ULANZ Borrowing Scheme
ULANZ is a Library borrowing scheme that allows staff and students of Australian and New Zealand universities* to borrow in person from any other participating university library. The scheme is a cooperative arrangement between CAUL (Council of Australian University Librarians) and CONZUL (Council of New Zealand University Librarians).
*Please note The University of Auckland is not participating in the ULANZ scheme.
For Borrowers
- Participating libraries
- Eligibility
- How to register
- Borrowing conditions and services offered
- Return of loans
- Overdue loans
Eligibility
Current staff and students of participating universities are eligible to join. Membership is personal and not transferable.
Some universities that provide courses (such as enabling courses or single unit subjects etc) will allow students to borrow from their institution but may not indemnify the students for borrowing at other ULANZ libraries. If in doubt contact your home institution. Students of Open Universities Australia are not automatically eligible to enrol in participating libraries, and are advised to seek assistance from their home libraries.
If you are not currently employed in an Australian or New Zealand university, for example, a visiting scholar, proof of affiliation with an Australian or New Zealand university will be required.
How to Register
- Contact the host institution (Click here to view the list of participating institutions, which includes a link to their interlibrary borrowing page). Registration is done directly at the host institution and is a simple process. There is no need to contact your own university library. The host library will supply you with a borrowing card, usually on the spot during weekday business hours.
- You will need to provide a photo ID as well as proof of current enrolment (students) or current employment (staff) from your home university. This could be student or staff ID card from your home institution, enrolment advice or other proof from your university.
Some libraries may charge a fee for registration. Registration is for the current year (no matter when you joined the scheme during the year) and is valid until 28 February of the year following registration. Proof of continued enrolment or employment is required each year for your registration to be renewed.
Borrowing conditions and services offered
Membership privileges such as what and how many items may be borrowed, length of loans, and access to references services and to the internet will vary, and depend on the rules of the host library. Please check their ULANZ details on the website of the institution you wish to visit.
Requests for inter-library loans and document delivery are not part of this scheme, and should be made to the library of your home university.
Return of loans
You must return material to the library from which it was borrowed.
Overdue loans
Penalties and fines for the late return of material are according to the local rules of the lending library. Lost or damaged items must be reported to the host library, which may impose penalties or require payment.
If fines or invoices are not paid, details of overdue material or fines will be sent to the home library, which may impose penalties (blocks and sanctions) as that library has indemnified its users to be able to participate in the ULANZ scheme.
For library staff
- Promotion and resources for participating libraries
- Eligibility
- Registration
- Borrowing conditions and services offered
- Verifying details of ULANZ Staff or Students
- Overdue books and fines
- Statistics
Promotion and resources for participating libraries
For the HOST Institution - Each institution must provide a ULANZ page on their website for potential ULANZ borrowers. The URL for this page should be sent to CAUL for inclusion on the ULANZ website for participating universities.
For the HOME institution - Each institution should have a page on ULANZ for their own clients. This must include a link to Information for Borrowers. [Include link to For Borrowers page]
Please clarify on this page if there are any client groups or students doing courses at your institution who are not eligible to borrow with ULANZ because you are not prepared to indemnify them e.g. Foundation studies, enabling courses, non-award courses, single units of study, etc. A downloadable user guide is also provided if you wish to use it.
Eligibility
Current staff and students of participating universities are eligible to join.
Registration
Registration is done at the host institution, which should be a simple process. Those registering to borrow will need to provide proof of current enrolment or employment from their home university, and this must include photo ID. Some libraries may charge a fee for registration - they are indicated with an asterisk on the list of participating libraries. Registration is valid until 28 February of the following year. A checklist for borrower registration is provided to assist desk staff.
Borrowing conditions and services offered
Host libraries retain the right to set local loan conditions, levels of access, and local fees. Libraries should clearly display this information on their website for ULANZ borrowers.
Verifying details ULANZ Staff or Students
When a ULANZ staff or student presents at a host library to register for borrowing, no checks are undertaken with the home institution to verify that the student or staff member is currently enrolled or employed and in good standing with the Library. It is possible that a student may have withdrawn or been excluded but still have proof of enrolment for the current semester; or a staff member may have resigned but still have evidence of employment.
Checking with the home institution before registration is impracticable since it would be both labor and time intensive.
Applicants should be required to:
- Provide evidence of current enrolment or employment;
- State in writing (or electronic application) that they are currently enrolled or employed and have not been excluded from using their home university library or any other participating university library;
- Acknowledge in writing (or electronic application) that they will abide by the rules and conditions of the host university library;
- Sign a declaration that all the information they have provided is accurate, and acknowledging that the host library may check with their home university library or any other participating university library and that their registration may be cancelled immediately if any of the information provided is found to be incorrect. Libraries may make random or periodic checks for any discrepancies. Should any be found, the host library will immediately cancel the registration and demand return of any library materials;
- Acknowledge in writing that they understand that information may be sent to the home library if items are not returned to the host library, and that further sanctions may apply at their home library depending on the rules of the home library.
- This policy and procedure should be made clear to any ULANZ applicants.
Overdue books and fines
All fines and charges are at the discretion of the host library. The borrower is responsible for any fines incurred.
The home library indemnifies the host library for loss or damage to library materials as a result of their students or staff borrowing from the other library.
Host libraries need time to recover the missing books before the borrowers have left their home university. It is assumed that they would prefer the book returned rather than the replacement costs received.
The host library will notify the home library of their delinquent borrowers at least once a year, not later than 31st October. This information need only identify the borrower, and the overdue materials.
The home library should impose appropriate sanctions on their borrower to recover the material.
After notification has been given, the host library may issue an institutional invoice for replacement costs of unreturned items. The onus is on the home library to actively persuade their students /staff members to return items before paying any fees or fines on their behalf.
Invoices should be issued no later than 12 months after the item becomes overdue.
When a home library covers the replacement cost of unreturned items to a host library and the items is subsequently located, the matter will be resolved between the home library and the borrower.
Statistics
Minimal statistics should be kept for ULANZ activity, such as the number of registrations and loans by institution where possible. CAUL will request these statistics annually.
