Community Borrower Program

Benefits of Being a Community Borrower

The Lydia M. Olson Library welcomes guests and provides access to a variety of on-site technologies. Guests using library workstations have access to the full range of database and journal subscriptions. Headphones are available and may be checked out at the Information Services Desk.

Community borrower cardholders may check out materials from Lydia M. Olson Library’s circulating collections. Some restrictions apply.

See the list below for items eligible for checkout:

Books and government documents: 5 weeks
Media: 14 days
Journals and magazines: Not eligible for checkout
Reserve materials: Not eligible for checkout
Lockers: Not eligible for checkout
Rooms: Not eligible for checkout

Aerial photo of north-east Marquette, highlighting the Superior Dome.

How to Check Out Materials

Our most popular materials are available to browse and borrow from the stacks in Harden Hall. Some lower-use or specialized physical items are stored off-site and must be requested in advance. To determine an item’s location, search the library catalogExternal Link and review the location information listed near the bottom of the item record.

Community Borrowers should log in to their NMU Library Account.
- Search for the desired item, determine if the item is housed in the Upper Floor of the library in Harden Hall, or in our off-site location: Quad II Storage.
- Select Request from within the Requests section of the item record.
- Provide any relevant information and select Send Request to submit.

Requests are typically processed within one business day. A confirmation email will be sent when materials are ready for pickup at the Information Services Desk on the second floor of Harden Hall.

The video below walks through making a material request.

Start Searching the Library Catalog

Eligibility for a Community Borrower Card

Community borrower cards are available to individuals who meet one of the following criteria:

Upper Peninsula residents aged 14 or older
NMU alumni
NMU graduate students working on a thesis but not currently enrolled
Members of the NMU Board of Trustees
Primary and secondary educators based in the Upper Peninsula

Cost of a Community Borrower Card

The Community Borrower card has an annual fee of $25.

This fee is waived for the following groups:

NMU alumni
Military veterans and active duty personnel
Individuals under the age of 18
Currently employed Upper Peninsula elementary and secondary educators
Members of the NMU Board of Trustees.

How to Apply

To apply for a Community Borrower card, visit the Information Services Desk in person. Applicants must present a current Michigan driver’s license or state-issued ID, or two forms of identification that verify place of residence.

Applicants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at the time of application.

Community Borrower memberships are valid for one year and may be renewed in person or by contacting library staff at 906-227-2250 or by email at library@nmu.edu.

Terms of Agreement

Community Borrower cardholders—and the parents or legal guardians of cardholders under age 18—are financially responsible for all materials checked out on their accounts. This includes any overdue fines, fees, or replacement costs for lost or damaged items.

Cardholders agree to follow all Northern Michigan University policies and regulations. Lydia M. Olson Library reserves the right to deny, cancel, or decline renewal of a Community Borrower card if these policies are not followed.

Privacy Statement

Lydia M. Olson Library does not share library usage records with anyone other than the cardholder.

The Library does not restrict access to materials or equipment based on age. Parents and guardians are responsible for monitoring the use of materials by minors. Library faculty and staff do not determine the appropriateness of materials for individual users and will not limit access to content borrowed or accessed with a minor’s card.