Implementing CURBA Borrowing Cards

The following procedures are intended as a guideline for the implementation of CURBA cards at CAUL-CBUA member libraries.  

The CURBA Agreement
The Canadian University Reciprocal Borrowing Agreement (CURBA) enables in-person library borrowing privileges for students, faculty, and staff from participating Canadian Universities. Retired faculty and staff may be included in this agreement according to the policies of the home library. If the home library normally provides library cards to its retired faculty and staff, it may also issue cards for reciprocal borrowing. Borrowing privileges and identification requirements are determined by the lending library and the regional consortia.

Identification Cards

Procedure for Distributing Cards

1. Ensure that the user has a valid University ID, indicating that s/he is a current student, faculty, or staff member; or a retiree per the CURBA Agreement.
2. Fill out the required information on a CAUL-CBUA borrowing card, including the user name, home institution, institutional ID number, role within the university*, and expiry date of the CAUL-CBUA card.
3. Apply a barcode.
4. Remind the user that borrowed materials must be returned within that consortium.
5. Register the CAUL-CBUA borrowing card using the online registration form.

*Due to varying borrowing privileges for undergraduate students, please indicate whether the user is an undergraduate student, graduate student, faculty, or staff.

Procedure upon Presentation of a Borrowing Card
Upon presentation of the appropriate identification, a host library will enter user information into the circulation system or patron database. Appropriate identification should include the CAUL-CBUA borrowing card and a piece of identification from the user’s home institution. For borrowing purposes, each host library will decide whether to use the patron’s home library card or to provide the patron with a host library card.

Card Expiry
The expiry date for CAUL-CBUA borrowing cards is indicated on the back of each card. Institutions may choose to use the student’s expected graduation date as the expiry date or set the expiry as August 31. In the case that a card does not indicate an expiry date, refer to the expiry date on the student ID.
 
Ordering New Supplies
To order CAUL-CBUA borrowing cards and barcodes, contact Chrissy Glavine at the Administration department in the QEII Library at (709) 864-7428 or cglavine@mun.ca. The printing cost is $27.00 per 100 double-sided cards and barcodes, with a minimum order of 100 cards. Memorial University invoices the cost of the cards directly to the requesting library.

Expectations
CAUL-CBUA Members will be expected to honour these cards at host libraries, provided the date on the card is still valid.

Statistics and Usage Data
The distribution information of CAUL-CBUA borrowing cards will be collected by the CAUL-CBUA Executive Director, via the online registration form.

Institutional Policies
Each host library will be responsible for enforcing its loan policies with users from other institutions, including fines and other sanctions. If a host library is unable to enforce its policies or procedures, the host library will contact the user's home library to determine appropriate action.

CURBA Contacts within CAUL-CBUA

Approved February 20, 2015; Revised April 18, 2020