There are many ways you can get library assistance:
Whenever you check out or return an item, our system keeps a record of the transaction, including details about the borrower and the specific copy borrowed.
You can view your loan history by signing in to your library account. The Loans section will show your current checkouts by default. To see items you've borrowed and returned, simply switch to the "Previous and Historical Loans" view.
To protect your privacy, starting in March 2025, UW Libraries will anonymize all loan history data older than six months. This means the records will no longer include identifying information about the borrower. While we’ll keep the loan data for collection analysis, we won’t be able to link it to individual patrons.
If you do not wish to maintain your full loan history: Do nothing! Starting March 21, if your account has history older than six months, that older information will be anonymized, removing any connection it has to your account.
If you wish to maintain your full loan history: Follow the instructions below prior to March 21, 2025.
If you want to maintain your entire loan history, prior to March 2025, UWRF faculty, staff, and students will need to complete the following quick process:
Please note: Within the Loan History App, there is also an option to download your loan history before it is anonymized.
If you decide later that you do want your loan history anonymized, you can go back to that app and opt out, under the Settings page.
Instructions for Community Library Users
Due to technological limitations across systems, we are not able to offer loan history retention through the app for our community patrons.
Up until we anonymize loans on March 21, 2025, we can export your full loan history of returned items into a spreadsheet upon request. After we anonymize the loans, we will only be able to provide the past 6 months of returned loan history.
To request an export of your returned loan history, please email circulation@uwrf.edu and give your name, library card number, and address so we can verify your identity.
You can view items currently checked out through your library account in Search@UW, or request a Borrowing Activity Report to be emailed to you, and keep your own records of your loan history.
Click no Registered Community Users and login with your user ID and password to see your library record.
Does the loan history include active loans?
No. Active loans for physical materials that are still in the possession of library patrons do not show up in your borrowing history. Any materials that have been checked out and not yet returned will still show up in your library account but will appear in your borrowing history once they are returned to the library.
What is included in my full loan history?
If you opt in to have us retain your full history, it will contain the item's title, author, loan date and other publication information. The loan history will not have a record of any digitization requests – only physical material loans.
What is the risk if I opt in to keep my entire loan history?
Opting in increases the risk of exposure of this data to a security breach. Chalmer Davee Library takes our cybersecurity role very seriously in order to limit that risk, but improper and illegal access is always a risk no matter how securely a system is protected.
In addition, opting in to retention of your entire history means that the Library will maintain a record of what you have borrowed, and be able to provide it if required. If you do not opt in, we will only be able to provide 6 months of history if required. Your loan history is protected under Wisconsin state statute §§ 43.30 and the Library is not permitted to share your information with anyone besides you or your legal guardian. However, under rare circumstances, a library may be compelled by court order to release your circulation data to law enforcement as part of a criminal investigation.
Does the library ever use the personal data associated with circulation history?
While the library may use anonymized circulation data when making collections decisions, we do not utilize the individual personal circulation data in any way, unless requested by the patron or if needed to resolve a specific internal circulation question.
Is my circulation history subject to open records requests?
No. We do not share personal circulation history. Wisconsin state statute §§ 43.30 protects this information such that we would not disclose this information to anyone else except through a court order.
What happens when my relationship with UWRF ends?
If this data is important to you, we strongly encourage you to download a copy of your loan history before your relationship with the university ends. There is a download button in the loan history app, which will produce a file you can open and save as a spreadsheet.
When a patron loses their UWRF account access, they will no longer be able to access their loan history. Furthermore, after a patron leaves, their record is purged from library systems and their loan history will be purged and not recoverable.