Anyone with a valid Brock Card, Alumni Card, Special Borrowers’ Card, or valid ID Card from a Canadian university is welcome to borrow our materials.
Present your books and ID Card to staff at the Ask Us Desk
Borrowing Information
| Type of Material | Loan Period |
| Books | Faculty, staff, students: 120 days. |
| Popular Reading and Wellness Books | 4 weeks |
| Reserve items | 3, 24, or 48 hours |
| Equipment | 4, 24, or 72 hours |
| Board games | 3 days |
| Map, Data & GIS Library materials | 3 days or 1 week or in Library Use only |
| CDs, DVDs or VHS tapes | 2 weeks |
| Archives & Special Collections | Library Use only |
| Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University items | 2 weeks |
| Instructional Resource Centre (IRC) | see IRC homepage |
| Patron Type | Loan Period | # of renewals | Maximum # of items checked out |
| Undergraduate students | 120 days | unlimited | 500 |
| Faculty, Staff, Graduate students | 120 days | unlimited | 500 |
| Brock Retirees | 120 days | unlimited | 500 |
| Alumni and Special Borrowers | 2 weeks | 4 | 20 |
Frequently Asked Questions
When you find a book in Omni
- Review the items and due dates for items you have checked out.
- Renew eligible checked out items.
- Log into your library account prior to searching Omni to request books and request scans of book chapters/journal articles.
- Save your search queries for future use and receive email notifications when additional new items are received pertaining to your search strategy.
- Renew by signing in to Omni with your campus id and password.
- Open the ‘My Loans’ menu item.
- Select specific items for renewal or renew all.
- Contact libhelp@brocku.ca if you require assistance.
- Please note: some items may not be renewable if you have outstanding fines over $20.00.
Please return your books via the drop slot in the Schmon Tower lobby/Rankin Family Pavilion just outside the east entrance to the library.
Be sure to review important details about planning your visit to campus amid COVID-19 restrictions.
Other return options for students no longer in the Niagara area:
- Drop off your Brock books to your closest university library when they re-open. They will be returned to Brock on your behalf.
- Ship your returns to us by mail at:
James A. Gibson Library
Brock University
1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way,
St. Catharines, ON
Canada
L2S 3A1
Alumni are entitled to library borrowing privileges at no charge. Please present your alumni card to staff at the Ask Us desk to register. For information on obtaining an alumni card, please contact Office of Alumni Relations. Additional library services are available to Alumni.
Full details outlining library access for Brock Retirees can be found under Alumni and Community.
Undergraduate and graduate students may borrow books in person from other Ontario university libraries (Direct Borrowing), with the exception of the University of Toronto. A valid Brock University Identification Card is required, and users may be required to show additional picture identification. Books may be returned to the lending library or to the Ask Us Desk at the James A. Gibson Library.
For graduate students, arrangements also exist for borrowing from out-of-province universities (Atlantic, Quebec, Prairie and Pacific). See Canadian Universities Reciprocal Borrowing Agreement for more information.
Overdue Fines
Avoid incurring fines by signing-in to Omni to view the list of items you have borrowed and their due dates. There are no overdue fines for stack (non-Reserve) books or books from the Popular Reading or Wellness Collections.
| Item | Fine |
| Overdue maps, CDs, DVDs, Interlibrary Loan materials | $ .50 per day per item |
| Overdue Reserves / equipment | $1.50 per hour per item. |
| 3 hour loan items will be billed for replacement after 48 hours. 24 hour loan items will be billed for replacement after 5 days. 48 hour items will be billed for replacement after 7 days. 7 day loan items will be billed after 15 days. | |
| Overdue board games | no overdue fines, but will be billed for replacement after 21 days |
| Lost book | $125 default replacement charge plus a $25 non-refundable administration charge. |
| Lost / damaged /maps/CD/DVD | Cost of item plus a $15.00 non-refundable processing fee |
| Lost whiteboard cleaning kit | $6.00 replacement charge |
| Lost whiteboard cleaning cloth | $2.00 replacement charge |
| Lost whiteboard spray bottle | $2.00 replacement charge |
| Lost Locker Key | $25.00 replacement charge. |
| Lost / damaged miscellaneous cables | $25.00 per item |
| Lost / damaged video camera | $550.00 |
| Lost ILL / RACER book / item | Flat rate replacement cost of $75.00, plus a $50.00 non-refundable processing fee |
| Lost equipment storage bag | $5.00 |
| IRC | see IRC Homepage |
Borrowing privileges for Brock University students, faculty and staff are suspended when fines are $20.00 or more or, when one (1) recalled item is overdue. Privileges will be reinstated for all users when overdue and recalled materials are returned and outstanding fines are paid. Sign-in to Omni to view currently checked out items and fines owing.
Borrowing privileges for Brock University undergraduate and graduate students are suspended when fines are $20.00 or more. On a monthly basis, these fines will be automatically transferred to the student’s financial account. The Library will notify the student before this transfer is made.
Log in to your Library Account to view details about fines on your record.
Fines can then be paid using a variety of methods. More information: https://brocku.ca/safa/tuition-and-fees/making-a-payment/
Privileges will be reinstated for all users when outstanding fines are paid.
Pay your library fines:
- in person by cash, cheque, debit or credit card at the Ask Us Desk in the James A. Gibson Library or,
- by sending a cheque payable to Brock University to the address below. Please be sure to mark your student ID# clearly on the cheque.
Access Services
James A. Gibson Library
Brock University
1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way
St Catharines, ON L2S 3A1
Please Note: The Library cannot accept payment for fines transferred to Student Accounts & Financial Aid.
If you want to appeal a library fine, please complete this form. The request will be reviewed, and an email response will be sent within five (5) working days.