Access Services
While the library buildings are closed, current UMass Lowell students, faculty and staff who wish to borrow UMass Lowell Libraries' books should use this form to register for borrowing privileges. Registration allows users to select UMass Lowell owned print books from our catalog and request that the books be held for pick up at Lydon Library, Mondays and Thursdays from 8:30am to 5:00pm. The building will be closed but UCard holders will be able to gain access through the front doors to the pick up shelf in the vestibule with their cards. Books requested before Mondays will be available for pick up on the following Thursday. Books requested before Thursdays will be available on the following Monday.
Users who have borrowed UMass Lowell books before do not need to register again.
These borrowing policies have been instituted to insure equitable access to materials for as many patrons as possible. The University Libraries are open to adult members of the public, but direct borrowing privileges are restricted to:
Other individuals may ask their public libraries to request UMass Lowell Libraries material on their behalf.
Those wishing to borrow library materials, including Reserve items, must register with the UMass Lowell Libraries. You may register in person at the circulation desk at either Lydon or O'Leary Library. (A valid photo identification must be presented.)
Patrons may borrow library materials by bringing them to the circulation desk and checking them out up until 15 minutes before closing time at Lydon and O'Leary Libraries. The circulation desk in Lydon Library is located on the 1st floor. The circulation desk in O'Leary Library is on the 4th floor.
UMass Lowell students, faculty and staff must present their UMass Lowell (UCARD) IDs to borrow items from the Libraries.
UMass Lowell Alumni must present their UMass Lowell Alumni ID card to borrow.
BLC Card holders must present the BLC card issued by their home institution at check out.
All other patrons must present their UMass Lowell Libraries issued Special Borrower’s Card at check out.
Steps to renew UML Materials
Go to the library's online catalog: https://uml.on.worldcat.org
Click on the "Sign In" button at the upper right.
Sign in with your UMS number (Some long time users will need to enter the 16 digit number from their IDs) and password.
Click on your name in the button at the upper right.
You will see the UML materials you have checked out. Click the "Renew" button next to the title to renew the item.
You will see a message confirming the renewal and the new due date.
Loan Period, Limit, and Renewal Policies for UMass Lowell Libraries Books
|
Patron |
Loan Period |
Item Limit |
Renewal Period |
Renewal Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
UMass Lowell Faculty |
1 Semester |
30 |
1 Semester |
Unlimited* |
|
UMass Lowell Graduate Students |
28 Days |
20 |
28 Days |
Unlimited* |
|
UMass Lowell Undergraduate Students |
28 Days |
15 |
28 Days |
Unlimited* |
|
All Others |
28 Days |
10 |
28 Days |
1* |
*Material may not be renewed if another patron has placed a request for it or if it is needed for Course Reserves.
Interlibrary Loan items may be renewable with permission from the lender.
Loan Period, Limit, and Renewal Policies for UML materials other than books
Polices for non-book materials are the same for all borrowers.
|
Material Type |
Loan Period |
Item Limit |
Renewal Period |
Renewal Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CDs |
1 Week |
10 |
1 Week |
Unlimited* |
|
Reserve Items |
2 Hours |
3 |
2 Hours |
2 |
|
Equipment |
1 Week |
3 |
1 Week |
Unlimited* |
*Material may not be renewed if another patron has placed a request for it or if it is needed for Course Reserves.
Borrowed materials may be returned to the circulation desk at either Lydon Library or O'Leary Library any time the libraries are open.
Overdue fines are not charged at the University Libraries. Patrons are asked to borrow responsibly and please return material on time so that everyone may use it fairly. If material is needed for longer than the borrowing period, it may be renewed online.
When an item becomes more than 28 days overdue, it is considered lost. A $130.00 replacement fee and a $30.00 processing fee is charged. A lost book may be replaced by a new copy of the same book in its most recent edition and a $30.00 processing fee. If the lost book is no longer available in print, the fee must still be paid.
Fees must be paid by check at either O'Leary or Lydon Library:
| O’Leary Library | Lydon Library |
|---|---|
| Monday - Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Monday-Thursday: 7:00 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday: 7:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. |
Boston Library Consortium (BLC) Cards are used to gain access and to borrow material directly from libraries in the BLC. UMass Lowell faculty, staff and students with library accounts in good standing may register for BLC cards at the circulation desks of Lydon and O’Leary Libraries. A current UML ID is required to obtain a BLC card.
These cards allow users to open borrowing accounts with the other BLC libraries and use those libraries in person. Users are subject to the rules of the libraries at which they use their BLC cards, including fines for overdue or lost items, or item recalls.
It is the borrower’s responsibility to return items borrowed with a BLC card to the library from which they were borrowed. The University Libraries do accept responsibility for returning items borrowed in this manner.
The following are the participating libraries in the BLC Consortium Card Program. Please click the name of the library for more information.
Marine Biological Laboratory and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
State Library of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Boston
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth