Frequently Asked Questions

If any item is already checked out or is not owned by our Library, you can search for it in the I-Share catalog. I-Share lets you request books from other academic libraries in the state of Illinois.

Requesting materials through I-Share works the same way it does in the U of I Library Catalog and requires the same login information. (Any time you are searching within the Library Catalog, you can switch to searching all of I-Share simply by selecting "All I-Share Libraries" from the drop-down menu in the right side of the search box after you get your search results list.)

If you cannot find something in both the U of I Library Catalog and the I-Share Catalog, you can request a copy through Interlibrary Loan.

We offer these options in lieu of recalling the item. Thanks to I-Share and our speedy Interlibrary Loan service, this will usually get the item to you much more quickly than a recall would.

To request a book or other item from the catalog, first log in to the catalog, and then search for the item. Once you find it, click on the title to open the item's information page, and then check if it is available.

• If it is available at UIUC, click the "Request" link in the “Get it” section. Choose where you would like to pick up the item and click "Send Request". 
• If the catalog indicates that the item is only available from I-Share institutions, check if the item is currently on the shelf and loanable by clicking on the "Available in institution" link below the institution's name. If it is indeed available, click on the "Request from I-Share Libraries" button. Choose where you would like to pick up the item and click "Send Request".

Books are on reserve at specific libraries on campus. You can use the Course Reserve Search Page to search by instructor or course to find out what materials are on reserve and where they’re located. Bring your i-card and the call number of the book to the reserve location to use the items. Most reserves are loaned out for a limited period of time and can only be used within the library. See the Find and Use Course Reserves page for more information.

The electronic reserves system was discontinued in 2017. For resources to help in creating your own e-reserves, see the Reserves Guide. For help in finding articles online, see the How to Find Articles Guide.

Your library account is where you go to renew items, view the status of your requests, and check whether you have any fines or fees. You may also mark items as favorites and save your searches.

For instructions on how to create and use your online library account, see the library's guide on Using the Library Catalog.

To put books and other physical materials on reserve, see the instructions and forms on our Reserves Guide for Instructors.

Please submit all requests as soon as possible with all the relevant information, including a syllabus if available. Reserve requests will be processed in the order in which they are received. You may also place departmental or personally owned items on reserve if you bring them to the library and fill out a reserve request form.

Each library location has different parking options. The Campus Parking Office has more detailed information about visitor parking.

On the west side of the Main Library building is a large parking lot with some metered spots. However, vehicles cannot be parked in this lot overnight.

The map below highlights available metered parking around the Main Library in yellow, including lot E3, which surrounds the building.

You can also find more details about parking locations in Urbana and Champaign at:

• City of Urbana Parking
• City of Champaign Parking

For information on where to find printers, copiers, and scanners in U of I's campus libraries, please visit our library technology page. This page also shows you how to:

• Print from a library computer
• Print from your laptop
• Request print refunds

There are a limited number of copiers on campus. If you need to make copies of documents, we recommend you scan and then print them using one of the library's printers. For more information on public printing, please visit Library IT.

If you are unaffiliated with the university, there is a KIC Bookeye Scanner in the Scholarly Commons room 220 in the Main Library. Patrons can save scans to a USB drive or forward to any email address.

For information on how to view, scan, and print microform on campus, please visit the Microform Library Guide.

You can also use computer labs throughout the university to print. Here is a listing of university computer lab locations and hours. 

Faculty, emeritus faculty, staff, and graduate students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign can have circulating library materials delivered to their campus mail address, if that address is listed in their library borrower record. When requesting the book, choose “Campus Mail” as the pick-up location. To check your borrower record, log into your library account to view your contact information and mailing address, or contact Central Access Services.

For physical materials, you can apply for a library courtesy borrowing card.

Because of licensing agreements, the University's online resources are only available to University students, faculty, or staff. If you are visiting campus, you can access these subscription-based resources on the public computers available in each U of I library. For complete information on who can access e-resources, please review this e-resource policy page.

If you are a visiting scholar or may be engaged in research on the university's behalf, it may be possible to gain External Affiliate status. The U of I Library has no connection to this process. You must have a sponsor employed by the U of I and they must apply on your behalf. Please see this web page from campus Technology Services for more information on this process.

Also see our guide on Publicly Available Research Resources for a list of free online research resources.

If an item will not renew when you try to renew it online, it’s usually because the item has reached its renewal limit (based on your borrowing privileges), the item has been recalled, or you have a block on your library account.

