Privileges for UChicago Faculty, Students, & Staff at Other Libraries

Current University of Chicago faculty, academics, students, and benefits-eligible staff may be eligible for access or borrowing privileges for libraries at other institutions. In addition to any privileges other libraries may grant visiting researchers, the University of Chicago Library has reciprocal agreements with academic and research libraries both locally and throughout the world.

Current Policies During COVID

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, other libraries current policies may be temporarily changed.

Please check with the library you are interested in visiting to learn their current policies.

Interlibrary Loan

Current faculty, academics, students, and benefits-eligible staff can also request to borrow items from another library that are not available at the University of Chicago Library via Interlibrary Loan, regardless of whether they are eligible for borrowing privileges at that library.

Libraries with Reciprocal Agreements

University of Chicago users may have access or borrowing privileges at the member libraries of institutions with whom we have reciprocal agreements, listed in the table below.  To see lists of the libraries included in the different agreements, click on the name in the Affiliation column.  Note that privileges may vary based on library, so please contact the library you wish to visit to confirm what you will be eligible for at another institution.

Institution Who is eligible? Privileges Action Needed
Northwestern University Faculty, Academics, Students, Benefits Eligible Staff Borrowing See the Northwestern University Libraries section below for detailed information.
University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Faculty Borrowing Faculty can present a valid UChicago Card at UIC Libraries for access and borrowing. See the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Libraries section below for detailed information.
University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Graduate and Undergraduate Students Access Check with institution for current policies.
Hyde Park Seminaries Faculty, Academics, Students, Benefits Eligible Staff Borrowing Please see Hyde Park Seminaries section below for information about specific HP seminaries
Chicago Area Law Schools Law School Students, Faculty, and Academics Access to local law school libraries Check with institution for current policies.

See D'Angelo Law Access & Privileges for more information.
BTAA (Big Ten Academic Alliance) Faculty, Students, Benefits Eligible Staff Borrowing Check with institution for current policies.

The Library has a separate reciprocal borrowing agreement with Northwestern University Libraries.
BorrowDirect Plus (Ivy Plus Libraries Confederation) Faculty, Academics, Students, Benefits Eligible Staff Borrowing (varies by institution) Check with institution for current policies.

See BorrowDirect Plus On-Site Borrowing Information site for detailed information for each institution.
OCLC Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Faculty Borrowing Check with institution for current policies.
SHARES On Site Access Faculty, Students, Professional Library Staff Access Check with institution for current policies.
SHARES Onsite Borrowing Pilot Faculty, Students, Benefits Eligible Staff Borrowing Check with institution for current policies.

Complete the SHARES onsite borrowing application.

Northwestern University Libraries

Library Cards

Loan Periods and Policies

  • All University of Chicago faculty, students, and benefits-eligible staff may borrow Northwestern items for 12 weeks, with up to 3 renewals.
  • Books may be recalled at any time, although you are guaranteed the books for at least 2 weeks.
  • Renewals may be made by using Northwestern's My Account, or in person at Northwestern by presenting the book, date due slip and your Northwestern Borrowing Card.
  • University of Chicago users do not have access or borrowing privileges at Pritzker Legal Research Center; however University of Chicago Law School students and faculty may access the Pritzker Legal Center, except during reading periods and final examinations. See Chicago Area Law Schools above.
  • Books borrowed from Northwestern may be returned to any University of Chicago libraries. However, books will not be checked in until they reach Northwestern, and patrons are responsible for any overdue fines that may accrue due to transit time (approximately 7 calendar days).

See Northwestern's Library Policies page for more information about Northwestern libraries.

University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Libraries

  • Most UIC books circulate for 16 weeks at the Richard J. Daley and Science libraries. UIC books from the Library of the Health Sciences (LHS) and its branches circulate for 28 days, and LHS-Urbana books for 14 days.  
  • Books may be recalled from users at any time, although you are guaranteed the books for at least 2 weeks.

See UIC Library Services page for more information about UIC libraries.

Hyde Park Seminaries

University of Chicago faculty, students, and benefits eligible staff may obtain borrowing privileges at Hyde Park Seminaries by presenting a UChicago Card at the appropriate library. For specific policies at each library, see the chart below.

Seminary Library Borrowing Policies
Bechtold Library (Catholic Theological Union) 25 concurrent item limit; privileges must be renewed quarterly.

Bechtold Library policies apply to all books borrowed from the library.
Lapp Learning Commons (Chicago Theological Seminary) 25 concurrent item limit; privileges must be renewed quarterly.

Lapp Learning Commons policies apply to all books borrowed from the library,

Due to limited space, UChicago users are asked not to use the Lapp Learning Commons as a place to study.
JKM Library (Lutheran School of Theology / McCormick Theological Seminary) Length of Borrowing Period:
  • Current faculty: 365 days, with 1 renewal
  • PhD students: 91 days, with 2 renewals
  • All other students, academics, adjunct and emeritus faculty: 21 days, with 2 renewals
    		•
    Wiggin Library (Meadville Lombard Seminary) 25 concurrent item limit; privileges must be renewed quarterly.

    Wiggin Library policies apply to all books borrowed from the library.

    Academic and Research Libraries

    University of Chicago users may also be eligible for privileges at other academic and research libraries with whom the Library does not have a reciprocal agreement. Please contact the library you wish to visit directly to determine their access policies for visiting researchers from other universities. If another library requires a letter or other documentation from the University of Chicago Library, you may request such documentation by contacting the ID & Privileges Office.