Welcome

The borrowing regulations on this page apply to current Trent students (graduate and undergraduate), as well as to current and retired faculty and staff.

Library Cards

Your library card is your TrentU Card and must be presented at the desk to check out or pick up items. It is your responsibility to carry your TrentU card whenever you are on campus, as it serves as your official Trent ID. See more information about the TrentU Card.

Your card is to be used by the registered owner only and should never be loaned to others. Any fines incurred are the responsibility of the card owner. The Library is not responsible for loaned, lost, or damaged cards. Report a lost or stolen TrentU Card to the University Security Office immediately for replacement.

Signing Out and Returning Items

You can pull books from the stacks and bring them to the Library Service Desk with your TrentU card, or you can request items through Omni!  Requested items will be picked up and signed out at the Library Service Desk you selected for your pickup location.

You can return items to the external book drops at either library location (located at the bottom of the steps at Bata Library, and outside the main entrance to Building A on the Durham campus). The external book drops are open 24/7 and any items returned there are processed throughout the day by staff, or the following morning for items returned overnight. Each library also has an internal return slot you can use to return your items during opening hours.

Borrowing Regulations

Books from Trent 

A "book" includes books, annuals and journals in our general stacks.  These regulations also apply to items brought in for your use from other Ontario Universities by clicking "Get it from another library" within the item result in Omni.

• You can borrow most regular books for 120 days.
• You can renew your books online, as many times as you need. See the instructions on how to renew your books in Omni.
• Fines of $4 per day apply on items not returned within 7 days after a recall, up to a maximum of $56; after 14 days, they are considered "lost" and a replacement charge of $125 is charged.
• There are no daily overdue fines, as long as the book is not recalled.
• If a book is not returned or renewed within 30 days of its due date, it will be considered "lost" and a replacement charge of $125 is charged. If the "lost" item is returned, the fee will be automatically waived.

Short-Term Loan Items

If a book is on a current course reading list, it may have a shorter loan period than the rest of the collection. This is because these items are often in high demand, and we want to ensure equitable access to all students enrolled in the course. Most short-term loan items circulate for 4 days and can be renewed 1 time if no one else has requested the item. This shortened loan period should be indicated in Omni when you are viewing the record for the item, and this loan period will be reflected on the item in your Library Account.

Books from other Omni Libraries

Books from other Omni Libraries can be requested from within Omni.

• When you request an item from another Omni institution, you will be able to select either Bata Library or the Durham Library for your pickup location. You can also have the item sent to an Omni institution closer to you by using the pick-up-anywhere service - simply select a different Omni institution when you place the request, and show your TrentU card when you go to pick it up.
• You will be notified by email when your books have arrived and you can pick them up at the Library Service Desk.  You will have 7 days to pick up your requested book. (This hold shelf period will be shorter for some items, like short-term loans.)
• You can borrow regular books for 120 days.
• You can renew your books online.
• You can keep track of your loans, and due dates online through your My Library Account tab in Omni, regardless of whether the item is loaned from Trent or from another Omni library.

Current Periodicals (Bata Library)

A "current periodical" is an unbound issue of a recently received journal or magazine. Newspapers are excluded; they cannot be borrowed.

• You can borrow current periodicals for 14 days; renewals are permitted to extend the loan up to 60 days.
• A maximum of 10 issues can be borrowed at a time.
• Fines of $4 per day apply to overdue items, up to a maximum of $56.
• Not eligible for requests or recalls.
• If a current periodical is not returned within 30 days of its due date, it will be considered "lost" and a replacement charge of $125 is charged. If the "lost" item is returned, the fee will be automatically waived.

Curriculum Collection (Bata Library)

The Curriculum Collection includes books and materials for use by Education students. This collection can be found on the main (2nd) floor of Bata Library, behind the Reference shelves.

• You can borrow curriculum material for 14 days; renewals are permitted to extend the loan up to 60 days.
• A maximum of 8 curriculum items can be borrowed at a time.
• Eligible for requests.
• Fines of $4 per day apply on items not returned within 7 days after a recall, up to a maximum of $56; after 14 days, they are considered "lost" and a non-refundable "lost" fee of $25, along with a replacement charge of $125 is charged.
• There are no daily overdue fines, as long as the book is not recalled.
• If a curriculum item is not returned within 30 days of its normal due date, it will be considered "lost" and a replacement charge of $125 is charged. If the "lost" item is returned, the fee will be automatically waived.

