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On-Site Access and Borrowing

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On-Site Access and Borrowing

BorrowDirect is an Interlibrary Loan service offered by the university libraries of Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Duke, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, University of Pennsylvania, University of Chicago, and Yale.

On-site access to participating BorrowDirect libraries is available to Brown students, faculty, and staff. 

Visitors from other BorrowDirect libraries are eligible for access and on-site borrowing at Brown.

On-site Services at BorrowDirect Libraries for Brown ID Holders

Who can use this service?

Brown students, faculty, and staff with clear records at the Brown Library have access and borrowing privileges at participating BorrowDirect institutions. 

How does it work?

  • A Brown photo ID is required for access or borrowing.
  • Create an ILLiad account if you don’t already have one.
  • You can use the BorrowDirect catalog to check if the item is available at the location. Local policies apply. Check the participating library's profile.

What can be borrowed?

  • Most books in the libraries' circulating collections can be checked out.
  • Items available through BorrowDirect are typically eligible for local circulation.

Brown Library On-site Services for BorrowDirect ID Holders

Who can use this service?

Students, faculty, and staff from participating member institutions will be accorded access and borrowing privileges at the Brown Library.

Where do I go?

Library privileges are issued at the Rockefeller Library’s reader services desk during building hours until 10 p.m.

  • See a map of library locations.
  • Brown Libraries available for on-site use:
    • Rockefeller Library, 10 Prospect Street
    • John Hay Library, 20 Prospect Street
    • Sciences Library, 201 Thayer Street
    • Orwig Music Library, 1 Young Orchard Avenue
  • Call 401-863-2165 or email rock@brown.edu for more information.
  • Libraries and Hours
  • Search BruKnow, the online library catalog, to find materials available to borrow.

How does it work?

  • Institution photo IDs are required for library admittance.
  • When registering for borrowing privileges, visitors will be required to validate as a BorrowDirect user.
  • Your email address is also required.

What can be borrowed?

  • Most books at the Rockefeller, Sciences, and Orwig libraries may be checked out.
  • Most other material may be used in the library building.
  • Media does not circulate.
  • Items listed in BruKnow as held at the Annex must be ordered on-site, in advance. Allow one business day for retrieval.
Brown University Library
Providence RI 02912 Main Phone: 401-863-2165 Special Collections: 401-863-2146

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