LiRN contacted all courthouse libraries and asked them to let us know their individual Circulation Policies.
All Ontario lawyers are entitled to use the library resources within each courthouse libraries. [By-law 13]
Each library can create their own Circulation Policy for items that they wish to loan.
The information in this list has been added to each library profile. This list was compiled in March 2025. Any changes can be sent to [email protected].
| Association | Circulation Policy (as of March 2025) |
| Algoma | Most print material can be signed out by ADLA members for two-week (14-day) loans. Borrowing privileges are restricted to paid up members of the ADLA and their students. Old case reporters and statues of Canada and Ontario are non-circulating. |
| Brant | Members of the Brant Law Association are entitled to sign out print materials from the print collection for a two-week loan period. In order to reduce loss of material and to ensure availability for all members, library users must sign out all materials and return them promptly. Circulation cards are provided in the back of most books. If a card is not available please advise the library staff. All material is subject to immediate recall when required. |
| Bruce | Most print material can be signed out by BLA members for 2 week (14 day) loans. Borrowing privileges are restricted to paid up members of the BLA and their students. |
| Carleton | The library’s collection is non-circulating. Materials may be signed out for court, but must be returned to the library by the end of the day. |
| Cochrane | Members in good standing and students may borrow printed materials for two weeks. |
| Dufferin | Members can sign out print materials. Print materials are generally available to be signed out for two weeks. There are no restrictions on borrowing. |
| Durham | Members of the Durham Region Law Association are entitled to sign out print materials from the print collection for a one-week loan period. Circulation barcodes are provided on the back of the member’s access. We offer a self-circulation kiosk for members. Loose-leaf materials are restricted to library usage only. |
| Elgin | Members may sign out books for three weeks. Reference items cannot be signed out. |
| Essex | All print material can be signed out by ELA members for two-week (14-day) loans. Borrowing privileges are restricted to visiting lawyers, Judges, Courthouse Staff, members of the ELA and their staff. |
| Frontenac | Members can sign out print material, including looseleaf using the honour system. Lending period is generally two weeks, but renewals are permitted if the item is not required by another lawyer. |
| Grey | Members may sign out printed materials (not including loose-leaf services or Reference materials) for three weeks. |
| Haldimand | Texts circulate for a two-week period to members only. |
| Halton | The HCLA Library is primarily a Reference Library and has limited borrowing privileges. Borrowing privileges are restricted to HCLA members and all borrowed materials must be signed out in the binder located across from the librarian’s office. |
| Hamilton | The library’s collection is non-circulating. Materials may be signed out for court, but must be returned to the library by the end of the day.” |
| Hastings | All print materials can be signed out for two weeks, with the exception of reference texts, which have a 48-hour loan period. Only members of H&PELA are allowed borrowing privileges. |
| Huron | All full members have access to and can sign out print materials for a three-week period with indefinite renewal time and no restrictions. Partial members have access to, but cannot sign out, print materials. |
| Kenora | Most print material can be signed out by KDLA members for three-week (21-day) loans. Borrowing privileges are restricted to paid members of the KDLA. Old case reporters, Criminal Codes and statues/regulations of Canada and Ontario are for use in-library only. |
| Kent | Members may sign out material for up to seven days. Pocket cards are located inside the front cover of books. Please sign and file alphabetically by surname in the outgoing file index. Law reports are signed out using the notebook located beside the file index for a period of up to seven days. Loose-leaf titles remain in the library. |
| Lambton | Texts can be borrowed for up to 3 weeks by members of the Association using the Libib App on the iPad Kiosk. Visiting counsel can borrow for the day using a print log. All materials are subject to recall by the staff. |
| Lanark | Members can sign out books. Books can be signed out for one-month, loose-leaf materials for one week. |
| Leeds & Grenville | Three-week (21 day) loans are available to members and any lawyer practicing in Ontario, except for the reference collection. |
| Lennox & Addington | All materials are available for borrowing for reasonable amounts of time. |
| Lincoln | Circulation of print materials to association members only for two-week periods. |
| Manitoulin | Books are requested to be used on site. No circulation allowed. |
| Middlesex | Most print material can be signed out by MLA members for 2-day loans. Borrowing privileges are restricted to paid up members of the MLA and their students. For more information, see the MLA’S Library Materials Loan Policy. |
| Muskoka | Members may sign out books for three weeks. Reference items cannot be signed out. |
| Nipissing | Members can borrow print materials for up to two weeks. There are no restrictions on the number of items. |
| Norfolk | Members may sign out print materials for a two-week period. Non-members may not remove materials from the building. |
| Northumberland | Not open to the public. Members may sign out materials three weeks at a time. Overdue books will be subject to fines and/or reduced Library and NCLA Member privileges. Items marked with a “Library Use Only” sticker are non-circulating and cannot be removed from the library. |
| Oxford | Most print material can be signed out by Oxford members for two-week (14-day) loans. Borrowing privileges are restricted to paid up members and their students. Old case reporters and statues of Canada and Ontario are non-circulating. |
| Parry Sound | Members may sign out books for three weeks. Reference items cannot be signed out. |
| Peel | Members and judges may borrow a maximum of three books for seven days (one week). Use of materials does not extend to Reference Books, Indices or Case Law Reports. All materials borrowed overnight are subject to immediate recall with no renewals.
