Alumni and community borrower access
Alumni: You will have library privileges automatically provisioned with no activation needed. Please test your access by logging into the Get access from anywhere page using your WatIAM credentials. If you do not have WatIAM credentials or experience issues with WatIAM, please connect with Information Systems and Technology (IST) through the UWaterloo Help Portal web form.
If you have questions about your library account, please connect with us through AskUs.
Community borrowers: Adults residing within Ontario may apply for a library card at the Circulation desk free of charge; see library hours. To get a borrower card you must present proof of residency showing your name and address.
Print resources
Your alumni WatCard or community borrower card provides you with borrowing privileges assigned to your status for books available at the University of Waterloo. To find books search Omni, the Library's catalogue.
Electronic resources
Almost all the library-subscribed electronic resources provide access to walk-in users, such as community borrowers, while in the Library. Community borrowers cannot access library-subscribed electronic resources from home.
We’re consistently working with vendors to expand access to electronic resources to alumni users. Find a list of the select electronic resources available, on the alumni electronic resources page.
Open Access resources
Open Access resources are accessible to anyone with access to the Internet. The Directory of Open Access Journals is a great starting place for finding Open Access material.
UWSpace, the University of Waterloo institutional repository, contains free, full text, scholarly journal articles and theses. Many universities have Open Access institutional repositories; to find a list of Canadian institutional repositories on the Canadian Association of Research Libraries web site.
How to access electronic resources
On campus
If you are on campus you have access to the electronic resources that are available to walk-in users. Most of our electronic resources are available this way; connect to resources through the Find resources page.
Off campus — alumni only to select electronic resources
- Open another tab if you wish to keep these instructions available.
- Sign in to the library web site through get access from anywhere using your WatIAM credentials.
- Find the link for the alumni and community borrowers page on the library home page, on the bottom left, under “Information for”.
- Find the link labelled “Alumni electronic resources” on the right-hand sidebar.
- Select a resource from this page, and begin your search!
