Borrow, Renew, and Return Materials
Who Can Apply?
Anyone not currently a student or employee of UMD can apply for a community card to borrow materials from the Kathryn A. Martin Library. They can also request materials from other University of Minnesota campus libraries. Please come to the Library Services Desk to complete an application.
High School Students
High school students may borrow through their parent or legal guardian's account as a proxy if the parent agrees to act as the student's sponsor. The student must be at least 14 years of age, and must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to sign the proxy agreement. The parent must be registered to use the library and must agree to be responsible for any items borrowed by the student.
Renewals
For your convenience, the library will automatically renew loans of three days or longer until items reach their final renewal date. For community card users, the end date for renewal of a regular book is three months after checkout. Loans of Best Sellers reach an end renewal date eight weeks after checkout. Other materials have shorter renewal terms. You must return a borrowed item by the final due date to avoid being billed for a lost item.
You may renew materials in the following ways: (1) in person at the Library Services Desk or (2) by calling 218-726-6120 during open hours.
Return Borrowed Items
You may return materials (1) in the return bin built into the Library Services Desk, (2) in the concourse hallway's return slot to the left of the library gate, (3) in the outdoor stainless steel book return near the library entrance, or (4) by mailing the items to the Kathryn A. Martin Library.
Any items checked out to your University account, including Twin Cities, Morris or Crookston materials, can be returned here or at any U of M library.
Late?
Overdue and/or lost materials will cause your borrowing privileges to become blocked. If this happens, return overdue materials at the Library Services Desk.
If you keep a library item more than 30 days beyond its due date, you will be billed a $100 replacement fee for a lost item. Materials loaned for shorter terms, such as DVDs, will be billed as lost sooner than long-term loans. For information about fines, see Paying Fines and Fees.
Loan Periods for Community Users
| Item | Loan Period |
|---|---|
| Archival Materials | Use inside library |
| Best Sellers | Four weeks |
| Books | Six weeks |
| Children's Literature | Six weeks |
| DVDs | Three days |
| Folios | Six weeks |
| Games | One week |
| Government Documents | Six weeks |
| Graphic Novels | Four weeks |
| Microfilm/Microfiche | Use inside library |
| Newspapers | Three days |
| Periodicals | One week |
| Reference Books | Three Days |
Sámi Collection | Six weeks |
| Special Collections | Use inside library |
| Teaching Materials | Six weeks |
| Wellness | Four weeks |
Request an Item
Community Users with a courtesy card can request materials be retrieved from the Kathryn A. Martin Library stacks or from other University of Minnesota libraries. Ask at the Library Services Desk and staff can place requests on your behalf. Broader Interlibrary Loan services are reserved for students, faculty and staff.
Items eligible for request include books, periodicals, and music scores—titles that regularly circulate for at least one week.
You'll be emailed when your materials are ready for pickup at the Library Services Desk.
Staff at the Library Services Desk can help you search for materials. If we don't find what you need right away, we will place a request on your behalf and continue searching for the item.
Guest Computer
Community users can ask for a guest computer card with at the Library Services desk. A limited number of computers are available for community users on a first-come, first-served basis. Users can log in to guest computers for up to two hours per day.
The guest computers are located on the first floor of the library, clearly marked with signage. Guest PCs have various browsers for accessing electronic resources, the catalog, and the internet. You can also print using a guest print card (available for purchase ($1) at the Library Services Desk).
For quick access to the catalog, we have "library catalog only" computers on the first and fourth floors of the library.
Visitors with laptops or devices can use the UMD Guest Wireless Service for temporary web-only access.
How to Use the Guest Computers
How long is my account active?
Your expiry date will be shown on your guest computer card.
How long will I have access to the internet?
Guest users are allotted two hours per day. You may log out after a portion of that time and log back in later in the day to use your remaining minutes. Unused minutes do not roll over to a future day.
You will be logged out automatically if there is no activity for five minutes.
Will I be warned when my time is about to run out?
Yes, an alert will pop up when time is running out. You will also be warned when the library is about to close. Guest computers automatically shut down five minutes before closing time.
Save your work! To prevent data loss, save your files to removable media such as a USB memory stick—not on the hard drive.
Printing from Guest Computers
Guest computer users may purchase a Campus Cash Card ($1.00) and then add value to it at the cash-to-card machine located on the first floor of the library near the restrooms. Printing costs $.05 per black and white page.
Access from Off Campus
Community users, if not physically on campus, can only use these UMD open access resources due to licensing restrictions.
Electronic Resources for Community Users
Publicly Available Electronic Resources
UMD Open Access Databases — The general public can access databases on this list from their own computers. UMD subscription databases can only be accessed from public computers inside the Library. For help, please call 218-726-6120.
State Available Electronic Resources
BadgerLink: Wisconsin's Connection to the World of Information—Wisconsin residents can access 11,000+ periodical titles and 700+ newspapers, literature, business, medical, and education sources.
ELM: Electronic Library for Minnesota — ELM provides Minnesota residents with online access to magazines, journals, and newspaper articles, ebooks, and information from other reference sources.
Locally Available Electronic Resources
Duluth (Minnesota) Public Library Electronic Resources — Includes electronic resources available only to DPL cardholders and electronic resources available from the Electronic Library for Minnesota (ELM).
Arrowhead Library System (Minnesota) Public Libraries — Includes electronic resources available to databases available to northern Minnesota residents with library cards from ALS member libraries. Check to see if your public library is an ALS member in the Arrowhead Library System Directory.