University of Michigan Library
University of Michigan Library

Borrow and Return

See eligibility and other details for borrowing both local and interlibrary loan materials.

Who can borrow

  1. Who Can Borrow Materials

    Programs and options for current members of the U-M community and guests.

  2. Student Borrowing

    Currently registered students from all three U-M campuses can borrow materials, with additional offerings for graduate students.

  3. Faculty and Staff Borrowing

    Current and retired faculty and staff can borrow materials, and current faculty can assign someone to borrow on their behalf.

  4. Sponsored Affiliates Borrowing

    Privileges for sponsored affiliates who have an active relationship with a U-M unit.

  5. Alumni, Guests, and Native and Indigenous Peoples Borrowing

    Guests with specific academic affiliations and Native and Indigenous peoples are eligible to borrow materials. Alumni and all other guests can pay an annual fee.

  6. Reciprocal Borrowing and Visiting Privileges

    Guests from certain state, regional, and national institutions are eligible for borrowing and onsite visiting privileges.

Borrowing details

  1. How Long You Can Keep Items

    See loan periods for materials checked out at our library locations.

  2. Renew Your Items

    Most local materials renew automatically, but you need to request interlibrary loan renewals.

  3. Request Return of Checked-out Items

    How to “recall” an item checked out to somebody else, and what to do if someone requests an item you’ve checked out.

  4. Where to Return Items

    Drop boxes and locations where you can return materials, including specifics for media items and interlibrary loans.

  5. Reminders, Overdue Items, and Suspended Privileges

    Notifications we send, plus how to update your contact preferences and our practices if items are overdue.

  6. Check Out Special Items and Equipment

    Borrow items like adapters, laptop locks, and bike pumps or take home packets from our seed library.

Using Interlibrary Loan

  1. Interlibrary Loan Services (ILL)

    Use our interlibrary loan services to request items not available locally in our collection.

  2. Access and Use Interlibrary Loans

    Expectations for how long it takes to fill requests, item delivery, and loan periods.

  3. Interlibrary Loan Renewals, Returns, and Lost Items

    Borrowing policies for items received through interlibrary loan, including renewals, returns, recalls, and lost items.

  4. Interlibrary Loan Lending

    Information for other organizations who borrow from us.