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Alumni & Visitors

The University of San Francisco is a private, Catholic Jesuit Institution. The primary role of the Gleeson Library | Geschke Center is to further the mission of USF by providing services and resources to our Students, Faculty and Staff.

Special Library Cards (Alumni & Visitors)

USF Alumni and Visitors unaffiliated with USF may purchase a Special Library Card with Access and/or Borrowing Privileges.

  • Payment for both Alumni and Visitors is done in person at Gleeson Library by credit card only.
  • Alumni and Visitors, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear face coverings while indoors on campus.
  • USF Alumni and Visitors may access the library's databases from within the Library, but cannot access databases from outside the library.
  • Access to the Library does not guarantee use of all Library services and resources.
  • The Library is reserved for current USF students, staff, and faculty from after 8 PM and before 8 AM.
Access/Borrowing Card Fees
  1 Year 6 Months 3 Months 1 Month
Alumni Access Only $20.00      
Alumni Access & Borrowing $50.00      
Visitor Access Only $400.00 $300.00 $200.00 $100.00
Visitor Access & Borrowing $500.00 $400.00    

See also: Alumni Borrowing Card Offer for recent USF graduates

Categories of visitors entitled to a Special Access card at no cost include the following:
Category Type of Card
President's Ambassadors Access/Borrowing
Board of Trustees members Access/Borrowing
Clergy and Religious of the Archdiocese of San Francisco Access/Borrowing
Faculty from Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) Passport program (ID from home institution required) Access/Borrowing
Spouse and Children of USF Faculty and Staff (ID required) Access Only

Students and Faculty from Catholic High Schools in San Francisco (ID Required):

Immaculate Conception Academy (on 24th Street)
Mercy High School (on 19th Avenue)
Riordan High School (on Phelan Avenue)
Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory (on Ellis Street)
St. Ignatius College Preparatory (on 37th Avenue)
Schools of the Sacred Heart (on Broadway)

 Day Pass

Visitors

Access to the Library is available to individuals affiliated and not affiliated with USF seeking to use Federal Depository documents, requesting access to the Thacher Gallery, and/or pre-arranged authorization from a library department (Circulation, Periodicals, Reference, Office of the Dean, or Special Collections).

Visitors, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear face coverings while indoors on campus.

Special Access / Borrowing Policies

The Library calls your attention to the following policies regarding the application for and use of the Special library cards. If you need further assistance, please call (415) 422-2660 or ask at the Circulation Desk.


  • Alumni and Visitors seeking Special Access / Borrowing privileges should apply in person, paying all applicable fees paid in full before borrowing and/or access privileges are granted.
  • 

Library Access including Gleeson Library’s Atrium for both Alumni and Visitors is contingent on the library’s hours and limited to 8 am to 8 pm only. Access to the library during all other times is restricted to current USF students, staff and faculty. The library's hours change throughout the year based on the academic calendar.


  • Special library card holders with borrowing privileges may only borrow materials that are physically located in the Gleeson Library | Geschke Center building. Link+ and Interlibrary loan materials are not included in borrowing privileges. Special library cards are not for use at any other locations such as the Law Library, and/or the library Atrium. 

Fines and Charges for Books and Videos
Category Fines
Overdue Books / Videos $0.50 / day
Overdue Recalled Books / Videos $1 / day
  • Special library card holders may not borrow laptops and/or materials on Reserve.


  • The special library card is intended for use solely by the person whose name appears on the card. Privileges are valid through the expiration date set from date of purchase. Special library cards are the property of USF and must be presented upon request by library staff and can be confiscated at any time. Cards are renewed at the discretion of the Library. The Library reserves the right to revoke Access / Borrowing privileges of individuals in any category. The Special library card is non-transferable.
  • Gleeson Library | Geschke Center’s Special Access / Borrowing Policies are subject to change at any time without notice.
  • Alumni and Visitors, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear face coverings while indoors on campus.

Recent USF Graduates

Gleeson Library offers a FREE Gleeson Alumni Special Borrower card to individuals that graduated from USF within the last 12 months. Please enjoy a year of access with borrowing privileges as you set out into the world to further the mission of USF.

Because of the pandemic, we’re extending this offer to individuals that graduated from USF within the last 24 months.

Alumni Borrowing Card Offer

Qualifying alumni should apply for this offer in person at the library. (Please note that student library privileges are active through the end of the inter-session following the semester graduated; for our very recent graduates, we recommend waiting to apply for this offer until after your student library privileges have expired.) After processing the application at the library, the OneCard office will issue the Gleeson Alumni Special Borrower card.

The card will be valid for one year, after which you will be welcome to renew at the standard Gleeson Alumni Special Borrower rate. The Gleeson Alumni Card is valid only at Gleeson Library and borrowing is only for Gleeson Library materials. Databases may only be accessed from within the Library.