Borrower Services  

Forms of Identification

Materials may be borrowed by presenting:

  • a valid UW-Madison ID card
  • a UW-Madison General Library System card including faculty runners
  • a valid UW System ID
  • a Steenbock Library card is available to Wisconsin residents who are not affiliated with the UW System. Apply at the Steenbock Circulation Desk on 2nd floor, and show a Wisconsin driver's license or Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation photo ID.

    • NOTE: The Steenbock card is only good at Steenbock and only for Steenbock materials.

Loan Periods

Use My MadCat Account to see when your items are due. Loan periods for materials borrowed from off-campus libraries are determined by the lending library.

     → See also campus-wide Loan Periods by Patron Category

Stack Items (most books, documents and audiovisuals)
UW Madison Faculty/Staff
UW System Faculty/Staff
UW Madison Graduate Students		 Semester loan
(Due Dec 30 or May 30)
Undergraduate Students
Other Borrowers 		28 days  
Journals (titles shelved in "Steenbock Periodicals")
All Borrowers 2 hours
  • Overnight check-out begins 2 hours prior to library closing time.
  • Due back one hour after opening on library's next open day
Reserve Materials (titles shelved in "Steenbock Reserves")
All Borrowers
  • 3 hours: most items
  • 1 hour: exams, answer keys, and problem sets
  • 7 days: CBE multi-media
  • 48 hours: selected items with approval
  • 28 days: selected items not on active reserve with approval
  • Most Reserves (except audiovisuals) may be taken out of Steenbock during loan period.
  • Overnight check-out begins 3 hours prior to library closing time for most items; 1 hour for exams, etc.
  • Due back one hour after opening on library's next open day
  • No overnight check-out during Final Exam week

 

Renewals

A renewal is an extension of the loan period for an item you currently have checked out.

Stack Items (most books, documents and audiovisuals)
UW Madison Faculty/Staff
UW Madison Graduate Students
 6 renewals unless recalled
Undergraduate Students
Other Borrowers		  2 renewals unless recalled
UW System Faculty/Staff 1 renewal
Journals (titles shelved in "Steenbock Periodicals")
All Borrowers no renewals
Reserves (titles shelved in "Steenbock Reserves")
All Borrowers no renewals

 

Recalls

A recall is a request for an item currently checked out to be returned and held for you. Steenbock materials which may be recalled through MadCat are listed below.

Stack Items (most books, documents and audiovisuals)
All Borrowers All stack materials checked out may be recalled
Journals (titles shelved in "Steenbock Periodicals")
All Borrowers no recalls
Reserves (titles shelved in "Steenbock Reserves")
All Borrowers no recalls

All UW-Madison regular loan books are subject to recall by another patron. The original borrower is guaranteed 14 days; after that, the item is subject to any recalls issued by another patron. If a recall is issued, the due date will be changed and you will be notified. If you have a recalled item and it is overdue, you will not be able to borrow more materials until the recalled item is returned.

Note: Recalled Items should be returned to the library they were borrowed from in order to avoid a potential fine.

Return Materials

Returning Items to Steenbock

Materials may be returned to the Steenbock book drops (outside) and inside at the Steenbock Circulation/Reserves desk (2nd floor).

Return all reserves material to the Steenbock Circulation/Reserves Desk during library open hours. When the library is closed, use the Steenbock outside book drop (near 2nd floor entrance).

Return journals directly to the Steenbock Circulation/Reserves desk.

Recalled Items

Recalled items should be returned to the library they were borrowed from in order to avoid a potential fine.

Returning Items to Other Campus Libraries

Books on regular loan, including those borrowed via Interlibrary Loan (formerly Library Express), can be returned to any campus library with an Open Return sticker (see image) on its book return.

open return

DO NOT return the following Steenbock materials to other campus libraries:

  • reserve materials
  • journals
  • audiovisual materials (maps, videos, audiocassettes, microfiche, microfilm, etc.)
  • items with loan periods of seven days or less

Fines

  • Replacement fees may not be appealed. Appeals for overdue fines for reserve items must be made within one month of the bill's date. Appeal forms are available in Room 170 Memorial Library or use the web form.
  • Your UW-Madison borrowing privileges will be blocked for 1 overdue recall or 5 lost books.
  • To avoid library charges:
    • Check the date and time an item is due and return it by the due date or renew it.
    • Ask for a receipt when returning an item in person. This assures the item has been discharged.
    • Make sure your Email address in MyUW is correct: http://my.wisc.edu/

Stack Items

  • All notices and bills are sent via Email.
  • Stack materials have no overdue fines.
  • A replacement fee will be billed to you for all materials not returned within 28 days of due date.
    • $80 minimum replacement fee.
  • If a lost item is returned the replacement charge is waived.

Reserve Items

  • Overdue fines are calculated during library open hours at the rate of $2 per hour.
  • Overdue notices are sent before an item is presumed lost and replacement fee is calculated.
  • Lost item replacement fees vary by type of material.

Payment

  • You may pay fines online, in person, or by mail:

    • Online

      Pay Fines

      Online fine payment requires a valid NetID.

    • In Person

      Fines are paid at the Circulation Office, Room 170, Memorial Library. (Note: Fines incurred from the State Historical Society Library must be paid there.) The Circulation Office is open from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday-Friday. Fines can be paid with Wiscard, Visa, MasterCard, check or cash.

    • By Mail

      Checks made payable to "University of Wisconsin-Madison" can be sent to Memorial Library, 728 State Street, Room 170, Madison WI 53706

    To appeal a Fine, use the Appeal of Library Charges form.