Borrowing & Renewals

Your TrentU card is your library card. You can borrow items using your Trent Card and use digital resources with your Trent login.

You’re welcome to grab a book from the stacks and bring it to the Library Service Desk or the Bata Self-Check Out Machine to sign it out. You can also request items through Omni, which can be picked up from either Library Service Desk and signed out.

When you want to return an item, just drop it in the external return bins outside of Bata Library or outside Building A on the Durham campus. There are also return bins inside both libraries.

Policies & Guidelines

You can easily request books from other Omni libraries and choose to pick them up at Bata Library, Durham Library, or at an Omni institution close to you using your TrentU card. You'll be notified by email when they're ready, and you can usually borrow them for 120 days. These items can be renewed online through your My Library Account in Omni.

At Trent Library, there are no daily overdue fines on books unless it has been recalled or the item is a 4 hour Course Reserve.

If a book or media item is not returned within 7 days of being recalled, a fine of $4 per day will apply, up to a maximum of $56. 

If an item is not returned or renewed within 30 days of its due date, it is considered "lost," and incurs a $125 replacement charge. This fee may be eligible to be waived if the item is returned, however in cases of high use or newly acquired materials the fee may be non-refundable. Additionally, returning a damaged item will result in a $125 replacement fee.

A 4-hour Course Reserve will incur fees of $5/hour if the item is overdue.

Special items like short-term loans, media, and some items loaned from other libraries have specific fines and loan periods, ensuring equitable access and responsibility for library resources.

Please note that outstanding fines/fees can impact your library borrowing privileges. Fines/fees exceeding $50 may result in restricted access to Online Transcript Request, Grades Inquiry, and Course Registration (including drops). Please pay all outstanding amounts at the earliest opportunity.

You can request physical items that are currently unavailable, at a different branch, or in the general collection but inaccessible to you at the moment. For items not available at Trent, you can use interlibrary loan (ILL) or the Omni system to request items from partner institutions, selecting your preferred pickup location. Once a request is placed, you can track its progress in "My Account" under "My Requests" and will be notified when it's ready for pickup, with items typically held for 7 days.

Renew your items as many times as you need in your “My Account” tab in Omni, provided your account is in good standing. If you have any questions about your library account, including questions about fine forgiveness, come visit the Library Service Desk, or email us at library@trentu.ca.

The Trent University Library & Archives welcomes students and faculty from other Canadian universities under the CURBA (Canadian University Reciprocal Borrowing Agreement). With a valid card from your home institution, you can obtain a Trent Library Card for free, allowing you to borrow up to 25 books at a time for 14 days, with online renewals up to 60 days. In addition to borrowing physical items, you'll have access to our archives and limited online resources (through Eduroam) while on campus, as well as assistance from our Library Service Desk.