• If a UIUC item has reached its renewal limit, but you still need it, you can request that we check the items in and check them back out to you. Please see When Online Renewals Expire for instructions on how to do this.
• If an I-Share item will not renew online, you may contact that I-Share library directly for assistance by replying to the courtesy notice they emailed to you.
• If the item has been recalled, it should be returned. If you still need a copy of the item, and there aren’t any other copies available through the University Library or I-Share, you may be able to get a copy through Interlibrary Loan.
• If you have a block on your library account, or if you’re not sure why the item won’t renew, contact Central Access Services for assistance.

To start, check this guide on how to set up your account in the current catalog for instructions. Note that you may have different login information from what you used in the old catalog.

• Faculty, staff, and students – use your NetID and the associated password.
• Courtesy card holders – your User ID will be the 14-digit number on your Courtesy Card, without any spaces. Please contact Central Access Services to get your password for the new catalog system.

If you are using the correct login information and you are still getting an error, your account may be expired or not yet active.

• Faculty, staff, and students who are eligible for an i-card – you need a current, valid i-card to use the Library's services.
  • After you receive your i-card, it may take a few days for your information to be uploaded into the Library's systems. If you need to use Library services sooner than that, contact Central Access Services for assistance.
  • If you submitted your own photo for your i-card, you need to activate your i-card after you receive it by logging back in to SubmitMyPhoto and following the instructions there.
• Students who are not eligible for an i-card – you need a library barcode to use the Library's services. The ID Center's webpage has information on how to request this.
• Courtesy card holders – contact Central Access Services to determine if your card is currently active.

If you continue to get an error after troubleshooting the issue, contact Central Access Services for assistance.

Books requested for pick-up at the Circulation Desk will be held for two weeks after they arrive at the desk.

To avoid overdue notices, fines, and bills, please return or renew your materials before the due date and return recalled items by the recall due date.

See our page on Overdue and Lost Items for information about overdue fines and "assumed lost" fines.

You can use the Library Catalog to view your personal information.

• Go to the catalog and log in to your library account.
• Click on your name and then click My Account in the drop-down menu.
• Go to the Fines + Fees tab. 
  • Please note that the total amount you owe may differ from what is displayed. If the library has already reported your fines or fees to the Campus Accounting Division, they will no longer be displayed in that tab, but you are still responsible for paying them.

You may be able to find more information about the billed item in the Loans tab in your library account.

Charges for lost materials from an off-campus library within the I-Share Library Consortium must be paid to that school directly. Our Library Billing Office can provide contact information for I-Share institutions.

See the Overdue and Lost Items page for more information. If you have additional questions about a bill, contact the Library Billing Office.

Outside bookdrops can be found in the following locations:

• Funk ACES Library- Outside the south entrance (by the circle drive)
• Grainger Engineering Library – Southeast corner of the building (on the engineering quad, near the loading dock)
• Main Library – Southwest corner of the building, in the parking lot (upper level)
• Music Building – Outside the north entrance (opposite Krannert Center)
• U of I Library map and directory

Keep in mind the following when using a bookdrop:

•  Advantages
  • They’re available when the Library is closed.
  • They’re convenient.
• Disadvantages
  • Some items can’t be returned to a bookdrop (see the Return Items page for details).
  • Items may not be discharged from your account as quickly. Most bookdrops are emptied daily when the library is open.

Please see the Library Circulation policy on Valid Library Identification Cards .

The answers to all of these questions can be found by looking in the Library Catalog under My Account. Your library account allows you to request books from the University of Illinois and I-Share, save materials to your Favorites, view and renew the items you have checked out, and view fines. When you log into your account, you can click on your name in the upper right corner for a drop-down menu with the following options, along with several others:

• My Account - this will take you to your account overview page with the following options:
  • Loans - Lists your currently checked out items and lets you renew them online.
  • Requests - View and manage the requests you've placed. 
  • Fines + Fees - U of I library fines, fees and replacement charges are recorded here until a bill is issued. For more information see the library's Overdue and Lost Items page. If you have questions about a bill, contact the Library Billing Office at libbill@library.illinois.edu or (217) 333-8288.
  • Blocks + Messages - If there are any blocks on your account or messages from the library or I-Share system, you'll see them here.
  • Personal Details - Lists your name, mailing address, and email.
• My Favorites and Search History will take you to the same place with the following options:
  • Saved Records - These are your favorites. You mark them from your search results or individual item records by clicking on the image of the pushpin. Please note that in individual item records this icon is on the far right side of the screen (not very obvious).
  • Saved Searches - You can save any search you perform in the catalog by clicking on the image of the pushpin with the words "Save query" located at the top of your results list. You will also have the option to receive notifications when new items show up in saved searches.
  • Search History - View your search history here, and add or delete each search.

See the Using the Library Catalog guide for more information on how to set up your library account.