Please note, fines for overdue books will be charged on any unreturned items beyond the borrowing period and are subject to replacement fees along with any associated administrative costs. |
| Perth | The library is closed to the public. Materials may only be signed out by members. When borrowing materials from the law library all applicable information is to be recorded in the check-out book located at the entry/exit to the law library. Materials are to be returned in a timely manner so the material is available for other association members. |
| Peterborough | Not open to members of the public. Members may sign out print material for two weeks. Some items are reserve and can only be consulted in the library. Visiting counsel are welcome to use the collection in the library. The library participates in interlibrary loans with other county and district law libraries. |
| Prescott & Russell | Books, with the exception of subscription loose-leafs, may be signed-out by members (honour system). |
| Rainy River | Only members of the association are permitted to remove materials from the library for periods of 4 to 6 weeks (with no restrictions on borrowing). A sign-out book is available in the library when the librarian is not present. |
| Renfrew | Paid members of the RCLA have borrowing privileges only. Books may be signed out for a 60-day loan period, At the end of this period, textbooks and materials must be returned to the library or replaced with a new copy. Overdue books will be subject to reduced library privileges. Items marked with a “Reference Only” sticker are non-circulating and cannot be removed from the library unless special arrangements are made with the library staff based on a case-by-case exception. |
| Simcoe (SCLA) | Ontario-licensed lawyers may sign out materials from the Simcoe County Law Association library for a period of two weeks, renewals available as necessary, with materials subject to recall. |
| Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry | Members of the S.D.& G. Law Association are entitled to sign out print materials for a two-week loan period. O’Brien’s Encyclopedia of Forms is for library use only and cannot be signed out. |
| Sudbury | The SDLA allows the circulation of loose-leafs, annual publications, and recent periodicals by current members of the association. There is a initial loan period of two-weeks, but materials can be renewed if no one is waiting on access. Visiting counsel or legal professionals may take materials out of the library, but not out of the courthouse building. Certain historical materials may be circulated at the discretion of the executive board and/or library staff. Members of the public may only use resources in the library space. The library offers ILL services to other courthouse libraries throughout Ontario. |
| Temiskaming | Borrowing materials is limited to members and items are expected to be returned in a timely manner. |
| Thunder Bay | Borrowing materials is limited to members and items are expected to be returned in a timely manner. |
| Toronto | The library’s collection is non-circulating. Materials may be signed out for court but must be returned to the library by the end of the day. TLA members are eligible to borrow books for overnight loans at the discretion of library staff. |
| Victoria Haliburton | Books may be signed out for 2 weeks at a time, and may be renewed. At the end of this period they must be returned to the library, or replaced. Items marked with a “Library Use Only” sticker are non-circulating and cannot be removed from the library. |
| Waterloo | Most print material can be signed out by WRLA members for two-week (14-day) loans. Borrowing privileges are restricted to paid up members of the WRLA and their students. Old case reporters and statues of Canada and Ontario are non-circulating. |
| Welland | Books may be signed out for a 2-week loan period. At the end of this period, they must be returned to the library, or replaced. Overdue books will be subject to fines and/or reduced Library and WCLA Member privileges. Items marked with a yellow “Library Use Only” sticker are non-circulating and cannot be removed from the library. |
| Wellington | Members may sign books out for two weeks. |
| York Region | All borrowed materials must be signed out using the iPad Libib App or circulation cards provided in the front of most books. When a card is not available please advise the library staff. This includes materials borrowed for use in the Barrister`s Lounge. Please note, you must be a paid up member of the York Region Law Association to have borrowing privileges. FOR COURT USE: Borrowed on a daily basis; must not be left in courtrooms. FOR OFFICE USE: Materials may be borrowed for 2 weeks |