Library Privileges

How To Get Library Privileges

Applications for library privileges and requests for the renewal of library privileges may be made at the circulation desks in Shields Library, the Carlson Health Sciences Library, the Blaisdell Medical Library, or the Physical Sciences & Engineering Library. Privileges for unaffiliated borrowers are not issued at all locations. Current students may also register online.

Photo identification and verification of status or payment must be presented when registering. Proof of California residence is required. See Library Privileges section below for application procedures and privileges available to different types of borrowers. All borrowers must present a valid library card each time an item is checked out or renewed.

Library privileges are not transferable. Only the individual named on the library card can use the card.

Authorization cards, which allow borrowing by proxy, may be issued to Davis Campus faculty and disabled staff and students. Please see section on Proxy Cards for more information on proxy card eligibility.

Library Privileges

UC Davis

• Students (Undergraduate and Graduate)
  • Filing Fee Status
  • Planned Educational Leave (PELP) and Making Up Incompletes
• Academic Senate / Academic Federation members
  • Proxy Borrowers
• Staff
• Employees & Students at Work Sites outside the Davis/Sacramento Area
• Alumni
• Extension Students
• Library Associates & Medical Library Associates
• Retirees
• Visiting Scholars & Distinguished Visitors
• Information for Departmental Personnel Officers

Other UC

• Students
• Faculty
• Staff
• Alumni
• Retirees

Unaffiliated Individuals

• California State University (CSU) Students
• Other CA Public College Students
• Faculty & librarians at other CA colleges
• Certificated CA public school employees
• Not current UC student, faculty or staff (includes general public)

UC Davis Undergraduate and Graduate Students

Activate your Student ID card to obtain Library privileges online, or in person at one of the circulation desks in Shields Library, the Carlson Health Sciences Library, the Blaisdell Medical Library, or the Physical Sciences & Engineering Library. Student ID cards serve as library cards. As long as a student remains registered, library privileges will be automatically updated.

Library Borrowing Privileges at other UC Libraries

All currently registered UC Davis students are eligible for borrowing privileges at all other UC libraries by presenting the UC Davis Student ID card and registering for library services.

Regents Scholars and Honors Classes

Davis Regent's Scholars and UC Davis students enrolled in Honors classes are eligible for graduate student privileges. Contact Shields Circulation at shieldscirc@ucdavis.edu for more information about honors undergraduate borrowing privileges.

Planned Educational Leave (PELP) and Making Up Incompletes

UC Davis students on Planned Educational Leave (PELP) and UC Davis students making up incompletes may purchase limited borrowing privileges for $12.50 per 3-month period. Students on PELP must present their UC Davis Student ID card and PELP documentation. Students making up incompletes must present a letter from the professor of the course.

Filing Fee

UC Davis graduate students on Filing Fee may purchase privileges for $12.50 per quarter. Filing fee privileges are the same as regularly enrolled graduate students. A student on Filing Fee must present his/her Student ID card and approved Filing Fee documentation when obtaining or renewing borrowing privileges. The $12.50 fee for UC Davis students may be waived if the student is employed in a UC Davis campus research or instructional position. Proof of current employment is required. Filing Fee library privileges may be renewed by mail by sending a photocopy of the approved Filing Fee documentation and the Student ID and enclosing a check for $12.50 made out to UC Regents; send requests to the circulation unit of the library most often used. Check the library directory for mailing addresses

UC Davis Student Library Borrowing Privileges at California State University, Sacramento

UC Davis students, including graduate students on Filing Fee, are eligible for borrowing privileges at California State University, Sacramento (CSUS), through a reciprocal agreement. Proof of current registration is required when registering for library privileges at the CSUS Library Circulation Desk.

UC Davis Graduate Student Library Borrowing Privileges at Stanford

UC Davis graduate students, including those on Filing Fee, are eligible for borrowing privileges at Stanford University through a reciprocal agreement. A UC Davis graduate student should first apply at the UC Davis Shields Library Circulation Desk or the Carlson Health Sciences Library Circulation Desk and obtain a Stanford Reciprocal ID card; this card is required at the time of application for library privileges at the Green Library at Stanford. The Stanford Lane Medical Library is not a party to this reciprocal agreement.

