A PhD student who is no longer registered because of non-compliance with the Time Limitation Policy but who requires access to library resources to complete their thesis can obtain borrowing privileges and extend access to library e-resources.

Your faculty administrator or thesis advisor must send an email to one of the following email addresses:

  • Birks Reading room: hsslloans.library [at] mcgill.ca (hsslloans[dot]library[at]mcgill[dot]ca)
  • Education Curriculum Resources Centre: hsslloans.library [at] mcgill.ca (hsslloans[dot]library[at]mcgill[dot]ca)
  • Humanities and Social Sciences Library: hsslloans.library [at] mcgill.ca (hsslloans[dot]library[at]mcgill[dot]ca)
  • Islamic Studies Library: anais.salamon [at] mcgill.ca (anais[dot]salamon[at]mcgill[dot]ca) (Head)
  • Macdonald Campus Library: macdonald.library [at] mcgill.ca (macdonald[dot]library[at]mcgill[dot]ca)
  • Marvin Duchow Music Library: houman.behzadi [at] mcgill.ca (houman[dot]behzadi[at]mcgill[dot]ca) (Head)
  • Nahum Gelber Law Library: sandy.hervieux [at] mcgill.ca (sandy[dot]hervieux[at]mcgill[dot]ca) (Head)
  • Osler Library of the History of Medicine: osler.library [at] mcgill.ca (osler[dot]library[at]mcgill[dot]ca) (attn: Mary Hague-Yearl, Head)
  • Schulich Library of Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, and Engineering: graeme.langdon [at] mcgill.ca (graeme[dot]langdon[at]mcgill[dot]ca) (Lending & Access Manager)

The email should state the following:

  • The date until which you will need access to library resources
  • Whether or not you will also need access to library e-resources 

A valid McGill email address is required in order to access library e-resources. If you have earned a previous degree from McGill, your McGill email address will remain valid for life. If you have not, your faculty administrator or thesis advisor must contact McGill IT in order to ensure your McGill email address will remain valid for the duration of the time you will need access to library e-resources. 

To obtain borrowing privileges for physical items, you must then register for a McGill Libraries Borrowing Card. Select the PhD extension category on the application form.

McGill Libraries Borrowing Cards

McGill Libraries Borrowing Cards are valid in all McGill libraries, subject to the borrowing policies of individual collections.

A McGill Libraries Borrowing Card may only be used by the person to whom it is issued.

Fines or other sanctions are imposed for late returns and cards may be cancelled if misused.

Note: Registering for a McGill Libraries Borrowing Card does not provide remote access to the Library’s electronic resources to those not already eligible, nor does it give you access to all library services and resources.

To register for a McGill Libraries Borrowing Card:

Complete the application for the McGill Libraries Borrowing Card.

Visit the Service Desk at any McGill library location except the Rare Books & Special Collections Library or the McGill University Archives.

Please note that your regular McGill borrowing account and your McGill Libraries Borrowing card are two separate accounts that are not connected to one another.

Your McGill Libraries Borrowing card account will have a different password from your regular McGill account. You will be sent a link to set the password for your McGill Libraries Borrowing card after you submit your application for the card.

When signing in to your McGill Libraries Borrowing card account:

Access your McGill Libraries Borrowing card account

Sign in to your library account: select "Login with a barcode". Use the barcode on your McGill Libraries Borrowing Card (begins with 290), and the password you selected during the registration process.