Boston College has several agreements with groups and organizations that extend library privileges free of charge to members of the BC community. Privileges are determined by the host library and may differ from your borrowing privileges here at BC.
Boston College is a cooperating member of the Boston Library Consortium (BLC). Boston College faculty, staff, and students qualify for borrowing privileges at member libraries.
Current Boston College faculty, staff, and students may borrow materials from these institutions by presenting their Boston College ID:
You can view and renew items borrowed from these institutions by logging into My Accounts.
To borrow materials from a BLC library other than Brandeis, Northeastern University, and Boston University (see above), first, visit the O'Neill Library Circulation Desk to apply for a consortium card that confirms you are in good standing with Boston College Libraries. Present your consortium card and Boston College ID at the member library to obtain borrowing privileges from that library.
In place of visiting BLC libraries, faculty, staff, and students can request BLC library-owned material through WorldCat
Boston College is a cooperating member of the Boston Theological Institute (BTI). Theology and Theology & Ministry faculty and graduate students qualify for borrowing privileges at BTI Libraries.
Prior to visiting another BTI Library, Theology Department graduate students must register for a BTI Portal Account by completing a New Student Registration Form to opt-in. You will see this option at the bottom of the form.
Students who already have a BTI Portal Account simply need to opt-in via the BTI Portal, by checking the appropriate option under 'Do you want to sign up to use the libraries at other BTI schools'.
Once these steps have been completed, you will need to present your Boston College ID at any of the Boston Theological Institute libraries to gain access to member collections.
Faculty simply need to present their Boston College ID at any of the Boston Theological Institute libraries to gain access to member collections.
BC STM faculty and students must request a BTI card from the Assistant Director, Admissions, Financial Aid and Academic Services at STM who verifies affiliation at the STM. Present the card along with a Boston College ID at any of the Boston Theological Institute member libraries.
The Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) is a conference of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States. As a member of the AJCU, other Jesuit libraries will extend borrowing privileges to Boston College faculty.
To obtain borrowing privileges from an AJCU library, complete an AJCU Direct Reciprocal Library Borrower form available at the O'Neill Library Circulation Desk. The form is also provided as a PDF download on this page. Take the completed and signed form along with your Boston College ID to the participating library.
OCLC Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Program is a program for current faculty only. Faculty can obtain a Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Program card in person from the O’Neill Library Circulation Desk which allows them access and/or borrowing privileges at participating institutions. To borrow materials, the visiting faculty member must present the Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Program card and any other identification the participating institution requires.
SHARES, a program of the OCLC Research Library Partnership, extends access privileges to faculty, emeritus faculty, students, and academic staff of partner institutions to use the collections and services at other SHARES libraries. Please note that in-library use of material is permitted, but borrowing privileges may not be granted. Please see the SHARES on-site access policy for more details.
