Loan Services

Your TCard (Library Card)

Your TCard is your library card. TCards are issued by TCard Services located at the Information & Instructional Technology Services Help Desk, Lower Level, CCT Atrium, CCT 0160A. Contact the TCard Office via email at tcard.utm@utoronto.ca or call 905-828-5344.

If your TCard is lost, please report it immediately to the Information and Loans desk, where your borrowing account will be temporarily blocked until a replacement card is issued by the TCard Office.

Course Reserves

Course readings may include print and online resources. Print and electronic materials on reserve can be accessed from the Information and Loans desk located on the main floor of the library.  To find your course reserve material, please ask for assistance at the Information and Loans desk.

Loan periods for Course Reserves materials vary from 3hrs to 72hrs. Make sure to check return time as the late fines are calculated at 50 cents per hour.

Most items checked out within 3 hours of closing can be kept overnight and must be returned by Library opening the following business day.

Faculty who have questions may visit the Course Reserves and Syllabus Services page.

Returning Reserves Materials

Reserves materials must be returned to the internal Reserves drop box beside the elevators, or directly to the Information & Loans Desk. When the Library is closed Reserve materials can be returned to the external drop box at the front entrance to the Library.

Loan Periods

Loan privileges by patron type at most University of Toronto Libraries

Loan privileges may vary at some UofT libraries. Please check with individual libraries for more information.

Exceptions

• Items from audio/video collections have a 14-day loan period, and cannot be renewed. This applies to all patron types
• Loan periods for items from short term loan collections, including course reserves, vary between 3, 5, 24 or 72 hours and cannot be renewed

Designate a proxy borrower

• Faculty and staff may designate another library borrower to sign out items from the University of Toronto Libraries onto their account
• This service is also available to any library borrower unable to visit the libraries because of a disability
• Complete this application form to request this service

When another borrower places a hold on your checked out item

• If another borrower places a hold on an item that is checked out to you, it will be recalled, i.e., your loan period will shorten to 14 days and you will get an email asking you to return within 14 days
• If you do not return it within 14 days, you will be charged a fine of $2.00 per day until it is returned

Renewals

Unlimited renewals

• Current U of T students – including those in Continuing Education – faculty, and staff get unlimited renewals for regular* loans as of February 2022
• This is in place until further notice to help support a gradual return to campus.
• Loans will only become due:
  • If another user makes a hold request for a checked out item(s)
  • If there is block on a user's account
  • If the user's borrowing privileges expire
• Users will be notified by email whenever an item they have borrowed must be returned to the Library
• *Not eligible for unlimited renewals: Course reserves and other short term loan items; audio/video items; and interlibrary loans

Automatic renewals

• Two days before an item is due, the system will automatically try to renew it on your behalf
• If the item is not eligible for renewal*, you will get an email asking you to return it
• If another borrower requests an item checked out to you, it will not be eligible for renewal – if the due date is more than 14 days away, your loan period will shorten to 14 days, and you will get a email asking you to return it

*Automatic renewals are not made when:

• The item is a short term loan, which include course reserves
• The item is an audio/video item – this applies to all patron types
• Someone else has requested the item
• The item is an interlibrary loan
• You are an alumni borrower – see table above

Holds

Request a hold

• To request a hold, sign in to LibrarySearch and find the item you want
• Select the GET IT IN PERSON option to request
• NEW! You may request a hold on items that are in the library as well as items which are checked out
• When you request a hold on a checked out item, the current borrower's loan period will shorten to 14 days, and they will get an email asking them to return it
• When your holds are ready, you will be notified by email, and will have up to 5 days to pick it up
• You can request items for pickup at the holding library, or for pickup at another campus

Exception

Short term loan items, including course reserves, are not requestable, i.e., holds cannot be placed on them.

Recalls

When requested by another borrower, all loans are subject to recall after two weeks. Recalled material which is not returned within 2 days will be fined at the rate of $2.00 per day.

Overdue Fines

Stacks material - 50 cents per day
Short term reserve material - 50 cents per hour, including when the library is closed
Laptops - $15 per hour or part of an hour

Method of Payment

In person - debit or credit
By phone - credit (905-828-5236)
Secure online payment

Fines Appeal Process

• Step 1

  Direct questions concerning the University of Toronto Mississauga Library fines or other charges to the Information and Loans desk in person, by phone (905-828-5236), or email (askutml.utm@utoronto.ca).

• Step 2

  After initial consultation with staff, users who wish to dispute their library fines will be asked to complete an online form or to fill out an application available at the Information and Loans desk.

  The following are NOT eligible for appeal:

  • Fines for material which belongs to another UofT library
  • Lack of awareness of library policies
  • Forgetting the due date
  • Not renewing on time
  • Inability to renew online
  • Failure to receive a courtesy or overdue notice
  • Lost TCard or card lent to another patron
  • Fines resulting from borrowing books for another patron
  • Material picked up/returned for or by another patron
  • User cannot afford the fine
  • Previously appealed fines
  • Previously paid fines

The Fines Appeal Committee meets during the first and third week of each month. Once a decision is made, the user will be notified by email within 7 days. The Committee comprises four library staff selected from various units.

Lost Materials

Effective September 1, 2019  the replacement fees for material held by University of Toronto Libraries are:

Replacement Fees for Lost or Damaged Library Materials

Returning Materials

UTM Reserve Materials

Reserve materials must be returned to the internal Reserves drop box beside the elevators, or directly to the Information & Loans Desk. When the Library is closed Reserve materials can be returned to the external drop box at the front entrance to the Library.

Other UTM Library Materials

UTM Library materials can be returned to the internal drop box beside the elevators on the main floor of the Library or the external drop box at the front entrance.

Other University of Toronto Libraries Materials

• Books belonging to other University of Toronto Libraries may also be returned to the U of T Mississauga Library.
• Short Term Loan materials borrowed from other U of T libraries must be returned DIRECTLY to the library from which they were obtained.