Borrowing Policies

In order to borrow materials from any UW-Madison library, you must present a valid UW-Madison ID, a UW System ID, or a Community Borrowing Card.

For UW students, faculty, and staff, the loan periods are as follows for most items:

Select a category below to see complete information on library privileges and loan periods for all categories, item types, and item locations. Not sure of your category? Check this list.

If you have questions, please contact UW-Madison Circulation Support.

UW-Madison

• Faculty & staff
• Graduate students
• Undergraduates and special students
• Spouse or domestic partner of UW-Madison faculty, staff, or students

UW System

• Faculty & Staff
• Graduate Students
• Undergraduate Students

Visitors to Campus

• Alumni
  UW-Madison alumni and UW-Madison Alumni Association paid members.
• Annual Fee Card Holders
  Members of the public not covered elsewhere
• Community Borrowing Courtesy Card Holders
  Includes Beloit College, Edgewood College, and Madison College faculty, staff & students; Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) faculty, staff, and students; City of Madison, Dane County, and State of Wisconsin employees (excludes limited term employees); Native Nations Members; PLATO (Participatory Learning and Teaching Organization) members; OCLC Reciprocal Borrowing Program faculty; some Wisconsin private college/university faculty; Wisconsin public school 4K-12 educators and staff.
• Friends of the Library
  Friends may borrow materials by becoming a member or making a donation of $50 or more to the Libraries’ gift funds.

Patrons of Other Libraries

Patrons of other libraries make requests to borrow materials through their local library.