Reciprocal Borrowing Programs

The Purdue University Libraries participate in several reciprocal borrowing programs that provide current Purdue West Lafayette campus-affiliated users with in-person library borrowing privileges at participating institutions. Privileges vary by program as well as by patron status; each participating university library has its own local policies.

The three reciprocal borrowing programs in which the Purdue Libraries participate are:

ALI (Academic Libraries of Indiana): Purdue Faculty, Staff, Graduate, and Undergraduate students affiliated with the West Lafayette campus are eligible for borrowing privileges and on-site access to collections at all ALI institutions.

Big Ten Academic Alliance: Purdue Faculty, Graduate, and Undergraduate students affiliated with the West Lafayette campus are eligible for borrowing privileges and/or on-site access to collections at participating Big Ten institutions. Big Ten participants are all the Big Ten Universities and the University of Chicago..

OCLC Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Program: Purdue Faculty affiliated with the West Lafayette campus are eligible for borrowing privileges and on-site access to collections at other participating institutions. Over 175 major research libraries in the United States and Canada participate in this program. Please contact Circulation Services to see if the institution(s) you plan to visit participate in this program.

For ALI and OCLC: Obtain a special borrowing card BEFORE traveling to other institutions. Show this card and your Purdue ID at the libraries you visit; they may also issue you with another card for use at their library. Borrowing cards and information can be obtained at the HSSE desk during HSSE Library operating hours.

For Big Ten Academic Alliance: You do not need to obtain a special borrowing card at Purdue before traveling to your destination library. Staff at your destination will ask to see your current Purdue ID and will ask you to authenticate by entering your career account information into a shared database.

NOTE: If you personally borrow books from a Big Ten or ALI library, you may bring them to our Interlibrary Loan office and ask that they be returned via the daily courier service. If you borrow books from other institutions, please return those items directly to the owning institution. You are highly encouraged to call the institution that you will be visiting to determine the availability of collections, special policies, etc., prior to making a trip to the institution.