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Circulation: Penn Borrowing at Other Libraries

Agreements for Reciprocal Borrowing

What is reciprocal borrowing?

The Penn Libraries participate in several reciprocal borrowing programs that permit borrowing of physical materials among its members:

  • BorrowDirect Plus
  • PALCI Reciprocal On-Site Borrowing
  • Drexel University
  • Tri-colleges (Bryn Mawr, Haverford and Swarthmore). 
  • St. Joseph's University
  • Villanova University

BorrowDirect Plus on-site borrowing for Penn Affiliates Policies

Penn faculty, students and staff are eligible to borrow physical materials from the following institutions:

  • Brown University
  • Columbia University
  • Cornell University
  • Dartmouth College
  • Duke University
  • Harvard University
  • Johns Hopkins University
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • Princeton University
  • Stanford University
  • University of Chicago
  • Yale University

Please make sure to check the BorrowDirect Plus website for site specific rules and procedures before visiting.

In order to access the libraries at these institutions you will be required to:

  • present a valid faculty, student or permanent staff PennCard

In order to borrow materials from the libraries at these institutions you will be required to:

  • log in to your Penn Libraries or Borrow Direct account to demonstrate that you are a Penn Libraries patron in good standing
  • provide information (e.g. email address and phone number) required to create a local library account

Rules for access, registration and borrowing at each institution will vary.

Materials borrowed through this partnership may be returned at the lending institution or at a Penn Library. 

SHARES Libraries

Through Penn's membership in the SHARES Libraries Group, Penn Faculty, Staff, and Students have on-site building access to many research libraries. SHARES libraries in this region are listed below.

 

PALCI On-Site Borrowing

Penn Libraries patrons can borrow onsite at participating PALCI libraries; see the list here. 

You will need to bring a completed form from your home library in order to borrow items at a participating library, so plan before you go!  Contact vpcircdk@pobox.upenn.edu to make an appointment to have one of our staff members complete your form.  Appointments will only be scheduled Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm.

You will also want to review the policies and procedures for on-site borrowing at the library from which you would like to borrow.

More information about the PALCI On-Site Borrowing Program can be found here.

Reciprocal Borrowing Universities Policies

Universities outside of BorrowDirect where Penn Affiliates can borrow from via Reciprocal Borrowing Agreements:

Drexel University Libraries

Free courtesy borrowing is available to Penn graduate students and faculty at Drexel University Libraries.

Penn graduate students and faculty must obtain a Reciprocal Borrower's letter from the Van Pelt Library Circulation Desk, and present it, along with their current PennCard, to Drexel Library Circulation staff in order to activate borrowing privileges

  • Saint Joseph's University

    • Free courtesy borrowing is available to Penn graduate students and faculty at Saint Joseph's University.

    • Penn graduate students and faculty must obtain a Reciprocal Borrower's letter from the Van Pelt Library Circulation Desk, and present it, along with their current PennCard, to Saint Joseph's University, Drexel Library Circulation staff in order to activate borrowing privileges.

  • Tri-College Consortium

  • (Bryn Mawr, Haverford and Swarthmore)

    • Free courtesy borrowing is available to Penn faculty at Bryn Mawr, Haverford and Swarthmore Libraries.

    • Penn faculty must obtain a Reciprocal Borrower's letter from the Van Pelt Library Circulation Desk, and present it, along with their current PennCard, to Bryn Mawr, Haverford or Swarthmore library staff in order to activate borrowing privileges. A separate letter is required for each institution.

  • Villanova University

    • Free courtesy borrowing is available to Penn graduate students and faculty at Villanova University Falvey Memorial Library only.

    • Penn graduate students and faculty must obtain a Reciprocal Borrower's letter from the Van Pelt Library Circulation Desk, and present it, along with their current PennCard, to Villanova University, Falvey Memorial Library Circulation staff in order to activate borrowing privileges.

       

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