The Penn Libraries participate in a limited number of reciprocal borrowing programs for faculty, staff or students affiliated with specific institutions. Please see below for eligibility and rules associated with these programs.
For general information about visiting the Penn Libraries please see our visitor information and access information.
For information about the Penn community's Reciprocal Borrowing privileges see this page..
BorrowDirect on-site borrowing
For information about rules, procedures, and partner institutions please see the BorrowDirect on-site borrowing page.
Faculty, students, and staff from partner institutions are now eligible to borrow materials on-site from the Penn Libraries.
These visitors must first come to the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center to register for on-site borrowing privileges.
See Borrow Direct procedures and limitations for details about registration, eligibility, loan periods, account duration, departmental Penn Library limitations, limitation by type of materia, and patron responsibilities.
Drexel University
Free courtesy borrowing privileges at the Penn Libraries are available to Drexel University graduate students and faculty.
Drexel graduate students and faculty must obtain a Reciprocal Borrower's letter from the Hagerty Library Circulation Desk, and present it, along with their current Drexel Photo ID, at the Van Pelt Library Circulation desk in order to activate borrowing privileges.
Borrowers are limited to 20 items at any one time.
Not all Penn Libraries locations or Penn Libraries materials are eligible for this program.
Penn Libraries accounts for Drexel borrowers
- Accounts for tenured or tenure-track faculty will be created for 1 year from the date on the reciprocal borrowing letter.
- Accounts for adjunct faculty and graduate students will be created for 3 months from the date on the reciprocal borrowing letter.
- Accounts may be renewed with the presentation of additional letters as long as the patron continues to be a graduate student or faculty member at Drexel and remains in good standing with the Penn Libraries.
Tri-colleges
Free courtesy borrowing privileges at the Penn Libraries are available to the faculty of Bryn Mawr, Haverford and Swarthmore Colleges.
- Faculty members must obtain a Reciprocal Borrower's letter from the Library at their institution, and present it, along with their current college Photo ID, at the Van Pelt Library Circulation desk in order to activate borrowing privileges.
- Penn Libraries accounts will be created for 1 year from the date on the reciprocal borrowing letter.
- Accounts may be renewed with the presentation of additional letters as long as the patron continues their faculty affiliation with their institution and remains in good standing with the Penn Libraries.
- Borrowers are limited to 20 items at any one time.
- Not all Penn Libraries locations or Penn Libraries materials are eligible for this program.