- Library Card & Borrowing Privileges
- Loans, Due Dates & Renewals
- Access to eResources (Passport York)
- Core Collection (24-hour Loan)
- Holds, Recalls & Requesting Items "In Process"
- Special Collections (Rare Books & Archives)
- Returning Library Materials
- Inter-campus Borrowing (ICB)
- Privileges at Other Universities
- Inter-library Loans (ILL)
- Unpaid Fines & Suspension of Privileges
- York University Libraries related resources:
Library Card & Borrowing Privileges
For York University students and faculty, your YU-card is also your library card and grants you borrowing privileges at the Osgoode law library and all other York University Libraries. Click here for more information.
Adjunct Faculty can obtain a library card by making a request at the circulation desk in person, by phone (416-736-5206) or by email. You can also download an application form here. Completed forms should be faxed to the attention of the Circulation Desk at 416-736-5298.
All other users must register at the Circulation Desk as External Borrowers. Upon registration and payment of the appropriate fee, you will be given a temporary library card. The following are eligible to register as External Borrowers:
| * Alumni (upon presentation of Alumni Association card). To obtain card click here. | $25.00 annual fee |
| * Members of the public (Excluding high school, community college and undergraduate students from other universities) * | $100.00 annual fee |
| Faculty, students and staff from universities which participate in the Direct Borrowing agreements | No fee |
* Please note that alumni and external reader registration is valid for one year from the date of issue and is recognized at all York University Libraries.
Loans, Due Dates & Renewals
Before any materials may be taken from the library, they must first be charged out at one of the library's self-seve checkout kiosks or at the Circulation Desk.
Current Email Address: Borrowers are requested to supply a current e-mail address to the library. This e-mail address would be used for communications such as courtesy reminders for materials becoming due (excluding items from the Reserve collection) and notices of availability of items for which a Hold was placed. E-mail addresses can be kept current by use of the online form Update My E-Mail Address.
|
LOAN PERIOD |
HOLDS |
RENEWALS |
||
|
|
Students | Faculty & Grad Students |
|
|
|
General Texts |
14 days |
100 days |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Core Collection |
Osgoode only |
Osgoode only |
No |
No |
|
Special Collections |
Library use only |
Library use only |
n/a |
n/a |
|
Law reports, Statutes, Periodicals |
Library use only |
14 days |
n/a |
n/a |
|
DVDs & CD-ROMs |
7 days |
7 days |
Yes |
No |
|
Laptops, Power packs, Audio-recording equipment |
4 hours |
4 hours |
No |
No |
|
Microforms |
Library use only |
Library use only |
n/a |
n/a |
Loans are subject to immediate recall if needed for the Core Collection.
Loans can be renewed using the following methods. Please note that 14 day loans are limited to a maximum of six renewals, while 100 day loans may be renewed twice provided there are no other requests for those items.
- Online: You can renew your library loans yourself online here. A YU-card and a Passport York account are required for to take advantage of this service.
- In Person: You can renew your library loans at a self-serve kiosk or the Circulation Desk at any of the libraries on campus. You must have your YU-card and the materials to be renewed with you to.
Access to eResources (Passport York)
York University students and faculty must apply for a Passport York account, which provides access to online library services and electronic resources (e-resources) both on campus and remotely. You can apply for a Passport York account here. For more information about remote access, click here.
Electronic and online resources are not available to External Borrowers
Core Collection (24-hour Loan)
The Osgoode library's Core Collection is located in the Harris-Taylor Reading Room in the Upper Library. Items in the Core Collection are indicated in the catalogue by the location LAW-CORE and are restricted to 24-hour loan. Only members of the Osgoode Community may borrow items from the Core Collection.
Osgoode's Core Collection serves the purpose of a "Reserve" collection in other libraries, but is self-serve and with a less restrictive lending policy. Many titles in the Core Collection have additional copies in the general circulating collection. If you require a longer loan, please check the catalogue to see if there is a copy of your title in general collection.
