To establish the right to Library services, particularly to borrow Library materials, the prospective user is responsible for providing adequate identification establishing both individual identity and relationship to the University or Library.

Initial Registration: Students: Campus IDs are issued in the University Center, as part of the new student orientation processes.  Once you have your ID card, you are automatically registered in the Library system within two to four working days, after which time you may borrow materials.  To access Library online resources from off campus you will also need to have a UMBC email account, which is issued by the Division of Information Technology.  Those who, for some reason, are not automatically registered in the Library system but have been issued a Campus ID card can, upon presentation of the ID be manually registered immediately. If a student has not been issued a student ID, but can show proof of registration (i.e. a paid bill or a class list) and picture ID, Library staff will register the student by issuing a (temporary) Special Borrower card with barcode, entering the borrowing privileges into the online system as student borrowing privileges.

Faculty/staff: Faculty and staff are issued Campus IDs.  Campus IDs are issued in the University Center, as part of the new employee orientation processes.  Once you have your ID card, you are automatically registered in the Library system within two to four working days, after which time you may borrow materials.  To access Library online resources from off campus you will also need to have a UMBC email account, which is issued by the Division of Information Technology. Those who, for some reason, are not automatically registered in the Library system but have been issued a Campus ID card can, upon presentation of the ID be manually registered immediately. In the absence of a faculty/staff ID, other proof of faculty or staff status may be accepted and a picture ID is required. Special borrower cards are issued in such cases with faculty/staff privileges entered into the online system.

Special borrowers: Come to the Circulation Desk with a current driver's license or other valid non-expired, government-issued photo ID plus proof of a local current address such as a bank/credit card statement or utility bill dated within the last 60 days. A Special Borrowes Card will be issued according to Library Guideline 256 - Special Borrower Privileges.

ID of registered borrowers:

Once registered, borrowers should present their barcoded ID for all Library charge out of materials and lockers. In the absence of that ID, staff will normally accept an alternative, valid and government issued, picture ID such as a driver's license or passport and proof of registration (i.e. a paid university bill, a class list, or the 14-digit Library ID from their MyUMBC account located under the Profile tab).

Responsibility to safeguard ID:

Because borrowers are individually responsible for the return of materials they borrow from the Library (see Library Guideline 251), borrowers should carefully safeguard cards establishing borrowing privileges. Users should immediately report to the Library loss of a borrowing card so staff can invalidate its barcode. Failure to properly notify the Library may result in assessment of responsibility and financial liability for subsequent loans contracted to that borrower barcode.

previously implemented guideline, statement approved 10/19/92 , rev. 9/27/01, 8/18/09, 9/21/11 MD, 6/26/12 MD