• Tohoku University Main Library Usage Rules[PDF] (Japanese)

• Library Card
• Floor Guide
• Borrowing & Returns, Reservations
• Stack Room
• Laboratory Materials
• Old and Rare Collection
• Newspapers
• Facilities
• NDL Digital Collections
• Interlibrary Loan(ILL)
• Letter of Introduction
• Contact Us
• For International Student
• Seminars
• Access

To enter the library or borrow materials, you will need one of the following identification cards: "Identification Card (Staff ID)," "Student ID," "Professor Emeritus Card," "Shuyukai Lifetime Membership Card," "Library Card," or the "Tohoku University App."
If you do not have any of above, please download the Tohoku University app or apply for a library card.
*The library recommends using our services via the Tohoku University app.
*Faculty and staff members who are not eligible to be issued an "identification card (staff ID)" must apply for a library card regardless of whether they download the Tohoku University app.

Sample of Library Card (Click Here)

Faculty and Staff	Student	Professor Emeritus	Shuyukai Lifetime Member	Others(*2)
Staff ID Card(*1)	Student ID Card(*1)	Professor Emeritus Card	Shuyukai Lifetime Membership Card	Library Card

(*1)Issued by the general affairs section or the educational affairs office of your department

(*2)Those who do not have a magnetic card including part-time lecturers, researchers, trainees, non-degree students, special auditing students.

Download the Tohoku University app

Please check the Tohoku University App Support Site before downloading. --> "Tohoku University App Support Site"

Library Card Application

（If you are not a member of Tohoku University, please check here. For Visitors）
If you do not have a magnetic card as a "sample of Library Card," please apply for one using the "Library Card Application Form" or the "Library Card Registration Application Form."
The application is limited to those affiliated with faculties, graduate schools, and centers in the Kawauchi area, as well to the Graduate School of Life Sciences in Katahira.
Students from all undergraduate and graduate schools can apply at the Main Library.

Library Card Application Form

• Access guide (How to Access)
• Fill in the application form → (For Undergraduates and Graduate Students) , (For Faculty and Staff)
• You will receive a confirmation email with the information you have typed. For convenience, the sender of the email will be your own Tohoku University email address.
• As soon as the library card is ready, the Main Library will contact you by e-mail via your Tohoku University e-mail address. Please come to the Main Counter of the Main Library with your confirmation documents.
  (It takes about 1-3 days.)

Library Card Registration Application

• Download the application form Library Card Registration Application（Inputtable PDF format）
• Fill in the each field within the bold lines on the application form (handwritten is also acceptable)
• Please print out a copy and bring it to the Main Counter of the Main Library with your confirmation documents.

Documents required to receive the library card

When receiving your card, please bring with you a student ID, employment conditions notice, or other document that can verify your affiliation, status, and enrollment expiration date.

Classification	Documents required to verify affiliation and status
Faculty and Staff	Documents that can verify your affiliation and employment period
Researchers etc.	Documents that can confirm the lab you belong to and the period of your stay, or a certificate from the head of your lab, etc.
Research students, Non-degree students, etc	A paper student ID or a document that verifies your affiliation and period of enrollment

Bldg. No.1

• 1F: Reception, Main Counter, ILL Counter / Reference Desk, International Student Concierge,Group Study Room, Student Reading Room
• 2F: Student Reading Room, Global Reference Room (Silent Area), Global Learning Room, Private Research Room
• B1F: Research Books (Foreign), Chinese Series Books, etc.
• B2F: Research Books (Japanese), Special Collections, etc.

Bldg. No.2

• 1F: Bound Journals (Japanese A-I), Newspaper, Economic Statistics
• 2F: Bound Journals (Japanese J-Z, Foreign A)
• 3F: Bound Journals (Foreign A-Z, Cyrillic)
• 4F: Old and Rare Collection Reading Room

Borrowed materials

• Write-protected.
• Please handle borrowed materials with care to avoid soiling or damaging them.
• You can check usage status such as return deadlines on MyLibrary.
• If any materials are soiled, damaged or lost, please contact the Main Counter.

