Borrowing and Accessing Resources

Find and request items

• Search the library collection in Omni.
• Once you have found the item you'd like to request, sign in and then click "Request." Select your pickup location. McLaughlin Library is the library at the U of G main campus. You are also able to pickup items from other Omni partner libraries.
• You may request any book or other item you find in Omni, whether it is owned by U of G or another library. Learn more about interlibrary loans.
• When your items are ready, you will get an email. You can pick up the items on the shelves near the Ask Us Desk during business hours.

Accessing online resources

All currently registered University of Guelph students, staff, faculty, professor emeritus/emerita, Open Learning non-degree students have access to our entire suite of online resources. Use your central login account when prompted to access online resources.

Alumni

University of Guelph alumni can register with us to get access to a subset of online resources for alumni.

Retirees

Faculty members/librarians with emeritus status will retain the same access you have always had.

Retirees who opt to retain their uoguelph email address maintain their affiliation with the University of Guelph and therefore retain their library privileges with the same rights and responsibilities they had as employees.

Walk-Ins

Coming to visit us? You'll be able to access our entire collection of online resources while you’re on campus using either one of our computers, or your own laptop connected to the campus guest Wi-Fi network.

Just use Omni or our journal database list to start your research and when you try to access a subscription resource:

• Click the "Sign in with your email” button under Community Members near the bottom of the page
• Fill in your personal email address and click the “Send an access link” button
• You'll receive an email with a link that you can use in this same browser window to use access our resources
• Your online access expires after 8 hours

Request a digitization

In accordance with the University’s copyright guidelines, current U of G students, faculty and staff may request that a portion of a physical item be digitized. Here's how it works:

• Search in Omni.
• Once you've found the item you'd like to be digitized, sign in. You’ll be prompted to enter your U of G credentials.
• If we own the item, under the “Get It” heading, you will see “Request a digitized chapter/article/excerpt” if the item is available for digitization.
• If the item is available at another institution, click "Get it from another Library" and select "I only need a specific chapter or pages".
• Fill in the form with as much information as possible. 
• You must read and acknowledge the copyright notice, then click "Send request".
• Once the item is processed, you will receive an email with a link to the digitized content. This may take a few business days.
• The link will expire after five views or 30 days.

Renew items

• You can renew library books and most other items online in My Library Account.
  • When you view your loans in Omni you will see all of your University of Guelph items listed. 
  • To view and renew items from another university, go to "All Institutions" on the left side of the screen. Click the appropriate university and you can renew your items from that institution.
• Please note, recalled items cannot be renewed.

Return items

• Return your library books to the bins located just inside the main entrance, or at any Omni partner library.

Library fines

• Library fines can be paid in-person using debit, Visa or Mastercard or by telephone with Visa or Mastercard. Contact us for more information.
• You have a 30 day grace period from the due date to renew or return an item before the item is declared lost and replacement charges are incurred. This does not apply to recalled item.

Recalled items

• When you receive a recall notice, you have 7 days to return a recalled item to any Omni library without penalty. Fines will accrue after 7 days.
• Recalled books accrue a $4/day fine, to a maximum of $56 per item, if not returned within 7 days of recall notice.
  • Recalled audiovisual items accrue a $10/day fine, to a maximum of $100.
• After 14 days the recalled item will be declared lost and you will be assessed a replacement charge.

Other items to borrow

Come to the Ask Us Desk to borrow:

• Headphones
• HDMI cables
• DVD players (for in-house use only)

See our full borrowing policies for more information.

Questions?

Contact us.