LIBRARY HOURS (Fall and Winter Academic Terms)
| Monday to Friday | 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. |
| Saturday | 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. |
| Sunday | 12 noon to 11:00 p.m. |
Borrowing: Saint Mary's is a member of Novanet, a consortium of academic libraries in Nova Scotia. Saint Mary’s University ID cards also function as library borrowing cards, and will be honored in each Novanet Library.
To obtain a University ID card you must have a Banner number (the number beginning with “A”). You will also need to fill out the Faculty and Staff Library Registration form and have it signed by your Department Chair. Forms are available at the Library’s Circulation Desk. If you have any questions, please contact the Circulation Desk (420-5547).
BARA: An initiative of Libraries, Archives and Museums Nova Scotia (LAMNS), Borrow Anywhere, Return Anywhere (BARA), allows any resident of Nova Scotia who is 19 years or older to borrow from most libraries in the province, university libraries included. To enhance convenience, library patrons may return materials to any participating location, whether nearby or many kilometers away from where the materials were borrowed. There is even a drop box for returns located at the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market.
Faculty may register for borrowing privileges at any Nova Scotia public library. An Applicant should provide a university identification card plus identification that includes a Nova Scotia address, such as a Nova Scotia Driver’s License or a Nova Scotia Identity Card. Alternatively, a combination of source documents is acceptable for BARA registration, for example a picture ID card with a telephone number or power bill with an address.
For more information about BARA, please visit Libraries, Archives and Museums Nova Scotia (LAMNS):
CAAL/CBPA Card: Faculty who have a valid Saint Mary's ID card are eligible for a Council of Atlantic Academic Libraries / Conseil des bibliothèques postsecondaires de l’Atlantique (CAAL/CBPA) card. This card provides reciprocal borrowing privileges, subject to the rules of the lending library, at university libraries across Canada. To obtain a CAAL/CBPA card, please contact the Library's Circulation Desk (420-5547).
Faculty Loans: Saint Mary's faculty have extended loan periods for library books. Books belonging to the Patrick Power Library are on loan until May 30 of the current academic year, and may be renewed three times. Books belonging to other Novanet libraries, including Dalhousie, have 90 day loan periods, ending with each academic term. Books on loan may be recalled if needed by other users.
The Library’s print journals circulate for the same loan period as books. Journals belonging to other Novanet libraries typically do not circulate.
Photocopying: Non-circulating items may be photocopied in the Library by Saint Mary's faculty at no charge. For details about this service, please contact the Research Help Desk (420-5544).
Faculty members are responsible for observing Canadian copyright regulations (see Copyright, below). For more information on copyright or the Access Copyright agreement, please contact Suzanne van den Hoogen, University Librarian/Copyright Officer (suzanne.vandenHoogen@smu.ca@smu.ca / 420-5532) or visit the Copyright Guide for Faculty & Staff:
For more information on Library Access Services, please contact Shannon Higgins, Manager (shannon.higgins@smu.ca / 420-5656).
The Reserve Collection is designed to make available, on short-term loan, single copies of faculty-supplied course textbooks, or Library-owned books, for general student use.
In particular, Faculty are encouraged to place their copies of course textbooks on Reserve. Students frequently come to the Library in search of textbooks because they cannot afford to purchase them.
Class assignments, exercises, solutions, lecture notes, test answers, and copies of articles or book chapters are not accepted for the Reserve Collection and are best provided through the University's online course readings tools. The University's Studio for Teaching and Learning will assist you in using these tools.
Faculty should submit all Reserve material three weeks before the term begins. Items submitted after this time may not be processed until several weeks after the start of classes. All Reserve material must be submitted with a Reserve Request form, which also can be obtained in paper from Departmental Secretaries, or from the Library Circulation Desk.
Reserve queries should be directed to Yan Wang, Access Services (Yan.Wang@smu.ca / 902-491-6317)
Novanet Express is a service that provides free delivery of materials between Novanet libraries, normally within 3-5 days. Orders are placed by individuals directly from the Novanet catalogue.
For more information regarding Novanet Express, please email ill@smu.ca, or call 491-6308 (or the Research Help Desk at research@smu.ca).
Interlibrary Loan enables Saint Mary’s students, faculty and staff to obtain research materials not held at the Patrick Power Library. Loans or photocopies are arranged with other libraries in Nova Scotia, Canada, and around the world. There is no charge for our service. In exceptional cases, there could be a charge for extraordinary delivery of material, but only if you have agreed to the cost in advance.
For more information regarding Interlibrary Loan, please email ill@smu.ca, or call Document Delivery (902-420-5542). Items can be ordered directly through Interlibrary Loan from the Library website: