Borrowing

Loan Periods

General Collections

• Four weeks for NU undergraduate student
• Four weeks for NU staff
• Four weeks for guest and corporate borrowers
• Twelve weeks for NU graduate students
• One year for NU faculty
• When a patron's WildCard is near expiration, and this falls within a chargeout period, materials will only be charged out until the WildCard's expiration date.

Multimedia Collection

• Three (3) days to Northwestern University (NU) students, staff, and all patrons in special borrowers categories
• Fourteen (14) days to faculty and all graduate students who have a valid NU WildCARD or borrower's card.
• A maximum of four (4) items (i.e. VHS reels, DVD discs, and bound guides) may be checked out to students, staff and special borrowers during any given three (3) day loan period. Northwestern University faculty on the Evanston campus may check out a maximum of 25 items at one time. Graduate students may check out a maximum of 10 items at one time.

Please note that the due date for a book may be shortened if the item is recalled by another user. Patrons are notified by mail of the new due date, and fines will apply for items not returned by the new date.

Reference books, periodicals, sound recordings, and certain other materials do not circulate. Please check with the lending library regarding specific policies.

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Returning Materials

• A book drop is available at the Schaffner circulation desk.
• Each library (except Geology and Science-Engineering) provide an after hour book drop.
• Receipts for returned materials may be requested at time of return.
• Books may be returned to any Northwestern University library, except that items belonging to the Chicago campus libraries request that you return them to the owning library.
• Reserve materials should be returned to the lending reserve desk.

Requesting Material from the Evanston campus

The Schaffner Library will request items that are not immediately available on Northwestern's Chicago campus. This includes articles and books from any of the Northwestern University Evanston campus libraries. Items that are already available on the Chicago campus (Schaffner Library, Galter Medical Library, or Law Library) must be retrieved by the patron directly.

This service is available to current students in the School of Continuing Studies, Kellogg, Medill, and OLLI, faculty (and their spouses) and staff, guest members, and NU alumi with a valid NU Wildcard.

Request Forms for both books and articles are available online and at the Schaffner Library Desk.

Click here to request a Book or Video from the Evanston campus

Click here to request an Article from the Evanston campus

How long does it take?

Items from Evanston are usually delivered within 1 to 3 business days.

This includes articles and books from any of the Northwestern University Evanston Libraries. Items that are already available on the Chicago campus (Schaffner Library, Galter Medical Library, or Law Library) must be retrieved by the patron directly.

Notification

Patrons are contacted by phone or e-mail as requested when the items arrive. All items are held at Schaffner's Circulation desk for 10 days.

Questions?

Please call (312) 503-8423 or email schaffner-circulation@northwestern.edu if you have any questions regarding intercampus loans (ICL) or to check on the status of your request.

[ back to Schaffner Circulation policies ]

Joseph Schaffner Library
339 E Chicago Ave, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60611-3071