Library Cards - Borrowing

What to Use as Your Library Card

To obtain circulation services at the Library you’ll need a current, valid ID card.

  • ID cards must be presented by the person to whom the card was issued.
  • Cards may only be used for transactions of the cardholder (unless the cardholder is a proxy for another patron).
  • ID’s not mentioned below, such as drivers’ licenses or passports, are not valid library ID cards.

U of I Library Cards

  • Students, faculty, and staff use their i-card
  • University Laboratory High School ID card
  • U of I Urbana campus Courtesy Card

I-Share Patrons

ID card from your I-Share member library

Reciprocal Borrowing

A guide for students and faculty about reciprocal borrowing programs, such as the Big Ten Academic Alliance and OCLC Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Program.

Unaffiliated Users

Community users, and others, may be eligible to apply for a U of I Urbana campus Courtesy Card.

Library Account Number

When do I use my Library Account Number?

To set up your library account.
Whenever you’re asked for your library account number, Borrower ID, or 14-digit library number.

Where can I Find it?

U of I Patrons

Students, staff, and faculty – the number is printed on your i-card after the word Library. It is not your UIN, and your library account is not connected to any other university account or record.
Courtesy card holders – the number is printed beneath the barcode on your courtesy card.

I-Share Patrons

Your library account number is assigned by your institution and usually appears on your university ID card.

Social Security Numbers

In compliance with campus directives on the privacy of the social security numbers (SSNs) of faculty, staff, and students, the library is no longer using social security numbers. Library users’ SSNs will not be entered into the library’s integrated library system, and library staff will use other search options, such as the Library Account Number or University ID Number (UIN), to identify a borrower’s record.

Library users should never be asked to provide their SSN in order to receive any library service.

Alternative Library Card Options

Courtesy Cards

Visitors, affiliates, community users, and others, may be eligible to apply for a U of I Urbana campus courtesy card, which will let you borrow books from the Library.

Proxy Authorization

University of Illinois faculty members, graduate students, and other library borrowers with extenuating circumstances may authorize another library borrower to check out library materials for them.