Find + borrow

The UC Berkeley Library is brimming with treasures waiting to be discovered and explored. Through the Library, you can read the latest journal articles, borrow works of art to hang on your wall, and encounter materials that you can’t find anywhere else.

Frequently asked questions

Renew online

Sign in to your Library account in the upper right corner of UC Library Search:

Choose either the Renew All button or select the items you’d like to renew and choose Renew Selected. The Status column will reflect the new due date or the reason the item was not renewed. Items which can no longer be renewed online need to be returned to one of the campus libraries or brought in person to a circulation desk to be checked in and checked back out.

UC Berkeley students, staff, faculty, postdocs, and visiting scholars will have their items automatically renewed (limited to monographs without holds). Users will receive an email when the item has been automatically renewed, and also when the item cannot be automatically renewed due to maximum renewal limit reached or library account blocked.

Renew in-person

Bring the material along with your Cal 1 card or library card to one of the circulation desks in a UCB Library (except the Law Library).

Not Renewable
  • Items which are due more than 7 days in the future will say not renewable next to the title in the loans tab of your library account. Items cannot be renewed more than 7 days before the due date.
  • Items which have reached the renewal limit (see below) must be brought to one of the circulation desks in a UCB Library (except the Law Library) to be checked in and checked back out if you still need them. This will restart the renewal cycle.
Renewal limits
  • 6-month loans - 48 months
  • 3-month loans - 33 months
  • 1-month loans - 12 months

We are able to remotely set up most types of library accounts. To set up an account, please email Privileges staff at privdesk@ucberkeley.libanswers.com with the following information: full legal name (including middle name), preferred name (if different), mailing address, telephone number, email address, and any additional information needed for the account (such as an image of your alumni card or proof of current full-time faculty appointment). Please refer to the Library Cards for Non UCB Patrons web page for additional information on the various types of library accounts. To set up your library account in person, you may visit us at the Privileges Desk during open hours with your library card, gov't-issued photo ID, and any required documentation.

Yes, we do. Please see the eBooks at Berkeley guide for more information.

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