Library Friends, Presidents Council members, and alumni are encouraged to learn to use the Library as an onsite borrower or as a visitor to the Library's home page.
The largest portion of the Library's collection is housed in the Main Library's Central Bookstacks, located at 1408 West Gregory Drive in Urbana. The Main Library also houses many departmental libraries including Commerce; Education and Social Science; English; History, Philosophy, and Newspaper; Map and Geography; and Modern Languages and Linguistics. The University Library is comprised of 38 library units. A complete listing can be found on the Library Hours & Locations page.
Individuals who are not currently affiliated with the University of Illinois as a student, faculty, or staff member need to obtain a library card in order to borrow materials from the University Library. Library courtesy borrowing cards may be obtained from the Circulation Office in Room 203, which is next to the circulation desk on the second floor of the Main Library.
Library Friends and members of the Presidents Council or Alumni Association should present their membership card along with a photo I.D. and proof of current address when applying for a courtesy card.
The Circulation Office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. In the evenings and on the weekends, cards may be obtained at the circulation desk in the Main Library.
Courtesy cards issued by the University Library may only be used to borrow materials onsite at the University Library in Urbana-Champaign. The card is not valid at the university libraries at the Chicago or Springfield campuses.
Anyone with access to the Internet may use the online catalog by visiting the Library's home page. The Library's online catalog also provides information about the holdings of 71 other academic libraries in Illinois.
Visitors to campus can use most of the Library's online databases at one of the computers located in the public areas of the Library. Remote links for databases that are not restricted by licensing agreements are listed on the Library Friends Electronic Resources page. Questions about using electronic resources, including the online catalog, may be directed to the Library Information Desk at 217/333-2290.
Current members of the University of Illinois Alumni Association have online access to ProQuest/ABI-INFORM Complete, the most comprehensive business database on the market today, through a special licensing agreement arranged by the Alumni Association and the libraries of all three University of Illinois campuses. For more information, call contact the Alumni Service Center at (800) 355-2586 or alumni@uillinois.edu.
The Library does not charge per diem overdue fines but does expect its patrons to return materials on time. If materials are not returned within 34 days of the due date, the Library assumes that the item is lost, and a replacement fee is assessed for each item that has not been returned. A lump-sum late fee (which covers the cost of recalling the material) is assessed at the same time that the replacement fee is billed.
The Library Friends Office is located on the second floor of the Main Library in Room 227. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The telephone number is 217/333-5682. A link for the Library Friends web site can be found on the Library's home page.
Library hours are not uniform throughout the University Library system and vary according to the academic calendar. The Library is closed on weekends and evenings when school is not in session. It also is closed on major holidays including New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Library hours are available by calling 217/333-8400 or by visiting the Libraries & Services page.
If you are off campus and identify an item in the Library's online catalog that you would like to use, it is possible that your local library could borrow it for you as an interlibrary loan.
If you plan to do extensive research during your visit to campus, it is recommended that you consult with a librarian familiar with your subject area prior to your arrival. The librarian can advise you on the availability of the collection that you wish to use as well as provide information about holdings that might not be listed in the online catalog. A complete list of libraries by subject is available on the Subject Specialist page.
The bookstacks in the Main Library are closed except for use by University of Illinois faculty and graduate students. University of Illinois Presidents Council members and Printers' Marks Society members may use their courtesy cards to obtain a pass to enter the bookstacks.
There is metered parking located near all units of the University Library. Campus and city meters charge 75 cents per hour.
Visitors to campus may also obtain a temporary parking pass for the commuters' lot located near the Assembly Hall between Oak and First Streets, south of Kirby Avenue. To obtain a pass, visit the Division of Campus Parking and Transportation between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, on the second floor of the Public Safety Building, 1110 W. Springfield, Urbana, IL. Shuttle buses run between the remote parking lot and campus from approximately 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
General reference services are offered in the Reference Room of the Main Library. Questions that pertain to a particular collection of the Library may be directed to the reference desk or the departmental library that handles that collection. You can reach the Main Library Reference Room by calling 217/333-2290.
Library Friends and members of the Presidents Council and Alumni Association who have access to the Internet may also find it helpful to use the Reference Room's e-mail reference service, " Ask a Librarian."
Audio tours of the Main Library and the Undergraduate Library are available any time the Library is open up to one hour before closing time. The tours begin at the Media Center in the Undergraduate Library or at the Information Desk on the second floor of the Main Library. Information about virtual tours is available on the Tours page, which includes guides and handouts to Library resources. For general information about the Library, visit the LEARN the Basics page.
Personally guided tours of any of the Library facilities may be arranged by calling the Library Friends Office at 217/333-5682.
Office of Library Advancement
1408 West Gregory Drive, Room 227
Urbana, Illinois 61801
Phone: (217) 333-5682 Fax: (217) 244-7201
Questions and Information:
friends@library.uiuc.edu
University LibraryFor comments on this page contact: Gateway Conversion
Last modified by: Cindy Ashwill on 7/3/08