Borrowing Library Materials

You are responsible for all materials borrowed on your ID. To meet this responsibility, you should monitor your borrowing record on a regular basis (we suggest weekly). The libraries send email notices as a courtesy to patrons to aid you in keeping track of all your transactions and to renew items, but you should check your record regularly through the Libraries website (see the "View Your Circulation Record" section below). In monitoring your use, please follow these guidelines:

  • Understand that OSU items due dates may vary by library location, item type (book, journal, etc.) and patron type (faculty, undergraduate, graduate, etc.). Also, a due date may be changed if someone else requests a book that you have checked out. OhioLINK materials circulate for 3 weeks to all patrons and may be renewed up to 4 times provided the item has not been requested by another patron.
  • In order to avoid fines, please return or renew your materials on time. Items cannot be renewed if they have been recalled, are non-renewable, or if you have received a bill for them. You may request a receipt for every item you return.
  • Please keep your address current and be sure to check your OSU e-mail to facilitate receiving courtesy notices on overdue items, recalls, and requests. To help us maintain your correct address please view your patron record regularly and take appropriate action if we have an incorrect address:
    • If you are a student, make sure the Registrar also has your correct address.
    • If you are an OSU employee (faculty, staff, or graduate assistant), make sure OSU Human Resources and your department also have your correct address. 



      Files received regularly from the Registrar and OSU Human Resources will overlay information already in the Libraries' files.
    • If you are not an OSU student or employee, please notify a Libraries' staff member to update this information in your record.

Quickest Delivery Method

The quickest way to get the books you request into your hands is to select the Thompson Library as your pick-up location. In addition, the Book Depository schedules deliveries to the Thompson Library and Science & Engineering Library 3 times daily to provide the quickest service for picking up items.

If you do not have a rush need for the items, patrons may prefer to have items sent to their office by selecting "COL CAMPUS OFFICE/DORM" as the pickup location. This service adds a few days to the delivery but saves patrons a trip into the library to pick up the items.

Books by Campus Mail

Faculty, staff, and students with a campus address may choose to have books mailed to them at that address by choosing "COL CAMPUS OFFICE/DORM" as their pickup location by University Campus Mail. Before choosing this option, view your patron record to verify that you have a valid campus address.  

Patrons choosing to have books mailed to their campus address are responsible for the material from the time it is checked out to them. Materials are checked out to patrons before they are sent in Campus Mail. Patrons continue to be responsible until the material is checked in at any Ohio State University or OhioLINK library.

We encourage you to return all library materials in person at an OSU Libraries circulation desk. You may request a receipt for returned items. Books may also be returned using the outdoor book drop located just outside the Loading Dock area at the Thompson Library.

View Your Circulation Record

To access your circulation record, click on the "My Record" button on the OSU Libraries website. You will be asked to supply your name and University ID Number. You may use this feature to:

  • View items that you have checked out, renew them, and see if any have been recalled.
  • View the status of items you have requested or cancel requests you have placed.
  • View library fines and other charges to your account which may cause your account to be blocked if their total value is $75.00 or more.
  • View (but not update) your address as it appears in library records.

Follow the appropriate on screen instructions for the information/action you desire. NOTE: Be sure to exit the browser when you've finished looking at your record to prevent someone else from seeing this personal information.

Request and Recall Information

You may request most circulating items listed as available or checked out. Available items will be retrieved and held for you at the library you select. A checked out item will be recalled from the current borrower and you will be sent a courtesy e-mail notice when the book is ready for pickup.

An item may be recalled from you by another patron at any time, which may change the item's due date. A courtesy e-mail notice will be sent notifying you of any recall(s) on your item(s) with a due date within 10 days from the date the request was placed on the item, or the original due date, whichever is greater. Please respond to these notices promptly. Overdue fines accrue at the rate of $10.00/day per recalled item. Items that have been recalled may not be renewed.

Library Notices via Email

As a courtesy, The Ohio State University Libraries send request, recall, overdue, billing, and cancellation notices to your OSU e-mail address. E-mail notification service provides uninterrupted delivery of your library notices throughout the year, including quarter breaks and summer quarter. To avoid library fines, you can:

  • View Your Circulation Record to identify items that are RECALLED or OVERDUE (we suggest weekly). 
  • Check your e-mail regularly even when you are away.

If you need assistance in setting up your email account or you would like to forwarded OSU email to a commercial internet account, please contact the OIT Help Desk.

Closed Reserve

Permanent Reserves



A small collection of reference materials and University documents, including the University salaries, are available for two-hour loan.

Course Reserves 



Course reserves can include books, photocopies and other items that have been gathered by instructors and reserve room staff to support class assignments.  Due dates of these items range from 2 hours to 7 days based as designed by the instructor's request.  Hourly, 1 day, and 3 day overdue Course Reserve items accrue fines at the rate of $2.00 for the first hour/day and $5.00 for each additional hour/day per item. One Week Reserves are $5.00 for the first day and $10.00 per day thereafter. 

In order for the Circulation Department staff to be able to retrieve Closed Reserve materials, patrons must know one of the following:

  • Course name and number
  • Instructor's name
  • Title of the book/article
  • Author of the book/article

OhioLINK

When a book you need is not available at OSU Libraries you may request it from OhioLINK, a statewide information network which includes an online central catalog of member libraries' holdings.

If you have done a search in OSU's catalog and learned that the item either isn't owned or is unavailable at OSU, the search can be automatically transferred to the OhioLINK Central Catalog. In the OSU catalog, click on the OhioLINK Catalog button in the upper right portion of the screen; For information about tracking your OhioLINK request click on the following link tracking link.

Please note that pickup notices for OhioLINK materials are sent via email only. If you do not have an email address in your record, please follow the instructions in View Your Circulation Record, above, to see when a requested book is ready for pick up.

OhioLINK books may be borrowed for 21 days with up to 4 renewals of 21 days each, provided another request has not been placed on the item. If a request is placed on the item you will not be able to renew it. Unlike OSU, OhioLINK overdue fines are charged at the rate of $.50 per day from the due date, whether the item has been recalled or not.

Courtesy patrons are limited to 5 OhioLINK items at any time on their record. This includes items in transit to and from locations.

Books may be delivered for pickup to the OSU library most convenient to you or may be delivered to a valid campus office address by choosing "COL CAMPUS OFFICE/DORM" as their pickup location. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact any library or the Library Circulation Department, phone 292-OSUL (6785).