GWLA Share Policy


On July 1, 2009, the OU Libraries began participating in the Greater Western Library Alliance (hereafter GWLA) Reciprocal Circulation Program with other libraries in the consortium.

Reciprocal circulation is a policy whereby the faculty, staff and students of cooperating university libraries currently members of GWLA may borrow library materials on site at other, cooperating member libraries.  We hope that this service will be very useful for our Distance Learning faculty and students who are living outside the Norman area.

Not all of the 32 GWLA Libraries will be participating, but most will.  Other libraries may participate in the future.

Participating Libraries include:
  • Arizona State
  • Brigham Young
  • Iowa State
  • Kansas State
  • Linda Hall
  • Oklahoma State
  • Oregon State
  • Southern Illinois
  • Texas A&M
  • Texas Tech
  • University of Arizona  
  • University of Colorado-Boulder
  • University of Hawaii at Manoa
  • University of Houston
  • University of Missouri Columbia
  • University of New Mexico
  • University of Oklahoma at Norman
  • University of Oregon
  • University of Utah
  • Utah State University
  • Washington State University
  • Washington University in St. Louis
Library users eligible for reciprocal borrowing are those with valid faculty, staff, or student identification cards from a cooperating institution. "Valid" identification is defined by the host library.  Participants must be in good standing with their home library (e.g. no lost or long overdue items).

Information for OU Affiliates Planning to Visit Other GWLA Libraries


Each library that you visit will verify that you are affiliated with OU and that your library record is not blocked. Patrons will be asked to login to My Library on the library’s website (http://libraries.ou.edu ) to verify current registration and show their library record is not blocked and has no outstanding bills or fines.  You will be asked for your OU ID card. In some cases, there will be a time delay while the library you are visiting contacts us or sets up your account.  There are at least two libraries that will charge a small processing fee for a borrower card; however, most will not charge.

Anyone planning to participate is invited to contact Janet Croft, Head of Access Services, Bizzell Memorial Library, before you leave in order to discuss the requirements of the library where you will visit.

Information for Visitors from GWLA Institutions Using OU Libraries


University Libraries on the Norman Campus, which includes Bizzell and the branches but NOT Law, are participating in this program.  Please come to the Bizzell Memorial Library Circulation Desk to apply for your borrower card. We will ask to see your photo ID from your home university. We will ask that you provide proof of current registration (students) or proof of current employment or retiree status (faculty and staff), and proof of being in good standing at your home library. You may do that by signing into your library account and/or institution’s registration database. An alternative is to ask that the GWLA contact at your home institution correspond with the OU Libraries contact (Janet Croft, Head of Access Services) in advance of your visit. If you come in after business hours, there may be an overnight delay while we set up your OU account. You will be able to check out up to 5 items (books and AV only) for 30 days with one renewal. Interlibrary loan, laptop borrowing, and off-campus database access will not be included in this service.  You may apply for a guest account at the Bizzell EIC Desk to use databases and other electronic resources in the building for two hours per day.   We will not charge GWLA guests for participating in this program but other charges, such as printing, will apply.


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