Guides: Services: Borrow & Renew

Services

Borrow & Renew

Access HamCAT to find, get, and renew items quickly from Hamline Bush Memorial Library and from local MnPALS Member Libraries.

Utilize ILLiad - to request items outside of our consortium libraries -- usually takes several days or more.

Borrow Library Materials

Through the library, Hamline students, faculty and staff have access to materials here, near and far. Hamline alumni can use print materials here at Hamline. See our Alumni & Community Services page for more details.

Here and Near

Use HamCAT, the library's search engine, to find materials:

here at Hamline, in electronic or print format
near at other partner libraries

A few basics about using library materials:

When you request items, they will be held for you at Hamline Library's Central Service Desk. The average time for arrival is 5 days, but may take a little longer. You'll get an email when your requested items are available for pickup.
Most items can be renewed online. See our information on renewing items.
Return library materials to our Hamline Bush Library. You can no longer return Hamline items to other vintage MnPALS Partner Libraries.
You will be fined if you don't return library materials by their due date. We'll send you a reminder a few days before materials are due. You can avoid fines by renewing your materials online -- see our information on renewing items.

See our Borrowing Policies for more details.

Far

When you need to search beyond Hamline and p artner libraries, use HamCAT (previously CLICsearch) "Expand My Results" or WorldCat to find items at many libraries around the world (including the University of Minnesota). You will need to request these materials through ILLiad, our Interlibrary Loan service. If you are using WorldCat, click the link for "Check for Electronic Resources" to pre-populate our Hamline ILLiad Interlibrary Loan form.

Items borrowed from other libraries through Interlibrary Loan are a bit different than material from Hamline or partners. Different rules apply to these items:

The library lending the items determines how long you can have them (3-4 weeks is typical).
Interlibrary loan materials cannot be renewed.
You will be fined if you do not return interlibrary loan materials by their due date.

See our Interlibrary Loan Policies for more details.

The Basics

1. Use HamCAT to find and borrow library materials.

2. Login to HamCAT to renew items you've borrowed (except for ILLiad interlibrary loan items).

3. Avoid fines! Return library materials by the due date!

4. Use WorldCat to find materials from libraries beyond Hamline and MnPALS.

5. Use ILLiad to manage your inter-library loan requests from libraries beyond Hamline and partner libraries.

6. Contact the Central Service Desk with questions:

Visit the CSD on the first floor of the library
Call (651) 523-2373
Email the Central Service Desk

Renew Library Materials

Items from Hamline and other MnPALS partner libraries

These items can generally be renewed up to 2 times if no one else has requested them. You can avoid fines by renewing your items.

How to renew items:

Go to HamCAT
Click on Sign In in the upper right.
Choose the first Sign In option: "Hamline Users".
Login with your Hamline email (yes use @hamline.edu) and password (Hamline University Authentication).
Click on your name in the upper right and then My Library Account.
Select My Loans and then Renew item(s). Hint: click the checkbox for x loans to renew all loans at once.

If you have reached the limit to the total number of days allowed for the item, you will need to return it to us.

Interlibrary Loan Items

Interlibrary loan items usually cannot be renewed but it depends. If you ask for the renewal before the book comes due, we will try to contact the originating library to request a time extension on your behalf. But this is not a guarantee. Use ILLiad to check for due dates for Interlibrary Loan items since these items don't show up in list of items in My Library Account in HamCAT.

Our FAQs page answers more questions about Interlibrary Loans. UPDATED

Your Library Accounts

Sign in to your HamCAT account to see borrow items (non-Interlibrary Loan), any overdue charges, and to place renewal requests. Use your Hamline email and password to Sign in.