Government Publications (Bata Library)

Government publications are located on the 4th Floor of Bata Library in the MaDGIC department. Most items are not available for loan; Omni identifies items that can be borrowed as "loanable".

• Circulating government publications can be borrowed for 14 days.
• You can renew government publications online, as many times as you need.
• Eligible for requests.
• Fines of $4 per day apply on items not returned within 7 days after a recall, up to a maximum of $56; after 14 days, they are considered "lost" and a replacement charge of $125 is applied.
• There are no daily overdue fines, as long as the book is not recalled.
• If a book is not returned or renewed within 30 days of its due date, it will be considered "lost" and a replacement charge of $125 is applied.

Maps (Bata Library)

Maps are located on the 4th Floor of Bata Library in the MaDGIC department; those that can be borrowed are identified in Omni as "loanable". Map tubes are supplied to transport the maps safely; please return all maps in their tubes.

• You can borrow a map for 14 days; renewals are permitted to extend the loan up to 60 days.
• A maximum of 50 maps can be borrowed at a time.
• Eligible for requests.
• Fines of $4 per day apply on items not returned within 7 days after a recall, up to a maximum of $56; after 14 days, they are considered "lost" and a non-refundable "lost" fee of $25, along with a replacement charge of $125 is charged.
• If a map is not returned within 30 days of its due date, it will be considered "lost" and a replacement charge of $125 is applied.

Media

Media includes DVDs and CDs. At Bata Library, you can ask for these items at the Service Desk; at the Durham Library, you can browse these near the Reference collection.

• You can borrow media for 14 days.
• You can renew your media online, as many times as you need.
• Eligible for requests and booking.
• Fines of $10 per day apply on items not returned within 7 days after a recall, up to a maximum of $100; after 14 days, they are considered "lost" and a replacement charge of $125 is charged.
• ​If the item is not returned within 30 days of its due date or renewed, it will be considered "lost" and a replacement charge of $125 is applied.
• Media can be booked ahead of time, to ensure availability for class viewing.

 Reference

Reference Materials include dictionaries, encyclopedias, and style guides are located on the main (2nd) floor of Bata Library and near the Service Desk at the Durham Library. Reference materials are only available for in-library use and cannot be loaned out. 

 Reserves

Reserve items are high-use items with a 4-hour loan.  To access this collection, bring the call number of the item you wish to access to the Library Service Desk, at either Bata Library and the Durham Library. (You should be able to get the call number and title from your course reading list!)

• You can borrow a Reserve item for 4 hours; renewals are not permitted.
• As these items are in high demand the following fines apply: 
  • Fines of $5 per hour, up to a maximum of $56; after 14 days, they are considered "lost" and a replacement charge of $125 is charged.

Suspension

• Borrowing privileges are suspended when:
  • one recalled item is overdue, or
  • fines or fees owing are $20 (or more).

Lost and Damaged Material

When library material becomes lost or damaged, it is costly and disruptive to the library and its borrowers.  Lost item or replacement fees cover the cost of replacing and/or processing lost or damaged items.  Replacement fees are therefore charged to the most recent borrower when problems are discovered. If you receive an item in a damaged state, you should report this when taking it out, to avoid being charged a fee. 

Lost item fee: $125 per item

Notices

The library sends notices when items are:

• overdue (weekly),
• considered lost (at 30 days overdue or 14 days for recalls),
• recalled, and
• available for pick-up or cancelled.

A monthly statement is sent to anyone owing fines.

These notices are sent to the email address listed in the user's Library account. You are responsible for keeping the Library updated about where notices should be sent. Failure to receive a notice does not excuse a fine.

Fines Payment

Fines & fees may be paid in person via TrentU Card, debit, Visa, and Mastercard at Bata Library Service Desk during operating hours, OR online at anytime at via the Trent Libraries storefront on the Trent University Marketplace. Credit card transactions are also accepted via telephone during operating hours by calling 705-748-1011 x7423. Online payments may take up to 24 hours before being updated on your Library account.

Fine appeals are regulated by the Library Fine Appeal Policy.