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Graduate Student Library Guide > Borrow from other libraries

Borrow from other libraries

Using interlibrary loan (RACER)

  • Enables placing of requests online for books, articles and other types of materials available at other libraries.
  • This is a service available to all registered students, faculty and staff at York. These privileges do not extend to alumni or external borrowers.
  • Book loans and copies of journal articles are available free of charge to graduate students.
  • First time users must first register with RACER before they can place online requests (Passport York details are requested).
  • Regular users should login directly on the RACER site.
  • Further information about conditions and policies (what can be borrowed, for how long, loan conditions, options for pickup and renewal) is available.
  • Questions can also be sent directly to racer@yorku.ca or conveyed by telephone to (416) 736-5808.

Borrowing when you’re at another university library

Canadian university faculty, staff and students and staff benefit from Reciprocal Borrowing Privileges at most Canadian universities.

  • As a result of these reciprocal borrowing arrangements, graduate students have borrowing privileges and on-site access to the collections of most other Canadian universities.
  • Please note that the University of Toronto Libraries is not part of the Reciprocal Borrowing agreement. See below for more information.
  • Note that direct borrowing does not extend privileges in terms of off-site access to the electronic database or journal collections of other university libraries.
  • To use the libraries at these universities, graduate students should present their YU-card at the appropriate desk and complete any necessary registration form. Collateral identification may be required. You will be issued a library card for use at the library.
  • The undergraduate loan period of the lending library applies to all transactions.
  • Only circulating material as defined by the lending library may be borrowed.
  • Books should be returned to the lending library, or to your home library. Books should be identified as Direct Borrowing materials.
  • For further information about direct borrowing privileges please consult this web site.

Access and borrowing at the University of Toronto Libraries

  • The University of Toronto Libraries does not offer borrowing privileges or access to Robarts Library stacks to undergraduates from other institutions.
  • Borrowing privileges and access to Robarts Library stacks may be purchased by York faculty, staff and graduate students.
  • The University of Toronto now charges a $250 user fee for borrowing privileges for faculty and staff of other institutions.
  • Access to Robarts stacks for York staff and faculty: $50 per year.
  • Access to Robarts stacks for York graduate students: $20 per year. This fee is being partially subsidized by York University (see below).

A Note on the Special Arrangements for York’s Graduate Students

  • Borrowing privileges for York graduate students is $225 per year. (For non-U of T graduate students the fee is normally $250. However York is partially subsidizing this cost.)
  • The Robarts stack access fee for York graduate students is $20 per year. (For non-U of T graduate students the stack access fee is normally $50. York University has negotiated a reduced rate of $40. In addition York is subsidizing $20 of this annual fee for graduate students only.)

More detailed information can be found at the University of Toronto Library web site

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