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Library membership

University of Sydney staff and currently enrolled students don't need to apply for a card, as your student or staff card functions as a library card.
  • Want to know what you can borrow? See Borrowing from our libraries
  • Lost your card or need a replacement? See Replacement cards
  • Need to change your contact details or address? University of Sydney staff and students can change contact details or address online. Alumni, community borrowers and other members can contact the Student Centre.
  • Most memberships are for borrowing physical collections and you won't be able to access online collections from home.
  • Alumni members have access to some databases from home. See the Alumni tab below for details
  • Community borrowers and other members can access most of our online resources through public access computers located in some libraries, for full details see our list of restricted access databases. There is limited access to public computers, and this cannot be guaranteed.
  • To access our databases from a public access computer, you will need to either search for an article via Google Scholar or go directly to a database via a general search engine (e.g. Google, Bing or DuckDuckGo ). You won't be able to use your Community ID for authentication to any of our databases via Library Search or our Databases A-Z list.

Joining the Library: Information for

Alumni

Available to graduates of the University of Sydney. You will not be able to access library spaces after hours.

What you can borrow:

  • items from the main collection
  • you can put a hold on two items at a time
  • Library collections
    How long you can keep items
    12 weeks (unless recalled)
    Renewals
    4 renewals (unless recalled)
    How many items you can borrow
    Unlimited
  • Journal volumes from storage
    How long you can keep items
    2 hours
    Renewals
    Not available
    How many items you can borrow
    2 at a time

What you can access online as an alumni member

  • While you will get access to some of our online resources from home, we can't give you access to everything, due to licensing restrictions.
  • We have public access computers that will allow you to search most of our databases, but there is limited access to public computers, and availability is not guaranteed.
  • For more information, see the list of our restricted access database page.

Databases available to alumni members from home

To access these databases, follow the links below or find them through Library Search after signing in with your Community ID.

  • Austlit: Australian Literature Gateway

    References to Australian authors and their works.

  • Emerald ejournals Full Text (1994 – present)

    Peer-reviewed journal articles which cover engineering, materials science, the major management & business disciplines, logistics, the built environment & environmental management among others.

  • JSTOR

    Full-text of major academic journals and scholarly literature from around the world. The last five years of publication aren't available for journals in this database except for those published by the University of California. Ebooks aren't accessible to alumni members.

  • Macquarie Dictionary

    Search the Macquarie Dictionary Fourth Edition - Australia's national dictionary and thesaurus. The Macquarie Dictionary is constantly updated with new words as they enter our language.

  • MIT Press journals

    Access to selected journals from MIT Press. Red dots beside articles indicate no access.

  • OECD iLibrary

    OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) publications, including documents, periodicals and statistical databases.

  • Project Muse

    Useful for multidisciplinary research in arts, social sciences and humanities.

  • Sage Journals Online

    Full-text journals covering health, life, materials and social sciences, engineering and humanities.

  • Adam Matthews historical databases

    Unique primary source collections from archives around the world with a focus on humanities and social sciences.

How to apply

Alumni are currently eligible for a free Library membership, valid for 2 years. Complete the application form, and then email university.cards@sydney.edu.au, or contact the Student Centre with:

  • your completed application form
  • if applying by email, include a passport-size photo (see application form for photo guidelines)
  • photo identification such as your driver’s licence, NSW Photo Card or passport

Please allow 2-3 business days processing time.

Staff or students from another university (ULANZ)

Available to staff and students from a ULANZ participating institution. You will not be able to access library spaces after hours.


What you can borrow:

  • items from the main collection
  • you can put a hold on two items at a time
  • You won't be able to borrow items from the short loan collection.
  • Library collections
    How long you can keep items
    12 weeks (unless recalled)
    Renewals
    4 renewals (unless recalled)
    How many items you can borrow
    10 items

What you can access online

  • It's important to know that you won't get access to online resources from home due to licensing restrictions.
  • We have public access computers that will allow you to search most of our databases, but there is limited access to public computers, and availability is not guaranteed.
  • For more information, see the list of our restricted access database page.

Cost

  • $50 per year for students, free for staff members
  • Membership is from 28 February each year, regardless of when you sign up

How to apply

Complete the application form, and then email university.cards@sydney.edu.au, or visit the Student Centre with:

  • your completed application form
  • if applying by email, include a passport-size photo (see application form for photo guidelines)
  • your online payment receipt or a credit/debit card (to pay in person)
  • photo identification such as your driver’s licence, NSW Photo Card or passport
  • students must present a current Certificate of Enrolment or dated student card
  • staff must present a current payslip or show a current online staff directory listing

Please allow 2-3 business days processing time.

Honorary, affiliates & conferred academic title holders

This membership is granted for up to 12 months, with the option to renew if you have continued affiliation with the University. If your card has expired, contact the Student Centre for a renewal or replacement. You’ll need to provide documents that confirm your continued affiliation with the University.

The categories of appointment that are classed as affiliates and are entitled to an Affiliates Card are:

  • Emeritus Professor
  • Academic Titles (Senior Executive Positions)
  • Adjunct Titles
  • Clinical Academic Titles
  • Conjoint Academic Titles
  • Honorary Titles
  • Visiting Scholars (library card only)
  • Research Titles
  • Administrative/Support staff

How to apply

The application form is only required for non-HR departmental appointments. If your affiliation is through the HR system, please visit the intranet for information on how to get your card.

Complete the application form, and then email university.cards@sydney.edu.au, or visit the Student Centre with:

  • your completed application form, signed by the dean or head of school or department
  • If applying by email, include a passport-size photo (see application form for photo guidelines)
  • photo identification such as your driver’s licence, NSW Photo Card or passport

Please allow 2-3 business days processing time

Honorary degree recipient or retired staff member

You will not be able to access library spaces after hours.

