Library Access
To enter the Library, you need to show your currently valid UW-Madison ID or Memorial Library card. If at any time you are asked by Library staff or their agents to show your ID or card, please do so. Visitors are welcome to Memorial Library, but must first show valid identification, with a photo and current address in order to obtain a visitor's pass.
The Library maintains a purposeful, academic research environment by not allowing anonymous entry into the building. Unauthorized presence in Memorial Library is prohibited.
Jump to topBorrowing Materials
Patrons with a UW ID or a valid UW Libraries-issued card are allowed to borrow materials from the Library. Patrons with a Day Pass or Scholar's Pass are allowed to use Library materials while in the Library but may not borrow them.
Loan periods vary according to patron category.
Jump to topBook Retrieval
Book retrieval is a service offered in MadCat which allows a patron to request that a book be retrieved from one UW-Madison campus library and delivered to another UW-Madison campus library.
This library service is available to the following patrons:
- UW-Madison Faculty, Students and Staff
- UW-Madison Honorary Fellows and Affiliates
- Friends of the Library
- Annual Fee Card Holders
- Wisconsin Academic
- UW-Madison Domestic Partners, Spouses and Children
- Corporations
If you don't know what patron category you're in, see the patron categories page for more information.
Jump to topUniversal Borrowing
University of Wisconsin System schools are able to borrow and loan materials between each other. This is called Universal Borrowing.
This library service is available to the following patrons:
- UW-Madison Faculty, Students and Staff
- UW-Madison Honorary Fellows and Affiliates
- UW System Faculty, Students and Staff
If you don't know what patron category you're in, see the patron categories page for more information.
Jump to topInterLibrary Loan Borrowing
When material is unavailable from UW-Madison Libraries, InterLibrary Loan Borrowing (also known as Library Express) allows a patron to borrow it from other libraries.
This library service is available to the following patrons:
- UW-Madison Faculty, Students and Staff
- UW-Madison Honorary Fellows and Affiliates
- Friends of the Library
- Annual Fee Card Holders
If you don't know what patron category you're in, see the patron categories page for more information.
Jump to topDocument/Article Delivery
UW-Madison Libraries offers on-campus electronic document/article delivery. This is service is offered via Library Express.
This library service is available to the following patrons:
- UW-Madison Faculty, Students and Staff
- UW-Madison Honorary Fellows and Affiliates
If you don't know what patron category you're in, see the patron categories page for more information.
Jump to topElectronic Access
Any patron within a campus library may access electronic resources by using a Guest NetID.
For information about temporary access to electronic resources, see our NetID information page.
Off-campus access
Off-campus access to licensed electronic resources is limited to UW Faculty, Students and Staff.
Access to selected licensed electronic resources is available to UW Alumni via the Wisconsin Alumni Association (WAA).
Jump to topFee-based Services
The UW-Madison Libraries offer access to a multitude of collections, including:
- Business
- Engineering
- Humanities
- Law
- Medicine
- Science
Several UW-Madison Libraries offer for-fee services. More information can be found on the Fee-based Services page.
- Day-Pass
- A Day-Pass allows temporary access into the Library and to Library resources. You can obtain a Day-Pass from the Library Front Desk.
- Scholars-Pass
- A Scholar's Pass allows temporary access into the Library to to Library resources. You can obtain a Scholar's Pass from the Library Front Desk.
- Fee
- The fee is $2.00 per item if the article/document is available on-campus. There is no charge for items not available on-campus, or items from the UW-Madison Libraries Storage Facility.
- Fee-based
- Fee-based Services can provide document delivery, research and literature searching for corporate and private libraries, corporations and individuals.