Account

Leiden University students are automatically registered for library membership, as part of the Leiden University student account.

LU-Card

Your LU-Card doubles as library (entrance) card, right after it has been activated.

Please apply for a LU-Card online, using your ULCN student account credentials, and have it activated right after receiving it. Your LU-Card, just like your ULCN account, is strictly personal.

Account

Leiden University staff and (dual) PhDs, and KITLV staff and research fellows are automatically registered for library membership as part of the Leiden University staff account.

LU-Card

Your LU-Card doubles as library (entrance) card. Please apply for a LU-Card online, using your ULCN staff account credentials, and have it activated after receiving it. 

Account

A dedicated ULCN account for LUMC staff offers remote access to the libraries' online sources, and other library facilities. LUMC staff who do not have a Leiden University account yet, may apply for an account by filling out the Walaeus Library ULCN application form, or in person at the Walaeus Library.

Please also get in touch with the Walaeus Library to communicate a change of address or other contact details, and for account renewals.

LU-Card

When your account is ready, you can apply for a LU-Card online, and have it activated after receiving it. Alternatively, the card can be made at the library desk.

Account

Leiden University alumni are automatically registered for library membership. After graduation, you will keep your account, log-on data and LU-Card. You can continue to borrow physical library materials just as before.

LU-Card

If you do not have a LU-Card yet, you can request one online using Account Services, using your ULCN alumnus account credentials, or in person at one of the libraries.

Please note that when your student account changes into an alumnus account, your LU-Card will be automatically blocked. If you want to keep using the LU-Card, please contact Student Affairs Front Office to have the card unblocked, or visit one of our library desks.

Graduated before September 2006?

Alumni graduated before September 2006 can have a free library account and LU-Card made at the University Library desk. In addition to a valid means of ID we ask you to provide evidence of your graduation.

PhD graduates

Leiden University PhD graduates who do not have an alumni account may apply for a library guest account. Please find more information on the Leiden University alumni page.

Library services for alumni

A library guest account and LU-Card, for visitors not affiliated with Leiden University, can be made in person only, at one of our library locations with the exception of the Law Library and the Science Library. Please check our library locations and desks opening hours schedule.

Library accounts and cards will be issued to visitors of 16 years of age or over.

Borrowing

An annual fee card or a free library card allows you to borrow materials from the various UBL library locations. Your card comes with a username and password for the wireless network Eduroam at the libraries, and for the catalogue.

Using Special Collections materials

Please find more information on using rare and old materials at the Special Collections webpages. 

Study places

Outside of exam periods, most study places without a computer can be used freely by all library account and LU-Card holders.

During exam periods, some access restrictions apply. At the Law Library, these restrictions apply year-round.

An annual fee card costs €40. The fee for a week pass (see below) is €12,50.

No library card fee will be charged to:

• Leiden University Professors Emeriti
• Staff at Leiden museums, the National Library of the Netherlands (KB), and KNAW and NWO research institutes
• Members of the 'Maatschappij der Nederlandse Letterkunde' (MNL), the KITLV Learned Society, the 'Vereniging Vrienden van het Instituut Kern' (VVIK), and the Società Dante Alighieri Leiden/Den Haag
• Members of the Friends of Leiden University Libraries who pay a yearly contribution of €95 or more
• Individuals enrolled in a language course at the Leiden University Academic Language Centre
• Staff at Dutch universities affiliated with UNL
• Students enrolled at Dutch universities affiliated with UNL (library access regulations apply)
• Students enrolled at Dutch universities of applied sciences affiliated with the Vereniging Hogescholen (library access regulations apply)

To visit the libraries and use the library collections in-house for up to one week, visitors not eligible for a free library card can purchase a day/week pass for €12,50. You will be issued with a library card and logon data for our wifi and catalogue.

Items can be requested from the University Library’s stacks and from several other UBL locations. Materials will be made available for library use only, at the Reading Room Special Collections.

Please note that day/week passes will not be issued to visitors merely seeking a place to study at the Law Library, or during exam periods at the other library locations.

Upon registering for a library card, and upon making any changes or modifications regarding your library account or LU-Card, we ask you to show a valid means of ID: passport, ID-card or Dutch driver’s licence.

Should you (still) qualify for free membership, please show proof of eligibility.

You will be notified by e-mail when your library card is about to expire. In most cases we can renew your account without you having to visit the library in person. Please reply to the notification, or contact us using Ask a librarian.

Your library card comes with logon data for the catalogue and WiFi (Eduroam).

In case you do not remember your library username and/or password, please apply for a new password online.

Password info and reset

Please make sure to immediately have your card blocked in case of loss or theft. Reach out to Leiden University's Student Affairs Front Office, or contact the library using Ask a librarian. 

If you should recover your blocked LU-Card, you can have it unblocked at the desk as long as no replacement card has been issued. Please bring a valid means of ID.

A replacement LU-Card in case of loss will be issued for a €15 fee. In case the card has been stolen and you can show a police report, a replacement card will be free of charge. Please bring a valid means of ID.