Equipment loans at UWaterloo Library: written by Amatul Shafi

Hi all! I am Amatul and I am so glad to have the opportunity to write a blog post for you all. I am in my 3A term of Health Studies and this is my third term as a Library Ambassador! Throughout my terms as a Library Ambassador, I have had the chance to get involved in work that has challenged my interpersonal skills, writing skills and creativity. Out of everything, my favourite part has been working on exciting term events and spread awareness on resources through these blog posts. As a Library Ambassador, we work under the Student Engagement Committee and try our best to make sure students are aware about the Library’s resources, use it effectively and engage with the Libraries at various term events. These blog posts are just one of the many ways to help you be aware of the Library’s services. I hope these blog posts answer your questions and serve you a purpose :)

You are in the midst of doing an important assignment and you suddenly require a calculator for solving a question. You then proceed to dig in your backpack to search for your calculator but unfortunately, your calculator is at your home. Travelling back to your home would delay your time to complete your assignment which is due in just a few hours. So what do you do?

Lo and behold, the Library completely understands your concern! This is where one of the Library’s services named ‘equipment loan’ comes to your rescue. Had I known about this service earlier, I would have saved so much time not stressing about borrowing materials from my peers. Therefore, as a Library Ambassador, I am glad to be spreading awareness about this service for the greater benefit of the student population.

Equipment loans allow students to borrow equipment for a temporary amount of time. The Library has resources to accommodate general equipment that students use regularly. Below is a list of equipment provided by the Dana Porter and Davis Centre Library

• Headphones
• Calculators
• Phone Chargers
• Mini-USB cables
• Memory Sticks (USB)
• Mini Display Port to HDMI
• Mini Display Port to video graphic array (VGA) adapter 
• Micro Projector

Now that we know what resources are offered, where and how do we actually access the services?

The Circulation Desk in each of the Libraries offer the above equipment to loan except for the micro-projector which has to be signed out from the ‘library booking page’ on the Library website. For the other equipment, as long as you are currently enrolled as an undergrad or a graduate student and have a valid WatCard, all you have to do is show your WatCard and borrow your required equipment for free.

Some ground rules to keep in mind

1. Items can only be loaned for a maximum of 3 hours.
2. Items are strictly to be used inside the Library.
3. Individuals would be charged 5 cents/min to $100 per day, if items are returned after the end of the 3-hour loan period.
4. The person is responsible for paying charges for damaged and lost equipment (depending on the type of equipment, charges vary from $10- $500).
5. The micro-projector is only available for loan at the Dana Porter library.
6. All items should be returned back to the Circulation Desk, in person.
7. You can loan more than one item at a time, based on the availability.

And with that, you are all set to avail the benefits of the equipment loan service now. If you have any more questions or need clarification, please feel free to check the link below: https://uwaterloo.ca/library/services/equipment-loans

You may even contact any of the circulation desk staff for further guidance:

https://uwaterloo.ca/library/about/people/group/71

Good Luck :)

-Amatul