library materials which have not beem checked out but were used in the library or at the photocopiers should be returned to the "book return" book trucks in the area after use. Please do not reshelve the books yourself.
Inter-campus Borrowing (ICB)
Inter-campus borrowing is a service provided to transport library materials between the Keele campus libraries (Osgoode Law Library, Scott Library, Peter F. Bronfman Business Library, Steacie Science & Engineering Library) and the Glendon campus library (Frost Library). If you locate a circulating item from the Frost collection in the catalogue and you would like to have it transferred here, click on the ICB button at the bottom or top of the screen and complete the online request form. When the item from Frost is received at the Osgoode library, you will be notified and it will be held for you for a period of 7 days.
Privileges at Other Universities
Osgoode students and faculty are eligible to apply for privileges under Direct Borrowing Agreements between York University and other Ontario and Canadian universities. To register, present your YU-card at the Circulation Desk of the library you are visiting. Collateral identification may be required. If you are planning a research visit to another university's library, we recommend that you first contact that library to obtain details in advance. For additional information about Direct Borrowing and a list of participating libraries, click here.
Please note that there are special arrangements between the Osgoode Law Library and other Canadian university law libraries. If planning a trip to the library of another Canadian law school, please consult first with one of the reference librarians.
Interlibrary Loans (ILL)
The Library can obtain any material required by Osgoode students that is not available at other libraries at York University and is not available from electronic sources (e-resources) at York. There is no charge for this service. Interlibrary loans can can only be requested and processed using RACER, our online interlibrary loan service. You can register for a RACER account online here, or consult the interlibrary loan page on this website.
Unpaid Fines & Suspension of Privileges
Borrowers registered at another York University library may borrow circulating materials from the Law Library unless their privileges have been suspended. Borrowing and service privileges may be suspended for failure to follow library regulations, failure to pay fines and/or return books or failure to co-operate with library staff.
- Osgoode and York Students and Faculty: Borrowing privileges will be suspended for those who owe $25.00 or more in unpaid bills and/or accumulating charges for overdue materials. Graduating students may have their diploma and/or transcripts withheld until all outstanding library accounts are settled.
- External Borrowers: Borrowing privileges will be suspended for those who owe $5.00 or more in unpaid bills and/or accumulating charges for overdue materials.
All outstanding library fines and/or fees must be paid before a borrower may re-register at the library. Outstanding accounts may be referred to a Collection Agency.
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