Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, all due dates have been extended to April 26, 2021 and fines are being waived. Please see Seneca Libraries COVID-19 Updates for all updates to library services and guidelines.

Seneca Libraries collections are developed to support college programs. Priority is given to the information needs of current students, staff, faculty and the college's Board of Governors. The surrounding community is welcome to use library facilities and individuals may register as a Community Borrower.

Seneca Libraries recognizes and honours the intellectual freedom and right to privacy of all persons. Seneca College protects the confidentiality of borrower records including the circulation of material, interlibrary/intercampus loan transactions, reference queries, reserve requests and the use of new media materials as collected under the legal authority of the College and Universities Act, R.S.O. 1990 c.M19, section 5 Reg. 770.

All full- and part-time students, faculty, and staff can borrow library material and access online resources using a valid Seneca ID or library card. Please note that these ID cards are non-transferable.

Alumni and community borrowers can also borrow material from the library's general collection. To obtain a library card you will need to provide one piece of photo ID with your name and current address. Community borrowers will be charged an annual fee of $35.

All current loans have been automatically extended until April 26, 2021 and fines are being waived.

The majority of collections circulate for two weeks. High demand materials have shorter loan periods.

• Are faculty and staff allowed extended loans on General Collection materials?
  Yes, faculty and staff may request extended loans on any item in the General Collection. Seneca Libraries reserves the right to recall extended loans prior to the due date.
• Can I borrow materials between semesters?
  Students enrolled in the term immediately following the current one may borrow material during the 2 week period between terms. Full-time students must show a copy of their timetable to staff and returning part-time students must show their registration papers. New students must wait until the first day of the term to borrow items.
• Can I borrow material from the legal reference collection?
  Unfortunately, items from the legal reference collection do not circulate and are for in-library use only.

Library fines are being waived during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

• How are library fines calculated?
  Fines are calculated according to the days the lending library is open. If the campus where books were borrowed has weekend hours, fines will be charged for weekends. The exception to this rule is during exam week and the 24 study hall hours when the maximum limit of $5/day does not apply. You will be charged the hourly fine of $1 per hour even when library services are closed.
• Is there a maximum fine I can be charged for a library item?
  Yes, $50 or the cost of the item, whichever is less.
• I received an email that an item I borrowed was recalled. What does this mean?
  If the library recalls overdue materials, you are required to return the item to the library as soon as possible. Recalled items that are not returned are subject to fines of $2/day to a maximum of $50/item or the cost of the item, whichever is less.
• What happens if I lost an item?
  You will be required to pay the cost of the item plus a $6 processing fee to replace a lost item.
• What if I have more than $5 of overdue fines on my library account?
  If you have more than $5 in fines, you will no longer be able to borrower library materials until the fines have been paid. Students who have outstanding fines or overdue books may also have their transcripts withheld upon graduation.
• How can I pay my overdue fines?
  Cash, credit, debit and OneCard payments can be made in person at any point during the library's open hours or contact the library to make special arrangements.

Print items are currently unavailable during the library's closure. Requests for electronic articles from other libraries can still be made and processed.

Interlibrary Loans

Interlibrary loans (ILL) allow Seneca students, faculty and staff to borrow materials such as books, reports, theses and some periodical articles from libraries outside of Seneca College.

• Requests: Requests may be submitted using the Interlibrary Loan Form.
• Delivery Times: Requests take 7-15 days to arrive, with some material taking longer. If the request is time-sensitive, material from Ontario colleges may be borrowed directly, as covered by the Direct Borrowing agreement.
• Costs: Library staff look first for free loans. If a free source is not available, loans typically cost between $5-$25. Library staff always check to confirm the cost with borrowers before ordering. All charges incurred through interlibrary loans are the responsibility of the borrower.
• Limitations (including max. number of requests): Students can request up to 3 books and 4 periodical articles at one time. Faculty and staff can make special arrangements for loans.

Direct Borrowing from Outside Seneca

All current Seneca students, staff and faculty may borrow materials directly from Ontario Colleges through the Direct Borrowing agreement. Students who are enrolled in joint Seneca College/York University programs, and all faculty, may borrow directly from York University.

External Libraries Borrowing from Seneca

Requests may be submitted using the Interlibrary Loan Form. Reference, reserves and serials are not for loan. Seneca is a reciprocal loan institution; for full information please see Symbols and Interlibrary Loan Policies in Canada.