Borrowing items

How to borrow items

You can use your Concordia ID card (or Alumni Card / Library Privilege Card with valid ID*) to borrow from the Concordia Library. Borrowers must have an active (non-expired) library account. In cases where the usual loan period would exceed the expiry date on the user's account, the loan will be due back on the expiry date.

You can borrow regularly circulating material at the Loans & Returns desk (Webster Library) or Circulation desk (Vanier Library) or at a self-checkout machine at either library.

To use the self-checkout machine, you will need to scan the barcode on your Concordia ID card (or Alumni Card / Library Privilege Card) then follow the instructions on the machine. For information on when your item(s) are due back check your My Library Account.

Some material, such as journals and reference material, must be consulted within the Library only and cannot be borrowed.

* Valid ID: Driver's license with an address or photo ID with some proof of residence (e.g., utility bill).

Hold requests

Item not available: If an item you wish to borrow is currently not available for borrowing (e.g., another user has borrowed the item or the item is newly acquired and not on the shelf yet), you can request a hold for this item. You will receive an email when the item is available for pickup.

Item in Library at either campus: If an item you wish to borrow is on the shelf in either Library, you can request a hold for this item and it will be sent to the campus of your choice. You will receive an email when it is available for pickup.

Look for the Request button in the Sofia Discovery tool to place a hold:

Multi-parts/volumes: If the item you are requesting has multiple parts or volumes, you can change the “I need” drop down menu on the request form to "Specific Copies or Volumes", which will allow you to select the specific part/volume(s) you need.

Related services

Article/Chapter Scan & Deliver service: Articles and chapters from Concordia's collection of books and print or microform periodicals can be scanned and emailed to you as a PDF attachment.

Intercampus Delivery of Bound Periodicals and Microforms: Full volumes of a bound periodical or a periodical on microform can be transfered by intercampus delivery to Vanier Library or Webster Library for pickup.

Maximum number of items

User type definitions

Concordia community

Current Concordia students, staff, faculty, post-docs and retirees

PBUQ community

Current students, staff, faculty, post-docs and retirees of all of the PBUQ institutions

External academic community

Members from institutions with which the Concordia Library has agreements (OCUL, CAUL, COPPUL,)

Concordia alumni

See the University's Alumni & Friends webpage to see who is eligible for an Alumni ID card

CEGEP partners

Members from CEGEPs in Quebec that have agreements with the Concordia Library

Paying members

Members who have paid the $50 membership fee.

Loan duration

Item definitions

Regularly circulating collections of all PBUQ libraries

Includes books, video and sound recordings, kits, etc., that are not in Course Reserves, Special Collections, or the non-circulating reference collection

Leisure collection

Items from the Leisure collection with a 30-day non-renewable loan period. Only available to the Concordia community.

Daily course reserve loans

Items from the Course Reserves Room with a one-day loan period. Only available to the Concordia community.

Three-hour course reserve loans

Items from the Course Reserves Room with a three-hour loan period. Only available to the Concordia community.

Anatomical models

The models are only available at Vanier Library for in library use only by Concordia Community users.

Equipment

Includes light therapy lamps, calculators, markers, external CD/DVD drives, visual aid keyboards (only available at Vanier Library), portable standing desks, and adaptors. Only available to the Concordia community.

Accessories

Includes headphones and phone chargers. Available to all borrowing users.

Library laptops

Only available to the Concordia community.

Library tablets

Only available to the Concordia community.

Technology Sandbox items

Includes cameras, Arduino kits, tripods, gaming systems, video games, Raspberry Pi kits, VR headsets, and more (see full list of Technology Sandbox items). Only available to the Concordia community. For more information on borrowing Technology Sandbox items.

Self-checkout machine

Library users can check out materials for themselves using the self-checkout machines at Webster and Vanier Libraries. The machines can be found in the Course Reserve rooms at both libraries and in other positions near the circulation desks. To use them, you must have your Concordia ID card, Alumni ID card or Library Privilege Card.

If you need help, follow the instructions on the self-checkout screen or see staff at the Loans & Returns Desk (Webster Library) or Circulation Desk (Vanier Library).

Certain items cannot be checked out at the machine, including:

• Items which have been requested by another user
• Reference materials (dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc.)
• All journals, magazines, and newspapers
• Media materials including microforms, videos, etc.
• Equipment (e.g., laptops, tablets, Technology Sandbox items)

Please note that the Library Loans Policy and Policy on Overdue and Lost Material apply for transactions done through the self-checkout machine.

Other Quebec university libraries

In July 2020, Quebec universities implemented a Shared Services Platform. This platform allows students, faculty, and staff from all Quebec university libraries to search, access, and request and borrow items from the collections of the 18 partner institutions. This new system eliminates the need for a PBUQ card in Quebec university libraries.

Our network loans service, available since May 5, 2022, allows you to easily place requests for books held by other university libraries in Quebec, right within Sofia! This means if Concordia Library does not have the book you want (or if it has already been checked out) you can easily request it from one of the Quebec university libraries that has it.

Please visit the Sofia user guide for more information.

PBUQ card (university libraries outside of Quebec)

Concordia students, staff and faculty (including retired faculty) may be eligible to borrow items in person from other Canadian libraries outside of Quebec with a PBUQ card, issued by Concordia Library.

Bring your Concordia ID to the Loans & Returns desk at the Webster Library or the Circulation desk at the Vanier Library to get your PBUQ card (Partenariat des bibliothèques universitaires du Québec).

When borrowing from other Canadian university libraries, please take note of the following:

• The borrower must show a PBUQ card as well as provide appropriate personal identification (picture ID) for registration.
• In requesting a PBUQ card, the borrower is agreeing to respect the policies and procedures of the lending library, including returns and fines policies.
• All fines, replacement costs, and other fees are based upon the policies of the lending library. The borrower in arrears may reestablish borrowing privileges once all fines and fees are paid to the lending library.
• Borrowed material may be returned at the returns counter of the lending library or to the returns counter of the borrower's home library.