Students from Other UC Campuses

Students from all UC campuses are eligible for library privileges at the UC Davis libraries. A current UC student ID card and proof of registration is required. A UC Davis library card will be issued and will expire at the end of the UC Davis quarter.

Members of the UC Academic Senate and Academic Federation

Salaried UC academic personnel are eligible for borrowing privileges at UC Davis University Libraries. Unsalaried UC Davis academic personnel are eligible for UC Davis borrowing privileges, but may be restricted at other UC campuses. A photo ID is required when obtaining or renewing borrowing privileges. After completion of a brief application, a record is created in the Library's patron database. Employment verification is made through the UCOP Employee Database or a call to the departmental personnel representative (salaried personnel only).

Proxy Borrowers

Authorization cards, that allow borrowing by proxy, may be issued to designated UC Davis students and employees who are working for members of the Academic Senate or Academic Federation. Disabled staff members and students are also eligible to have a proxy. The Academic Senate / Academic Federation member or the disabled staff member or student is the Sponsor. The individual acting for the Sponsor is a Proxy.

Proxy applications may be obtained at circulation desks of General Library units.

A new proxy application is required each year. Proxy cards expire annually on June 30th.

A total of 300 items may be checked out by the Sponsor, including all items checked out by Proxies.

The Sponsor is responsible for all materials checked out by a Proxy and for responding to recalls, overdue notices and replacement bills.

The Proxy must be able to perform the library services required by the Sponsor. Typically, these services would include retrieving materials from the stacks in various campus libraries, checking out and returning materials, using photocopiers and printers in the libraries, and using library computers to search online catalogs and databases, retrieve information, and place requests.

Requirements for Academic Senate / Academic Federation members:

• The proxy borrower must be a UC employee, as verified in the Employee Database, or a registered UC Davis student, as verified in the Student Information System.
• Four proxy cards per Sponsor are allowed.

Requirements for disabled students and staff:

• The proxy borrower must be employed by the Sponsor, a UC employee (as verified in the Employee Database), or a registered UC Davis student (as verified in the Student Information System).
• One proxy card per Sponsor is allowed.
• For more information on services for disabled patrons, please go to Services to Library Patrons with Disabilities.

UC Staff

Salaried UC staff personnel are eligible for library privileges at UC Davis University Libraries. Privileges vary according to payroll title. A record in the Employee Database (EDB/PPS) is required to obtain library privileges.

Unsalaried staff personnel are not eligible for library privileges as employees.

Library borrowing privileges may be obtained at the circulation desk of any General Library unit. A UC Davis Employee Photo ID is required when obtaining or renewing borrowing privileges. After completion of a brief application, a record is established in the Library's patron database. Employment verification is made through the UCOP Employee Database (for UC Davis employees only). The Employee Database or the departmental personnel representative can be consulted only during normal business hours. Employee Database is also available on Saturday. Employment verification for staff from other UC campuses is made by phone call to the home campus.

Library cards may be renewed in person or by mail. If renewing by mail, a photocopy of the UC Davis photo ID or the UC Davis library card should be sent. Employment will be verified before library privileges are renewed.

UC Davis Visiting Scholars

Unsalaried UC Davis Visiting Scholars and Distinguished Visitors must present a UC Davis photo ID card and must have an entry in the campus LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) in order to be considered for library privileges. See your departmental liaison to start this process.

Library Services for Unaffiliated Borrowers

Library cards issued to unaffiliated individuals include on-site borrowing privileges, but they do not provide access to all library services or materials. Unaffiliated borrowers are limited to 5 circulating items at one time; members of Library Associates may have 10 circulating items at one time.

Unaffiliated borrowers may not check out journals or periodicals. Unaffiliated borrowers are not eligible to use interlibrary loan or the document delivery service, nor do they have off-site access to licensed electronic resources.

