Alumni of Columbia University enjoy free lifetime access to library services.

These services include physical access to most Columbia University Libraries and the ability to purchase borrowing privileges for a monthly fee. For continued access to libraries, alumni should apply for a Community CUID (see information below). 

Alumni also have access to a selection of Libraries e-resources, which only require an active UNI. Access to e-resources do not require a Community CUID. Please see below for more information on accessing e-resources.

Learn more about Columbia alumni benefits and privileges.

Community CUIDs provide physical access to Columbia University Libraries. Due to high demand and staff capacity, all Community CUIDs will be mailed to users after they are processed and printed. There is a $10 fee to ship all cards. Please note that processing time is approximately two weeks.

If you do not want your card to be mailed to you, the Library Information Office also offers walk-ins on Mondays and Thursdays, from 2pm - 4pm. These walk-in hours are first come, first served. We are unable to accommodate any walk-ins for CUIDs outside of these hours. Thank you for your understanding.

When the building is open 24 hours, alumni may access Butler Library from 9am - 11pm.

Recent graduates retain student-level access and privileges to the Libraries for 120 days after their degree conferral date. These privileges are attached to one's student CUID. We encourage all May 2025 graduates who are staying in New York City to wait until 120 days after their degree conferral date to apply for an alumni Community CUID.

Apply for a Community CUID

Borrowing privileges for onsite and offsite collections can be purchased in the Library Information Office for $30 per month. Borrowing privileges are not available at the Law School, Teachers College, or the Health Sciences libraries.

Alumni do not have access to the following services:

• Interlibrary Loan
• Borrow Direct
• Pickup Service
• Scan & Deliver 

Graduates of Columbia University, Barnard, Teachers College, and Union Theological Seminary have off-campus access to the following e-resources. To use these resources, alumni may need to activate their UNI or change their password at the Manage My UNI website.

Please use the links on this page for access. Using any other links to these databases will not allow alumni access.

For questions regarding resources, please contact the Library Information Office at lio@columbia.edu.