Proxy Borrower Request

Faculty and academics with annual borrowing privileges may request to establish another person as a proxy borrower. This person is able to borrow Library items on behalf of the faculty member, with the same loan periods and privileges that said faculty would have in person. The proxy borrower may also be able to view all information in the faculty member's library account via My Account. The faculty member may also request that the proxy borrower be able to request items via Interlibrary Loan on the faculty member's behalf. All items borrowed or requested by the proxy borrower are the responsibility of the faculty member who has authorized the proxy borrower.

This privilege is intended to help faculty in their research work for the University, not for any other purpose.

Conditions for Use

  • The faculty member accepts full responsibility for all material checked out by the proxy borrower, including any fines or lost book charges incurred.
  • Faculty must have a library account in good standing in order to request or renew a proxy borrower. Any overdue recalls, lost books, etc. must be resolved before a proxy relationship can be created or renewed.
  • A faculty member may have up to three proxy borrowers at any one time.

Borrowing & Requesting Terms

Borrowing as a Proxy Borrower

  • Proxy borrowers who already have a current UChicago Card (primarily students and staff) should present the UChicago Card to Circulation as usual. Proxy borrowers who are ineligible for a UChicago Card will be issued a Campus Card and should present it to Circulation.
  • Once the card is scanned, Library staff will ask if the proxy borrower is acting as a proxy for the faculty member. If the proxy borrower confirms this, items will be loaned to the faculty member's account.
  • Proxy borrowers with borrowing privileges can also use their cards to borrow items on their own accounts. Proxy borrowers with access privileges are ineligible to borrow items on their own accounts.

Requesting items via Paging & Pickup

  • A faculty member who wishes a proxy borrower to request items from Mansueto or Paging & Pickup on the faculty member's behalf will need to share the faculty member's Library barcode and PIN with the proxy borrower.
  • The proxy borrower may then use the faculty member's barcode and PIN to log in to the Library Catalog and My Library Account.
  • To request/change a PIN, contact the ID & Privileges Office.
  • A faculty member may choose not to share the faculty member's Library barcode and PIN with a proxy borrower, in which case the proxy may still act on the faculty member's behalf to borrow items, but will be unable to request Mansueto items on the faculty member’s behalf.
  • Faculty are encouraged to reset their PINs regularly as a security precaution and to share their latest PINs only with current, active proxy borrowers. To request/change a PIN, contact the ID & Privileges Office.

Faculty Sharing PIN

By sharing the Library barcode and PIN with a proxy borrower, the faculty member authorizes the proxy borrower to access the faculty member's My Account information, including:

  • all items currently loaned to the faculty member
  • any outstanding fines or other charges on the faculty member's account
  • requested items available for pickup, including Interlibrary Loan and Mansueto items
  • the faculty member's profile, including mailing address, email, and telephone number
  • saved searches and saved lists associated with the faculty member (the proxy borrower will also be able to modify or delete saved searches and lists)

Application Form

Please complete all requested information below, then click the "Submit Request" button. By doing so, you agree to the conditions of use outlined above. Once you submit the form, you can expect to receive an email notification within one business day that the proxy borrower card is ready for pickup at the ID & Privileges Office (see ID & Privileges Office hours online, under the The Joseph Regenstein Library).

If you have further questions concerning proxy borrower privileges, please contact the ID & Privileges Office.