Borrow Direct Plus @ Columbia University

Overview

Borrow Direct Plus offers Ivy Plus library affiliates on-site borrowing privileges at Borrow Direct institutions. Users with home library accounts in good standing have access to circulating materials at any of the participating libraries.

Active students, faculty, and staff members from the universities listed below may be granted physical access and borrowing privileges at Columbia University Libraries:

Acquiring a Community CUID (Library Card)

All Borrow Direct Plus affiliates are eligible for a Community CUID, which grants physical access and borrowing privileges to users. For more information on receiving a Community CUID, please view our Visitors webpage for detailed information.

Please note: access and borrowing privileges expire every year on June 30th and must be renewed. Renewal can be done via email or in-person.

The physical cards expire five years from the year of issue on June 30th. To receive a new card after it expires, please apply for a new one by viewing the Visitors webpage for detailed information.

Community CUIDs are generally free for Borrow Direct Plus affiliates. There is a $20 fee to replace lost or missing cards.  

Physical Access to Libraries & Borrowing Privileges  

Borrow Direct Plus affiliates have physical access and borrowing privileges at all the Columbia libraries except the Law Library, Teachers College, the Health Sciences Library, the Business Library at Manhattanville, and Jewish Theological Seminary.

The maxiumum number of items that may be checked out on your borrowing account is 20. Films on DVD, VHS and Laserdisc and music CDs may not be checked out.

The computers in the computer labs and digital centers may not be used. Public PCs may be used, and are available in most of the libraries. Off-campus access to electronic resources is not provided.

Borrow Direct Plus affiliates do not have guest privileges.

Further Information about Columbia University Libraries

Each library has its own Web page. Please visit this page for details. Information about various study spaces may be found here.  

Library locations may be found on the campus map. Library hours may be found here.

Hours of access may be restricted in some libraries. For instance, you may use Butler Library from 9 am to 11 pm. During midterms and finals, the Business Library restricts access during the day to Columbia business students and students majoring in economics.

Lockers (except for day lockers) and study carrels are not provided. Group study rooms may be used if vacant, but may not be reserved in advance.

Access to Morningside Campus
Access levels are determined by Columbia administration and facilitated by Public Safety. Please check Morningside Campus Access Levels before coming to campus. General guidelines may be found below, but are subject to change per Columbia's administration:
  • O - Open: All Borrow Direct Plus affiliates can enter campus
  • I - ID Only: Borrow Direct Plus affiliates must have a Community CUID or be pre-registered as a guest to enter campus
  • R - Restricted: Borrow Direct Plus affiliates must have a Community CUID to enter campus