Chesapeake Information and Research Library Alliance (CIRLA)
The Program
The Chesapeake Information and Research Library Alliance (CIRLA) - of which the University of Maryland College Park is a member of, is a direct reciprocal borrowing agreement for graduate students and faculty. It is devoted to the acquisition, distribution, and sharing of information and research resources in support of faculty research and teaching, and graduate study and research.
Borrower Eligibility
Registered graduate students, faculty, researchers and fellows from member institutions comprising CIRLA are eligible for this service.
Policy
CIRLA Libraries agree to extend direct, reciprocal, in-person borrowing privileges to graduate students from member universites and researchers and fellows from member federal agencies. Each home library will establish eligibility for direct borrowing privileges. The lending library determines specific privileges, including the maximum number of checkouts and the specific ending date for borrowing privileges. Borrowers under this program are subject to the regulations and loan periods established by the lending library.
These privileges will apply only to the following libraries at each institution:
- Howard University - Howard University Libraries (excludes law and medical)
- Georgetown University - Lauinger Library and Bloomer Science Library
- George Washington University - Gelman Library
- Johns Hopkins University - Eisenhower Library
- National Agricultural Library - Beltsville Library
- Smithsonian Institution - (excludes FreerSackler, Hirshorn, NMAA/NPG)
- University of Delaware - all University of Delaware Libraries
- University of Maryland - all College Park Libraries
Other restrictions and policies may be imposed by individual member libraries.
Using This Service
For those wishing to use
non-University of Maryland libraries:
Please bring a current photo id to the McKeldin Library circulation desk, where
a form will need to be filled out. Once at the other library, borrowers will
need to visit that institution's circulation desk to get a borrowers card, using
the approved form.
For those coming to University of Maryland College Park and wishing to use our services: please supply an approved form from your own institution to the McKeldin library circulation desk. We will issue you a borrowers card.
Questions?
Contact the Interlibrary Loan Office at 301-405-9178 or email the office at docdel@umd.edu.

