Visitor Information
Introduction
Welcome to the library! This guide describes services and resources available to visitors not affiliated with UHD.
The library is located on the 5th floor of the One Main Building at the north end of downtown (between Main and Travis). Use the elevators or stairs at the Main Street entrance, which is conveniently situated at the last stop on the METRORail line (UHD Map).
For general information about the library, please see:
Books, Journals, and Videos
Visitors are welcome to use books, journals, and videos in the library.
If you would like to find out if the materials you need are available,
you can search the Library Catalog
from any location. Look for materials identified by the location DOWNTOWN
.
To borrow books, visitors must present one of the following:
- Campus ID or Alumni Card from any University of Houston System campus
- TexShare Card from another university, college, or public library (see TexShare Card Information)
- HARLiC Card from a local university (see HARLiC Card Information)
- Affiliate Borrowers Card - Local residents 18 years or older may purchase this card for $50.00 per year. Photo ID is required. Only available when the Cashier's Office is open. Call 713-221-8196 for operating hours.
TexShare, HARLiC, and Affiliate card holders may borrow up to 4 books at a time. Journals, compact discs, and videos may not be borrowed, but anyone may use these materials inside the library. Visitors must present photo ID to use some audiovisual materials and equipment. To comply with copyright law, we restrict access for course reserves to current UHD students and faculty.
Visitors from other University of Houston System campuses have full borrowing privileges (see Borrowing Information). UHD books may be returned at any campus library. Compact discs and videos must be returned to the UHD Library. Charges for late, lost, or damaged materials must be paid at the UHD Cashier's Office in Room 310-South. Please call 713-221-8000 for hours of operation.
Also see: Loan Periods and Renewals
Electronic Collections
The Library Computer Lab in the North Tower provides access to our electronic collections which include the Library Catalog, research databases, electronic books, electronic journals, and digital media. Contracts for some electronic resources restrict access to UHD students, faculty, and staff, but many of these resources are available to anyone who visits the library in person.
The library currently offers the following computing resources for visitors:
- Library Catalog workstations to search our in-house collections
- Express Workstations to search electronic and in-house collections (limit: 2 non-consecutive 30-minute sessions per day)
To sign up for an Express Workstation, visitors must present a government-issued photo ID (driver's license, passport, etc.). High school students may present a school picture ID and a letter from their teacher. For their safety, we ask that children and young teens be supervised at all times by a parent or another responsible adult. Our staff will notify the police of any unattended child. Printing is not available on Express Workstations, but many documents can be sent by e-mail or saved to a USB storage device.
As a courtesy to our sister campuses, we offer printing computers to visitors from University of Houston System campuses and to students who are enrolled in the joint admissions program between UHD and North Harris Montgomery Community College. To sign up for a computer with printing options, please present a current ID from any University of Houston System campus or from NHMCC.