Eligible users, including those registered at other York University libraries, may borrow material from Osgoode Library by visiting one of our self-service kiosks or the circulation desk. Users must be in good standing to borrow. Failure to observe Osgoode library lending policies and the York University Lending Code, to pay fees, or to return books on time may result in account suspension and/or accrual of fees. Outstanding library fees must be settled before borrowing or renewing membership.
Loan Periods
Please note that Osgoode Library loan periods and borrowing eligibility may be adjusted at any time. See below for details.
Regular Loan*
| User Group | Loan Period & Renewal | Item Limits |
| Faculty | 120 days, 3 renewals | 500 |
| Graduate student | 120 days, 3 renewals | 500 |
| Undergraduate student | 120 days, 3 renewals | 500 |
| Staff | 120 days, 3 renewals | 500 |
| External | 14 days, 2 renewals | 15 |
* Regular loan items are subject to recall at any time. If an item is recalled, its due date is 7 days from the date of recall; if an item is loaned with an active recall on it, its due date is 7 days from the date of loan. Where items are recalled with a due date of 7 days or less, the original due date applies. The library will notify you by email of any changes affecting your loans.
Short-term Loan
| Item Type | Loan Period & Renewal | Additional Information |
| Reserves | 3 hours, no renewals | Non-Osgoode users: in-library use only |
| Accessories | End of day, no renewals | Osgoode faculty, graduates, and undergraduates only |
| Laptop loans | 4 days, no renewals | Osgoode faculty and graduates only |
| End of day, no renewals | Osgoode undergraduates only |
No Loan
Items in the following locations are for in-library use only
| Balfour Halévy Special Collections |
| Osgoode Moveable Stacks (statutes, digests, reports, print journals*) |
| Osgoode Reference |
| Osgoode Microtext |
*Statutes, digests, reports, and current print journal issues are for in-library use only.
Other formats
Sign into Omni via Passport York (or via Barcode and PIN for External borrowers) to see relevant lending information for items in different locations.
Renewals & Returns
Renewals
Renew your books by signing into Omni and reviewing Loans in My Library Account, or in person at any York University library circulation desk.
Returns
Regular loan items can be returned to any circulation desk at York University Libraries or they can be deposited in any of the book return bins throughout campus. Recalled materials must be returned on or before the due date to avoid overdue recall fees. All other items should be returned to Osgoode Library.
Osgoode Library’s book return bin is located at the west-side entrance near the Osgoode Hall Law School (Ignat Kaneff building) parking lot. The after-hours book drop is cleared one hour after Osgoode Library opens each day.
Library material used in the library but not checked out should be placed on one of the various “book return” areas. Library staff will reshelve books on your behalf.
Fines & Charges
Library accounts are blocked from borrowing upon fines/charges accruing to or in excess of:
- $25 for University Borrowers (Faculty, Graduate Students, Undergraduate Students, and Staff)
- $5 for External Borrowers
Library accounts may also be blocked if University Borrowers have five or more overdue items or if External Borrowers have two or more overdue items. All users will be blocked if one or more recalled items are not returned by the recall due date.
| Fine/Fee Type | Fine/Fee Amount | Maximum |
| Overdue Osgoode Stacks (Regular Loan) | No fines | |
| Overdue Osgoode Media | No fines | |
| Overdue Osgoode Stacks (Regular Loan) – Recalled | $4.00 per day | $56.00 per item |
| Overdue Osgoode Media – Recalled | $10.00 per day | $100 per item |
| Overdue Osgoode Reserve | $3.00 per hour | $100 per item |
| Overdue Osgoode Equipment/Accessory | $3.00 per hour | $100 per item |
| Lost item (replacement charge) | $125.00 per item |
Fines and charges can be paid at any circulation desk or online by signing into Omni and accessing My Library Account. Osgoode Library accepts Visa, Mastercard, and Interac. Cash and cheques are not accepted.
Replacement Charges
A $125.00 replacement charge will be levied in the following cases, in addition to any other fees that may have been accrued:
- Item declared lost by the borrower
- Reserve materials not returned within 30 days after the due date
- Stack materials not returned within 30 days after the due date
- Recalled materials not returned within 30 days after the due date
- An item returned defaced, damaged, or otherwise unfit for circulation
A borrower who has declared an item lost may be authorized to purchase an appropriate replacement copy for the library, if available, but only in prior consultation with Osgoode Hall Law School Library administration. An “appropriate replacement copy” is determined solely by Osgoode Hall Law School Library. The cost of replacement will be determined either by the actual cost of the replacement copy or by the replacement charge of $125.00, whichever is greater.
Users who return an item previously declared lost and/or where they were already billed for replacement on that lost item (or where a replacement copy has been purchased), will not be refunded the replacement charge as a result of the user having declared the item lost.
Requests
Holds
A user may place a hold on select items.
- Log into your Omni account, find a book, click the Request link in the record, and then fill out the request form; or,
- Request a hold in person at any circulation desk at York University Libraries
The library will notify you when your hold is ready for pickup. You will have seven days from the time of notification to pickup your hold after which time it will expire. You may also cancel a hold request from your library account.
A user may only request a hold for on-shelf items (i.e., items not on loan) if the item is with the Leslie Frost Library (see Inter-campus Borrowing), or from Osgoode Storage.
Search
If Omni indicates that an item is available but you are unable to find it on the shelf, you may request that library staff search the item. Visit the circulation desk for assistance. If found, the library will notify you by email when it is ready for pick-up.
Balfour Halévy Special Collections Requests
Requests for materials from the Balfour Halévy Special Collections can be submitted in Omni by logging in and then clicking Request from the record. You may also contact the circulation desk to request items. Balfour Halévy Special Collections material may be used only under supervision in the John R. Cartwright Rare Book Reading Room. Please allow at least one business day for your request to be processed and for the requested items to be retrieved and prepared. Library staff will contact you when your request is ready. Prior to your visit, consult the Guidelines for Using Special Collections Materials.
Items cannot be removed from the Rare Book Reading Room. Photocopying or other types of document reproduction is not permitted; however, arrangements can be made through library staff for any necessary copying.
Inter-campus Borrowing (ICB)
Inter-campus Borrowing (ICB) is a service provided to transport library material between the Keele campus libraries (Bronfman, Osgoode, Scott, and Steacie) and the Frost Library at Glendon campus. Note: Materials will not be transferred between libraries on the Keele Campus. Users may log into Omni, search for an item, and then place a request from the record to be moved to either a Keele campus library or Leslie Frost Library. The library will notify you when the item is ready for pickup.
Inter-library Loan (ILL)
Please note that borrowing via inter-library loan is unavailable to the general public.
York University Libraries’ Inter-library Loan (ILL) service is available to all Osgoode faculty and students. We can obtain for you from other libraries any materials required by you that are not held by any of the libraries at York University and not available electronically. This service is provided free to all Osgoode faculty and students.
To make an inter-library loan request, please use Omni, York University’s online inter-library loan service. All ILL requests for Osgoode faculty and students will be made available for pickup at the Osgoode Library’s circulation desk. You will be notified when your request has been received.
If you find a book in Omni but the library does not have a copy you may submit an Omni request by clicking on the “Request it via Interlibrary Loan” link in the record. You must be signed in before placing an ILL request.