Your Saint Mary's University ID card serves as your library card, enabling borrowing privileges at any Novanet library. ID cards are issued through the Patrick Power Library and are required for borrowing Library materials.
For SMU faculty, ID card applications can be completed online. Additionally, faculty need to fill out a Library and Staff Registration Form, which must be signed off by the Department Head and emailed to library.id@smu.ca before an ID card can be issued.
If you have any questions, please contact the Library's Circulation Desk (902-420-5547 / access1@smu.ca).
Access your library account using your SMU email and password. Simply log in via the Novanet catalogue by clicking "Sign In" in the top right corner. Then, select "SMU Students & Staff". Once you are logged in, you can:
Once logged in, click on your name in the top right corner to manage your loans, requests, and more. Visit the Library Account webpage for more information.
The Patrick Power Library is a member of Novanet, an academic library consortium that provides access to 12 university and community college library systems in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Faculty, students, and staff from any Novanet institution can borrow most physical items from Novanet member libraries using their valid ID card.
Novanet’s online catalogue allows you to search for books, journals, and other materials owned by Novanet libraries. To learn more about Novanet, check out the links below:
How to search for books and articles in the Library's Novanet catalogue.
View the Novanet member libraries in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
The Library subscribes to over one hundred indexes and full-text databases, most of which are accessible via the Library's Databases A-Z webpage. To access a database off-campus, use your SMU email and password to login. If you have any difficulties finding or accessing Library resources, including databases, e-books, or journals articles, contact research@smu.ca for assistance.
The Document Delivery & Interlibrary Loan department obtains books, copies of articles and book chapters, and other materials that are unavailable at Saint Mary's University.
Novanet Express is a service that provides free delivery of materials between Novanet libraries, normally within 3-5 days. Orders can be placed directly from the Novanet catalogue. For more information regarding Novanet Express, visit our Borrowing From Other Libraries webpage or email ill@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 this 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. Items can be ordered directly by visiting our Borrowing From Other Libraries webpage or by emailing ill@smu.ca.
An initiative of Libraries, Archives and Museums Nova Scotia, 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. 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.
If you have any questions about BARA, please contact the Library's Circulation Desk (access1@smu.ca / 902-420-5547)
Faculty who have a valid Saint Mary's ID card are eligible for a Council of Atlantic Academic Libraries (CAAL) card. This card provides reciprocal borrowing privileges (subject to the rules of the lending library) at university libraries across Canada. To obtain a CAAL card, please contact the Library's Circulation Desk (902-420-5547 or access1@smu.ca). To learn more about CAAL, please visit the link below.
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 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.
For more information about loans and other borrowing services, please visit the Borrow Our Materials webpage.
Email: access1@smu.ca | Phone: 902-420-5547 | Website: Borrow Our Materials