Loans from the Core Collection cannot be renewed!
Holds, Recalls & Special Requests
Holds: If you locate an item in the library catalogue that you need but that has been checked out to another patron and there are no other copies available, you may place a HOLD on the item. A HOLD request can be processed online by clicking on the HOLD ITEM button at the bottom or top of the screen while viewing the item record in the library catalogue. If the item is out on a 14 day loan, a HOLD will be placed for you. If it is out on a 100 day loan, the item will be RECALLED.
You will be notified when the item is returned, and it will be held for you at the Library's circulation desk for 7 days. If there is an additional hold request for any "held" itemm the normal loan period will be reduced to seven (7) days.
Online HOLD requests are placed on the next working day. HOLD requests can also be placed in person at the Circulation Desk of any York University Library.
Searches: If the library catalogue indicates that an item is available but you are unable to find it in the stacks, you can request at the Circulation Desk that a SEARCH be conducted to find the item. You will be notified by email when the item is found and it will be held for you at the Circulation Desk for 7 days. SEARCH request forms are available at the Circulation Desk.
Library Backlog: For items designated in the library catalogue with the location LAWBACKLOG, please submit a request for retrieval at the Circulation Desk. Backlog materials will be retireved and made available to you within two hours.
In-process: Materials designated in the library catalogue as being IN-PROCESS may be requested by following the online instructions.
On Order: Items deisgnated in the library catalogue as being ON-ORDER have not yet been received by the library and are unavailable. The designation is for your information only.
Special Collections (Rare Books & Archives)
Materials from the Balfour Halévy Special Collections can be requested at the Circulation Desk and made available to you within the hour. Special Collections materials may be used only in the Canada Law Book Rare Book Reading Room. Photocopying or other types of reproduction by borrowers is not allowed; however, arrangements can be made through the library staff for any necessary copying. Guidelines for for using materials from the Balfour Halévy Special Collections are available here.
Returning Library Materials
With the exception of items from the Core Collection (24-hour loan) and DVDs, library materials can be returned at the Circulation Desk in the Osgoode Law Library or any of the other York University Libraries, or deposited in any of the book return boxes on the York University campus. Materials must be returned on or before the due date and time to avoid overdue fines.
To facilitate the return of library materials when the library is closed, a book return box is located outside the rear (west) door on the ground floor Osgoode Hall Law School (Ignat Kaneff Building), adjacent to the parking lot. The after-hours book drop is cleared one hour after the library opens.
Books from the Core Collection (24-hour loan) and DVDs borrowed from the Osgoode Law Library must be returned at the library’s Circulation Desk (not to a book drop!) Overdue fines on Core Collection items are calculated at $15.00 per day or any part thereof.
Any library materials which have not beem checked out but were used in the library or at the photocopiers should be returned to the "book return" book trucks in the area after use. Please do not reshelve the books yourself.
Interlibrary Loans (ILL)
The Library can obtain any material required by Osgoode students that is not available at other libraries at York University and is not available from electronic sources (e-resources) at York. There is no charge for this service. Interlibrary loans can can only be requested and processed using Relais, our online interlibrary loan service. You can register for a RACER account online here, or consult the interlibrary loan page on this website.
Unpaid Fines & Suspension of Privileges
Borrowers registered at another York University library may borrow circulating materials from the Law Library unless their privileges have been suspended. Borrowing and service privileges may be suspended for failure to follow library regulations, failure to pay fines and/or return books or failure to co-operate with library staff.
- Osgoode and York Students and Faculty: Borrowing privileges will be suspended for those who owe $25.00 or more in unpaid bills and/or accumulating charges for overdue materials. Graduating students may have their diploma and/or transcripts withheld until all outstanding library accounts are settled.
- External Borrowers: Borrowing privileges will be suspended for those who owe $5.00 or more in unpaid bills and/or accumulating charges for overdue materials.
All outstanding library fines and/or fees must be paid before a borrower may re-register at the library. Outstanding accounts may be referred to a Collection Agency.