Borrow

If you are a current student, faculty member, or staff member of BGSU, you may borrow by presenting your BG1 Card or another photo ID.

You may use your BG1 card to check out items in person at any OhioLINK library.

If you are an alumnus or a community member, you may borrow by signing up for a courtesy card.

Renew by accessing My Library Account or contacting the Circulation Desk. Note that an overdue book may not be renewed via My Library Account but  frequently can be renewed by library staff.

You may grant permission for another BGSU community member to check out books on your behalf by using our Authorized Borrower form

Checkout Policies

During summer, students have library privileges even if they are not enrolled in summer classes, as long as they have not graduated and intend to return in fall semester.

Undergraduate students may check out up to 100 items at a time, of which 50 may be from OhioLINK. Graduate students may check out 200 items and faculty and staff may check out up to 500 items, of which 200 may be from OhioLINK.

Policies for special collections may differ. See CRC (2nd Floor) and MLBSSA (3rd Floor) policies.

Item Group Checkout Period Renewals* Fines
1st & 8th Floor Books Undergraduates 3 weeks 6 times* $0.25/day
Graduate Students End of semester 6 times* $0.25/day
Faculty/Staff End of academic year 6 times* No daily fines
Main Reserves (1st floor) 2 hours, 24 hours, or 72 hours Cannot renew $1.00/hour
OhioLINK books Students 3 weeks 6 times* $0.50/day
Faculty/Staff 6 weeks 6 times* $0.50/day
SearchOhio Books & CDs 3 weeks 3 times* $0.50/day
OhioLINK media / SearchOhio DVDs 7 days 3 times* $0.50/day
BPCL DVDs 7 days Cannot renew $0.25/day
Interlibrary Loan items Date on book cover See ILL page See ILL page
Phone chargers, HDMI cable Due 1/2 hour before closing Cannot renew $1.00/hour
Headphones Due 1/2 hour before closing Cannot renew $0.25/hour
Calculators 72 hours 3 times* $0.25/hour
Cameras 7 days 3 times* $1.00/hour
Laptops 7 days 3 times* $1.00/hour
Umbrella, Voice Recorder, Poster Tube, Iron, Jumper Cables, Hand Truck, Luggage Scale, Wireless Keyboard, Tool Kit 7 days Cannot renew $0.25/hour
Transcription Pedal Due 1/2 hour before closing Cannot renew $1.00/hour
CAC (Common Access Card) Reader Due 1/2 hour before closing Cannot renew $1.00/hour  
Wacom Pens Due 1/2 hour before closing Cannot renew $1.00/hour  

*Items can only be renewed if no other users have placed a hold.

Holds & Recalls

If a BGSU item is checked out and you would like to place a hold, we recommend using OhioLINK if possible. If that isn't possible, you may email circdesk@bgsu.edu and request a hold to be placed.

Items may also be recalled. If a book you check out is recalled, the due date will be changed and you will be emailed about the change. Fines for recalled items are $1.00/day.

Fines, Fees, Lost Items

Fines accrue per hour or day (depending on the type of item) until you return it.

If a BG-owned item becomes severely overdue, you will be billed for its replacement and a $36 processing fee.

These fees, as well as any late fees, are transferred to the Office of the Bursar every week and you can pay by logging in to MyBGSU. If you return the item within one year, you will be credited the replacement fee as well as part of the processing fee.

Billed OhioLINK books are charged a $125 fee, reduced to $50 upon return of the item.

For items that are damaged or lost, please contact the Circulation Desk as soon as possible by emailing circdesk@bgsu.edu or calling 419-372-2051.

Circulation notices

Circulation emails are sent from circdesk@bgsu.edu. You may reply to any automatic notice and a staff member will respond within 24 hours.

  • Due date receipt: sent immediately upon checkout.
  • Ready for pickup: when an item you have requested arrives. Once items arrive, they are held for 10 days.
  • Courtesy notice: when an item you have checked out is due within 3 days.
  • Overdue notice: when an item you have checked out has become overdue.
  • Billing notice: when an item you have checked out has been declared lost and you are responsible for the replacement cost of the item, as well as fees.

Interlibrary Loan (ILL) items have their own schedule of email notices, which are sent from notices@e.worldcat.org.

Technology checkouts 

Ask for technology items at the Circulation Desk.

Calculators: TI83 (Graphing), TI30X (Scientific), or HP10bII+ (Financial)

Laptops: MacBooks are available for 7 day checkout periods. 

Video Cameras: Zoom Q2n.  Tripods are also available.

Phone chargers: iPhone (Apple Lightning), USB-C, USB-mini B, or USB-micro. 

Other items: Voice Recorder, Transcription Pedal, Mouse, Bluetooth/USB wireless Keyboard, HDMI-HDMI cable, HDMI-USB-C cable

Household Items

We offer several household items for checkout in patrnership with the Falcon Food Pantry. They check out for a 7 day period. 

  • Clothes Iron with Case 
  • Luggage Scale
  • Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard
  • Folding Snow Shovel
  • Jumper Cables
  • Folding Hand Truck 
  • Tool Kit 
Tool-Kit

Tool Kit

Device with a hook from which to hang a suitcase to weigh it.

Luggage Scale

handtruck

Hand Truck

Updated: 02/01/2024 02:27PM