External researchers

Direct borrowers |  Research readers  |  Other

Purchase either the Direct Borrower or the Research Reader card at the Robarts Library Reader Registration desk.

Direct borrower

Eligibility

Graduate students, faculty or staff from other Canadian universities with valid home university identification

Cost

Expires yearly on September 30th. Cost is pro-rated depending on the time of year purchased:

Privileges

Privileges may vary at individual libraries.

• Robarts Library book stacks access
• Up to 100 loans at a time
• Access to stacks, computing, and facilities
• 14 day loan period, renewable anytime up to 42 days
• Renew your card at the Robarts Library Reader Registration desk

Please note that the Direct Borrower card does NOT include the following:

• Access to interlibrary loan services
• Remote access to U of T Libraries' online databases due to licensing restrictions.
• Wifi access

Research reader

Eligibility

• Our borrowing plan for researchers unaffiliated with a university
• Please note that undergraduates or pre-undergraduate students are ineligible for this plan

Cost

Privileges

Privileges may vary at individual libraries.

• Borrow up to 100 books at once
• 14 day loan period, renewable anytime up to 42 days
• Request up to 25 books for library pick-up at once
• Access to stacks, computing, and facilities
• Access to interlibrary loan services – $30 per request
• Renew your membership online
• On-site access to most of the University of Toronto Libraries’ online databases

Please note that the Research Reader card does NOT include the following:

• Remote access to the U of T Libraries' online databases due to licensing restrictions.
• Wifi access 

Other cards

• University of Toronto alumni are eligible for the alumni borrowing card
• Weekly and daily stack passes are unavailable until further notice.

–Updated May 2, 2023