Access to Libraries & Services During COVID-19: Information

Library study spaces are available for UM students. The Dafoe Library spaces are available on a first-come-first-served basis; Sciences & Technology Library requires advanced booking online; NJM Health Sciences Library requires advanced booking online.

• Learn more about open library study spaces and what is available and unavailable in the libraries.
• Provide feedback about library study spaces.

Borrow a book or material that UML owns:

• Simply place a hold on the book from your Library Search results. Current pickup location is the library hold locker at the Elizabeth Dafoe Library or the Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Library. Follow these instructions to place a request.

We'll Scan It For You - Request a chapter, article or portion of a book that UML owns:

• Complete the Document Delivery form to request a portion of an item to be scanned.
• If the request does not fall within copyright, we will cancel the request and ask that you place a more specific request. Example: you can generally have 1 chapter or 10% of the book scanned.
• If your request is available electronically, we will cancel your request and provide you with alternate information.

Cancelled request? Contact your subject liaison librarian or Ask Us chat for further assistance.

These are items you cannot find in our collection may be available from another institution.

NOTE: We cannot bring in an entire book or item right now as borrowing physical items between institutions is suspended until further notice. However, we can request a portion of a printed work to be scanned.

Books, journals, or other materials:

• Complete the Document Delivery form.
• Specify if you need an article, chapter or 10% of the whole item, to speed the process.
• The request must fall within copyright or will be cancelled.
• You will receive this material electronically via email.

Cancelled request? Contact your subject liaison librarian or Ask Us chat for further assistance.

Get it Digitally: Find books online, including items in our collection or borrow from HathiTrust.

A rich collection of digital resources continues to be available through Library Search, including e-books. Borrow online resources from HathiTrust, which provides temporary access to millions of in-copyright and public domain works.

Follow these instructions to find digital library material.

Please Ask Us!

We pride ourselves in getting back to you quickly, but it may take up to 3 business days, depending on the volume of requests.

IMPORTANT: Please read all the email notifications we send to you, as they contain important information about your request and will save you time.

Use our Ask Us online chat service to ask any questions you have. Check our Ask Us hours.

For subject specific help or research consultations contact your subject librarian directly, by phone, email, or online chat.

Visit our Learn at the Libraries for help with academic writing, how to search the library, evaluating resources, and writing citations. Sections of the website can also be integrated into online courses. Click here for more information.

The library is offering a series of workshops online to enhance your research skills.  Previous online workshops are available to watch anytime on our YouTube Channel.

Watch our help videos for additional help.

View our curated subject guides for recommended resources.

Archives and Special Collections (Third floor, Elizabeth Dafoe Library) provides in-person research and reference services 10:30 AM - 3:30 PM, Tuesday and Thursday, by appointment only. Two appointment slots are available, in one hour increments, to a maximum of three hours. Find out more and book your appointment.

Access to library resources frequently requires your UMnetID.

• New students, ensure that you have claimed your UMnetID.
• Use your UMNet ID to log into Your Library Account.
• Check both your old and new email boxes for notifications from the Libraries, especially for Hold Locker pickup and Study Space reservations.

Your UM student photo ID card is your library card. Learn about UM Photo Identification Cards

For any other information technology issues, contact IST for help.

Fort Garry Campus

• Elizabeth Dafoe Library return slot, 10 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Friday
• Sciences & Technology Library return slot, 10 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Friday
• Elizabeth Dafoe Library, Shipping & Libraries Return Bin located at the back of the library, off Service Road 3N (near parking lot B), any time or day of the week.

Bannatyne Campus

• Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Library return bin, 5:30 AM to 5:30 PM, every day

By Mail

Elizabeth Dafoe Library
25 Chancellor Circle
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2

Returning Document Delivery materials borrowed from outside UM Libraries:

Document Delivery material borrowed prior to the pandemic were due by September 30, 2020 and are now considered overdue unless an extension has been requested and granted. Please return all overdue items promptly.

Due dates for borrowed materials were automatically extended during the early pandemic period.
Should you receive a recall notice, you will have 7 days to return the material.

If you have any difficulty, Ask Us!

Late fees have been suspended.

We are now accepting returns from outside institutions.

Materials we have on loan from other institutions: We are consulting the Interlibrary Loans/Relais list to confirm returns of print materials. If you have indicated that you are accepting returns, we will be sending them as they are returned to us.

If your institution is not on that list, and you want materials returned, please contact documentdelivery@umanitoba.ca.

We may also be contacting you to check if we can return.

There will be no physical reserves available for Fall term, due to COVID-19 restrictions.

The Libraries will try to obtain digital course reserves that you can use in UM Learn. We can accomplish this in two ways:

• Obtain a digital version of the item, wherever possible.
• Digitize what we can within fair dealing (chapter or 10% or less of a work).

Please contact your Subject Liaison Librarian, either by email or by scheduling an appointment, to discuss your course reserve needs further.

Librarians are available to help faculty find an electronic version of a textbook, or a suitable alternative. We will add the e-textbook to the Libraries' collection so that all your students can access it.

Ask us to check to see if an electronic version of your print textbook is available or get more information about electronic textbook availability.

Open Education Resources teaching resources are available in a variety of formats that have an open copyright license and allow anyone to use, adapt and share them as needed.

If you have any questions concerning the use of copyright materials in an online course or adding them to UM Learn contact the UM Copyright Office directly. You can also consult the copyright guidelines here.

Reading Lists is a new tool in UM Learn, designed to help instructors share reading materials within each course. These may include items from the Libraries, such as articles or books, as well as websites, video content, images, or lecture slides. All resources can be added directly to a UM Learn course, making it easier to access relevant content and stay organized. 

Online services for researchers are still available. Check our Faculty and Researcher Help page for details.