Renewing & Returning Items

Automatic Renewals for Standard Loans

University of Chicago Library materials on standard loan will be renewed automatically up to their online renewal limit, unless recalled.

Patrons will receive an automatic notice listing all items on standard loan checked out to their account prior to their due date, stating that eligible items will be renewed.

The Library will then automatically renew all eligible items and send further notices listing any items that could not be renewed and should be returned.

Automatic Renewal Limits

For most quarterly borrowers, standard loans will be renewed automatically up to three times. Items that have reached their three-time renewal limit are ineligible for automatic renewal and must be returned before they can be borrowed again.

Faculty and other annual borrowers, as well as Ph.D. and J.S.D. students, receive unlimited renewals.

Our renewals policy is intended to encourage users to return items they are no longer actively using. This makes more books immediately available for browsing and research by other Library users and also protects the library's collection from damage and loss.

Items Ineligible for Renewal

The following items are not eligible for renewal and should be returned on their due date.

  • Course reserve and other short term loan items (e.g. Reg Reads collection)
  • Interlibrary loan items
  • Recalled items
  • Long-overdue items that have been billed as lost (see Fines and Lost Items)

Returns

If you no longer need to consult materials on your account, we encourage you to return them to the Library.

Return in Person

All borrowers may return materials in person to Regenstein, Mansueto, Crerar, and Eckhart, and Social Work. Law School affiliates may return materials to D'Angelo Law.

See the building hours for each on our Library Hours page.

There are also external bookdrops available on the west side of Eckhart Hall and outside the Social Work Library.

All materials except reserves material can be returned to any of our return locations.

Reserves Material

Reserve material must be returned to the library from which it was borrowed. Returning to another location may result in overdue fines.

Return by Mail

If you are unable to return materials in person, you may return them by mail. We accept items sent via U.S. Mail, Fed Ex, and UPS.

  • When returning an item with a due date, take into account shipping time when selecting a shipping method.
  • We strongly suggest selecting a shipping method that allows you to track and confirm package delivery.
  • You should also consider insuring your package, as you are responsible for any items lost or damaged during shipping.

Mailing Address:

The University of Chicago Library
1100 East 57th Street
ATTN: Lib Returns
Chicago, IL 60637-1502