Visiting Scholars and Sponsored Accounts

Updated: 03-28-2025 (Updated text and format to meet new library policy standards, replaced Courtesy Card with Visitor Library Card, replaced Reference Desk with Research & Help Desk, added "Additional Services for Sponsored Accounts", updated links)

Policy Narrative

Traditionally, Northern Illinois University Libraries has extended library privileges to visiting scholars and international visitors who are unaffiliated with the University. This policy defines those privileges.

Borrowing

Visiting scholars and international visitors are eligible to have library privileges subject to the Libraries' Circulation Policy.

A visiting scholar from a CARLI I-Share institution who has an institutional ID card may make use of the collection and services without any special provision.

Visiting scholars, not affiliated with a CARLI institution, and international visitors must be sponsored by an academic unit on campus. It is important that the sponsoring unit understand s that any billing issue on the part of the scholar which cannot be resolved will become the academic unit’s responsibility.

Either the Associate Dean for Public Services or the Head of Access Services should determine if the visitor will be accommodated with low-end privileges or if there is a need for high-end privileges. Departments may also request high-end privileges.

The Head of Access Services will oversee the issuance of a Visitor Library Card with appropriate privileges. Groups of visiting scholars or international visitors may also be accommodated. The affiliated sponsoring department may arrange for a Visiting Scholars ID card. The card itself is a special issuance and limited in the services provided, but can include library services with appropriate privileges. It would take the place of a Visitor Library Card. The Visiting Scholars ID card will be set with an early expire based on the visiting scholar’s last day.

Use of Materials Within the Libraries

• on-campus public access terminals, which includes access to all of the library’s databases, e-books, and online journals.
• microforms and the microforms reading room.
• all other materials within the libraries that are needed for professional or scholarly research purposes.

Services