Who May Borrow?
Iowa State University Libraries are open to the public and all collections (print and electronic) may be used freely on-site. Patrons wishing to borrow physical items from the library, however, must have a valid ISUCard, ISU Library Visitor Card, or a valid official ID from a participating TRAC (Two Rivers Alma Collaborative) institution.
ISU Students, Faculty, Staff, Affiliates, Retirees, and Spouses obtain an ISUCard from the ISUCard Office in 0530 Beardshear Hall (515-294-2727). While Alumni and Visitors obtain their card by coming to the Main Desk at 102 Parks Library and filling out an application (515-294-3961, email circdesk@iastate.edu).
ISU Distance Learning students might not receive a physical ISUCard but do receive credentials required for remote access to library resources.
Any fees associated with obtaining/replacing specific cards are detailed in the table below along with the basic privileges associated with each borrower category, including remote access to online databases.
Users eligible to obtain the University's ISUCard
| Borrower Type | General Loan Period | Reference Loan Period | Course Reserves Loan Period | Borrowing Limit | Remote Database Access | Renewal Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate (ISU Card) | 12-weeks* | 1-week | 3-hours | 100 | Yes | 3 years |
Honors (ISU Card) Undergraduate 500 (ISU Card) | End of Spring Semester* | 1-week | 3-hours | 100 | Yes | 3 years |
Faculty (ISU Card) Graduate (ISU Card) Post Doc (ISU Card) P&S (ISU Card) Visiting Faculty/Scholar (ISU Card) Emeritus Faculty (ISU Card) | End of Spring Semester* | 1-week | 3-hours | 500 | Yes | 3 years |
| Affiliates (ISU Card) - USDA, ISU Research Park, ISU Foundation, ISU Center | End of Spring Semester* | 1-week | 3-hours | 500 | No | 3 years |
| Merit Staff (ISU Card) | 12-weeks* | 1-week | 3-hours | 500 | Yes | 3 years |
Alumni (One-time $5 fee, $20 replacement fee) Visitor (Annual $20 fee, $20 replacement fee) Spouse ($15 annual fee, issued by the ISU Card Office) Retiree (ISU Card) | 12-weeks* | 1-week | 3-hours | 25 | No | 3 years |
| TRAC (Current ID from a TRAC institution) | 12-weeks* | 1-week | 3-hours | 25 | No | No Renewals |
*Note: All items are subject to Recall. When an item is recalled, the current borrower receives a notice with a new, shorter, due date. Recalls are used to share Library material in a fair and equitable manner to all of our patrons.
View the full ISU Lending Policy document
Updated 7-22-2022