How to apply

Complete the application form, and then email university.cards@sydney.edu.au, or visit the Student Centre with:

  • your completed application form
  • if applying by email, include a passport-size photo (see application form for photo guidelines)
  • photo identification such as your driver’s licence, NSW Photo Card or passport
  • a letter from Human Resources or your department confirming your retirement from the University of Sydney

Please allow 2-3 business days processing time.

Centre for English Teaching (CET)

What you can borrow:

  • items from the main collection
  • you can put a hold on two items at a time
  • you won't be able to borrow items from the short loan collection.
  • Library collections
    How long you can keep items
    12 weeks (unless recalled)
    Renewals
    4 renewals (unless recalled)
    How many items you can borrow
    10 items

What you can access online

  • CET students can access Library databases using their UniKey and password, without needing a Library membership.

How to apply

New students will receive a card once they commence study on campus. After students have enrolled, the CET office will send information on how to upload a passport style photo for their card via the personal email provided in their application form.

CET students who are currently enrolled and require a replacement card will need to contact CET Education Services at cet.edservices@sydney.edu.au.

Community borrowers

Community borrower membership is only available for individuals. You will not be able to access library spaces after hours. We do not provide access for private education providers.

What you can borrow:

  • items from the main collection
  • you can put a hold on two items at a time
  • You won't be able to borrow items from the short loan collection.
  • Library collections
    How long you can keep items
    12 weeks (unless recalled)
    Renewals
    4 renewals (unless recalled)
    How many items you can borrow
    10 items

What you can access online

  • Community borrowers can't access the Library's online resources from home due to licensing restrictions.
  • Within our physical spaces, there are some public access computers that will allow you to search most of our databases, but availability is not guaranteed. To access our databases from one of these computers, you will need to either search for an article via Google Scholar or go directly to a database via a general search engine (e.g. Google, Bing or DuckDuckGo). You won't be able to use your Community ID for authentication to any of our databases via Library Search or our Databases A-Z list.
  • For more information, see the list of our restricted access database page.

Cost

Membership options are $40 for 3 months, $80 for 6 months, or $160 for 12 months. Pay online via the Student Centre (processed the next business day).

How to apply

Complete the application form, and then email university.cards@sydney.edu.au, or contact the Student Centre with:

  • your completed application form
  • if applying by email, include a passport-size photo (see application form for photo guidelines)
  • your online payment receipt
  • photo identification such as your driver’s licence, NSW Photo Card or passport

Please allow 2-3 business days processing time. Please allow for a minimum of 10 business days at the start of Semester.

Year 11 and 12 secondary students

What you can borrow:

  • items from the main collection
  • you can put a hold on two items at a time
  • You won't be able to borrow items from the short loan collection.
  • Library collections
    How long you can keep items
    12 weeks (unless recalled)
    Renewals
    4 renewals (unless recalled)
    How many items you can borrow
    10 items

What you can access online

  • It's important to know that you won't get access to online resources from home due to licensing restrictions.
  • Within our physical spaces, there are some public access computers that will allow you to search most of our databases, but availability is not guaranteed. To access our databases from one of these computers, you will need to either search for an article via Google Scholar or go directly to a database via a general search engine (e.g. Google, Bing or DuckDuckGo). You won't be able to use your Community ID for authentication to any of our databases via Library Search or our Databases A-Z list.
  • For more information, see the list of our restricted access database page.

Cost

Membership options are $25 for 6 months, or $50 for 12 months. Payment can be made online (processed the next business day), or in person. Membership for Year 12 students will automatically expire at the end of the school year.

How to apply

Complete the application form, and then university.cards@sydney.edu.au, or visit the Student Centre with:

  • your completed application form
  • your receipt from paying online via the Student Centre or a credit/debit card (if paying in person)
  • if applying by email, include a passport-size photo (see application form for photo guidelines)
  • photo identification such as your driver’s licence, NSW Photo Card or passport, school ID which contains your full name and date of birth
  • Students under the age of 18 must present a form signed by a parent or legal guardian

Please allow 2-3 business days processing time.

Research assistants

You will not be able to access library spaces after hours.

How to apply

Complete the application form, and then email university.cards@sydney.edu.au, or visit the Student Centre with:

  • your completed application form
  • if applying by email, include a passport-size photo (see application form for photo guidelines)
  • photo identification such as your driver’s licence, NSW Photo Card or passport

Please allow 2-3 business days processing time.

Temporary borrowing for suspended students

Privileges

This membership allows you to borrow from our physical collections during normal Information Desk hours. Temporary library card holders aren't able to borrow from another library. Temporary library card holders only have access electronic resources if they still have an active student UniKey.You will not be able to access library spaces after hours.

Eligibility

You can apply for a temporary library card if you're:

  • a postgraduate student under examination (does not require authorising signature)
  • a postgraduate student whose candidature is suspended
  • a student intending to do honours or study for a postgraduate degree

How to apply

Complete the application form, and then email university.cards@sydney.edu.au, or visit the Student Centre with:

  • your completed application form
  • if applying by email, include a passport-size photo (see application form for photo guidelines)

Please allow 2-3 business days processing time.

Other categories of borrower

Other memberships are open to:

  • Foundation Program students
  • Fellows or former Fellows of the University of Sydney Senate
  • Conservatorium Open Academy

For more information, please contact the Student Centre.

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The University of Sydney Library acknowledges that its facilities sit on the ancestral lands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who have for thousands of generations exchanged knowledge for the benefit of all. Learn more