Unaffiliated borrowers must be at least 18 years old and be a resident of the state of California. Either a valid California driver's license or another photo ID and proof of a California mailing address (e.g., a utility bill in the applicant's name) must be presented when applying for privileges.

Unaffiliated borrowers may apply for library privileges and request renewal of library privileges at the circulation desks of Shields Library, the Carlson Health Sciences Library, the Blaisdell Medical Library, or the Physical Sciences & Engineering Library. See Borrowing Privileges For Unaffiliated Borrower Groups for available privileges, cost, and borrowing limits. Privileges for unaffiliated borrowers are not issued at all locations.

Verification of status or payment in cash or by check must be presented when registering.

Specific documentation may be required before privileges are granted. Call the circulation desk of the library to be used to determine exactly what documentation is required to obtain library privileges.

Library privileges are not transferable. Only the individual named on the library card can use the card.

After completion of a brief application, a record is created in the Library's patron database, and a UC Davis library card is issued.

Holds, Recalls, and Requests for In-Process Materials

Materials checked out to library patrons cannot be recalled or placed on hold unless a separate hold/recall card is purchased to cover the cost of this service. A Hold/Recall/In-process request privilege card is available for $10.00 and can be used for placing a total of 5 holds, recalls or requests for expedited processing of in-process materials. These cards can be purchased at the circulation desks in Shields Library, the Carlson Health Sciences library, or the Physical Sciences & Engineering Library. When the item is available, the borrower will be notified by email, and the item will be placed on the Hold Shelf for 1 week.

Reference Cards

Reference cards are issued to allow in-building use of material shelved in closed collections, such as material housed in Reserves Services. There is no charge for this card. Photo ID is required. Please apply at the Circulation Desk. Materials on active course reserve are not available to reference card holders. This card may be used at the Northern Regional Library Facility (NRLF) to view materials on-site. NRLF materials may also be retrieved from the facility for use in the Library.

Library Privileges for UC Retirees

Members of the UC Retirement System (UCRS) are eligible for the same level of borrowing privileges as if employed. Access to licensed electronic resources is limited to UCD affiliates with emeritus status and requires a Kerberos account. Verification is done by using the Retiree card supplied by the applicant. For UC Davis retirees, a call may be made to the Campus Benefits Office at (530) 752‑1774, but this is more difficult to do. Privileges expire annually, except those for emeritus faculty which do not expire.

Library Associates and Medical Library Associates

Prospective borrowers may wish to consider joining the Library Associates or the Medical Library Associates. Annual membership in these support organizations are $55.00 or $75.00, respectively. Members of Library Associates may borrow up to 10 items at one time. Information and applications are available at library circulation desks. Medical Library Associate memberships are only available at the Health Sciences Libraries.

Library Associates may not check out journals or periodicals. Library Associates are not eligible to use interlibrary loan or the document delivery service, nor do they have off-site access to licensed electronic resources. The ability to place holds, recalls, and requests for in-process materials are the same as for other unaffiliated borrowers.

UC Alumni

All members of the regular UC Alumni Associations (not associations connected with professional schools, except UCSF) may receive a courtesy borrowing card upon presentation of their current Alumni Association Membership card and California photo ID at the Circulation Desk. California residency is required for UC borrowing privileges.

Alumni card holders may borrow up to 5 books at any one time, and receive a 2-week loan period for regular loan items at Shields Library and the Physical Sciences & Engineering Library and for the normal loan period at the Health Sciences Libraries. Material may be renewed according to library renewal policies. Hold and recall privilege cards, that can be used to place holds and recalls on materials that are charged to another borrower, or to request the rush processing of "in process" items, may be purchased for $10.00 for 5 holds/recalls. Hold/Recall cards do not expire.

UC Alumni may not check out periodicals and do not have access to interlibrary loan or the document delivery service. UC Alumni do not have access to licensed electronic journals and databases from outside the UC Davis General Library.

Borrowing Privileges for Unaffiliated Borrower Groups

Specific documentation is required before privileges are granted. Call the circulation desk of the library to be used to determine exactly what documentation is required to obtain library privileges.