Borrowing & Returns

Jump to: My Library Accounts | Request Chapter Scans | Loan Periods |
Circulation of Periodicals | Renewals | Recalls | Returns

Circulation & Borrowing Privileges

WashU students, current and emeriti faculty, staff, visiting researchers, and courtesy borrowers with current library accounts may borrow books from our collection. A current WashU ID or courtesy card is required for all borrowing transactions.

Library patrons may request items for pickup and return materials to any of the seven Danforth libraries or the Becker Medical Library, whichever is most convenient. Faculty and staff are also eligible to have materials delivered to their primary mail stop code in Workday by choosing Campus Delivery as the pickup location.

Library visitors can obtain temporary credentials by presenting a photo ID at the nearest Library Help Desk. Temporary credentials are good for 30 days and do not provide remote, off-campus access to electronic resources and online databases. They are not renewable, but new temporary credentials can be requested as needed.

For more information about Borrowing Privileges or any questions, contact the Circulation Librarian by phone during Olin Library hours at (314) 935-5420 or via email (circ@wumail.wustl.edu).

My Library Accounts

Check your holds and renewals, submit Interlibrary Loan requests, reserve materials through Ares, log in to the proxy server for off-campus access, and more. Access library accounts from the My Library Accounts page.

Request Chapter Scans

Is the item you are looking for already checked out? Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services can help researchers obtain scanned chapters or materials in PDF format.

The PDFs are created by scanning books and journals available within the Libraries. If the Libraries do not own the needed article or chapter, the Libraries rely on partner libraries worldwide to supply PDFs from their collections through our ILL program.

Submit a scanning request with the following four steps:

1. Log on to ILLiad with your WashU Key and password
2. Click on the Article or Book Chapter links in the top menu. Fill in as much citation information as available
3. Add any comments you wish to share with library staff in the Notes field
4. Click “Submit Request”

Print materials will be scanned within the limitations of copyright and fair use guidelines. Large portions of a book or entire books within copyright will not be scanned and are more likely to be canceled by partner libraries on ILL.

Loan Periods

Category	Loan Period	Max Checkout
Undergraduates	60 days	150
Graduate Students	90 days	300
PostDocs	120 days	300
Faculty (including Emeritus)	120 days	600
WashU Staff	120 days	300
Retirees & Courtesy Borrowers	21 days	25
Pop-Lit Books	2 weeks (all borrowers)
Videos / DVDs / Media	2 weeks (all borrowers)

Circulation of Periodicals

Some periodicals circulate to WashU faculty, staff, and students but may not be requestable. Check with the staff at your library for more assistance. Bound periodicals circulate for 7 days. Unbound periodicals (current issues) also circulate for 7 days. Overdue periodicals are subject to fines of $1.00 per day, with no grace period.

Renewals

Items not requested by another borrower or that have reached their renewal limit may be renewed using the My Catalog function on the library system. Patrons may also renew their materials by bringing them to the home library on the Danforth Campus. If the books have reached their renewal limit or are very overdue, they must be brought to a library to check in.

Recalls

A recall is used when someone needs an item another person has checked out. Unlike a “hold,” which allows the first borrower to keep the item until the due date, a recall may sometimes shorten the due date. When a recall is placed on an item you have checked out, you will receive an email notice stating the due date.

If the item is checked out, request the item from Interlibrary Loan instead of recalling the library’s copy.

Due Dates for Recalled Items

Every person is guaranteed to have an item until the original due date unless:

1. Library staff recall items for course reserves.

2. The item has been renewed or is overdue. In these cases, the items are subject to immediate recall.

3. The item belongs to the Art & Architecture Library or the Law Library. A recall will shorten the due date. In most cases, Art & Architecture Library and Law Library items are guaranteed to users for 14 days unless needed for course reserves. Contact the Art & Architecture Library or Law Library for more details about recalls.

Returns

• Returns & fines: The Fines & Fees page provides information on fines and fees. For assistance with your library account, please contact circ@wumail.wustl.edu.
• Book drops: Library patrons may return materials to whichever location is most convenient, including all seven Danforth libraries and the Becker Medical Library. Patrons can also utilize our drive-up return bins at Tolman Way on the Danforth campus, South 40 on Shepley Drive, or West Campus Library at 7425 Forsyth Blvd.
  
  Download a map of these drive-up book drop locations.
• Returning books by mail: If you are unable to drop off items on the WashU campus, please ship all library materials, including MOBIUS and Interlibrary Loan, to:
  
  Olin Library Circulation
  MSC 1061-141-B 
  Washington University in St. Louis
  1 Brookings Drive
  St. Louis, MO 63130
  ph: (314) 935-5420