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Borrowing

Borrowing Materials

  • Your McMaster ID card is your Library card! Present your card with the items you wish to check out at the Library Services Desk or at one of our self check-outs.
  • Please return books to the library from which you checked them out.

How Long You Can Keep/Renew Books

Borrower Mills+ Innis Thode Health Sciences

Undergraduate

2 weeks

2 weeks

2 weeks

2 weeks

Graduate Students

3 months

3 months

3 months

2 weeks

Faculty

3 months

3 months

3 months

2 weeks

Staff

3 months

3 months

3 months

2 weeks
Retiree     3 months     3 months     3 months  

Reciprocal Borrower
(excludes reserve materials, and short-term loan collection)
McMaster Faculty and Graduate Student Direct Borrows from University of Toronto

2 weeks

2 weeks

2 weeks

2 weeks

Alumni
(limit of 20 items and 2 renewals per item, excludes reserve materials)

2 weeks 2 weeks 2 weeks 2 weeks

External Borrower
(limit of 20 items and 2 renewals per item, excludes reserve materials)

2 weeks

2 weeks

2 weeks

2 weeks

IAHS students
(excludes reserve materials and short-term loan collection, limit of 5 items, and no renewals)

2 weeks

2 weeks

2 weeks

2 weeks
+ Mills Videos & DVDs can be checked out by students and staff for 2 days, and by faculty for 2 weeks; no renewals
 

Renewing Materials

All books except reserve materials can be renewed (unless they have been recalled) on the My Account/Book Renewal page OR in person. You are allowed a maximum of 6 online renewals per item. External Borrowers and Graduate Students* are allowed a maximum of 2 renewals. 

Note: Videos & DVD's cannot be renewed at Mills, Thode and Innis. They can be renewed at the Health Sciences Library. 

*There are no restrictions on the number of renewals for Graduate Students at the Health Sciences Library, they are allowed 6 online renewals.
 

Penalties for Not Returning Materials

  • If another user has recalled a book you have checked out, you will receive an email notification requesting you to return the book. You have until 14 days from the original loan date or 5 days from the date of recall, whichever is longer, in which to return the book, after which a fine of up to $5 a day or partial day is levied.
  • If you don't return an overdue item we suspend your borrowing privileges, charge the cost of replacing the book, and a $25 non-refundable administrative fee per item.
  • It is your responsibility as a borrower to keep the University/Library informed of your current address and email address (students should use MUGSI to update this information). Non-receipt of notices does not relieve you from suspension of borrowing privileges and book replacement charges.

Reserve Loan Periods & Fines

  • A maximum of 3 items (6 items at the Health Sciences Library) from Course Reserves can be checked out at one time.
  • Reserve materials cannot be requested or held for individuals. 
  • Reserve materials may be checked out again if they are not in demand (a 15-minute waiting period may apply before items can be checked out again).
Library
Reserve Type
Description of Loan
Fine for Overdue
MILLS, INNIS & THODE 2 hour Due in 2 hours. Most can be checked out 2 hours before closing and are due 1 hour after opening on the following day. $5.00 per hour or part of hour
4 hour Due in 4 hours. Used for the projector loan program. up to $20.00 per hour or part of hour
24 hour Due in 24 hours $5.00 per hour or part of hour
7 day Due in 7 days $5.00 per day or part of day
HEALTH SCIENCES 2 hour Due in 2 hours $2.00 per hour or part of hour
24 hour Due in 24 hours $2.00 per hour or part of hour
Three day Due in 3 days $2.00 per day or part of day
Short-term loan Due in 7 days $2.00 per day or part of day

Paying Fines

  • Fines for McMaster University students are billed to student accounts and should be paid at the Bookstore, or at Financial Services (Gilmour Hall, Room 209). Student account information can be obtained through MUGSI.
  • All others must pay fines at the Library Services Desk of the appropriate library. We accept debit/credit cards and cheques (no cash payments, sorry).

Email Notification

You will be sent a notice by e-mail for:

  • Holds
  • Recalls
  • Overdues
  • Replacement billing
  • Fines

All e-mail messages will be sent to the McMaster University e-mail address (@mcmaster.ca) currently appearing in our records for each patron. Non-McMaster users are responsible for keeping us updated on their current e-mail addresses.