Number of Borrowing / Period of Borrowing

Classification	Location
	Student Reading Room, Global Learning Room			Stack Room			Global Reference Room Economic Statistics			Bound Journals (Cannot be extended.)
	Number	Loan Period	Renews	Number	Loan Period	Renews	Number	Loan Period	Renews	Number	Loan Period
Undergraduate	10	3weeks	1time	25	6weeks	2times	2	1week	1time	5	1week
Graduate				50		5times	5
Faculty A(*1)				100			20			10
Faculty B(*2)				50			5			5
Professor Emeritus
Staff				25		2times	2
Shuyukai Lifetime Member	5		Cannot be extended	5	3weeks	Cannot be extended	Not Available
OUJ Student					6weeks
Visitor	Number of Borrowing: 2 (Total of Student Reading Room, Global Learning Roomand Stack Room), Loan Period: 3 Weeks, Cannot be extended (Special collections cannot be borrowed.)

Materials that cannot be borrowed

Reference books, Unbound Journals, The Great East Japan Earthquake Collection, Audio-Visual materials, Newspapers, Rare books, Classical materials, etc.

Extension of loan period

You can extend the loan period for materials you are borrowing (there is a limit to the number of times you can extend the period).
Loan extensions can be made on the MyLibrary page in the "Loans and Reservations Status" section by clicking on the "Extension" button.
The date of return is extended from the day when the extension was made.
However, extensions cannot be granted in the following cases:

• Materials that are overdue
• Materials for which the limit of the number of extensions had been met
• If it falls within a period in which loans have been suspended
• If the user is no longer a registered member of the university

Returning

Please return borrowed materials within the due date. Presentation of your library card is not required.
Materials held in libraries participating in the In campus delivery service can be returned at any library counter.
Materials borrowed from libraries that do not participate in the campus delivery service must be returned directly to that library.

Return by mail

If it is difficult for you to return the item in person, please return it by mail with prepaid postage.
(Return address by mail)
TO Tohoku University Library Main counter
Kawauchi 27-1, Aoba Word. Sendai City 980-8576
　 Tel: 022-795-5936

Reservations

Materials that are currently out on loan can be reserved. Please apply using one of the following methods.

• Online reservations: Log in to MyLibrary --> Search the library's holdings --> Click on "Reserve" on the holdings display
• Main Counter: Please make your request at a library counter.

In campus delivery service

You can order and return books from other campuses to the nearest library.
For more information, please see the In Campus delivery Service information page.

Borrowing Service by Mail

For remote campuses

This is a service that allows library books to be loaned by mail to members of our university who belong to remote campuses. For more information, please see the information page "About mailing books to remote campuses."

Those who find it difficult to come to the library

This is a service that allows members of Tohoku University who have difficulty coming to the library for geographical or physical reasons to borrow books from the main library by mail. For details, please see the "Main Library: Mail-order Loan Service" information page.
To apply, please use the "Mail-order Loan Application Form for those who have difficulty visiting the library."

Penalties

The penalty of suspended borrowing for overdue returned materials was abolished in April 2023.
Please continue to follow the rules in the future.

Tohoku University faculty, staff, and graduate students can enter the stack rooms. Undergraduate students can enter it after attending the "Stack Room Guidance" course.
For other users, the library staff will retrieve materials from the stacks.

Stack Room Guidance

A guidance session on how to use the stack rooms is held for undergraduate students.

• Participants: Undergraduate students of Tohoku university, including research students.
• How to apply: With the form or directly at the main counter (emails and phone calls are not accepted) 　*Please log in to the form via your Tohoku University account.
• Event details: We will announce them on the library website as the event approaches.

To use materials held in the "Laboratory" section please contact Main Library / Access Services Section.

An application in advance is required to use classical materials and rare books. Learn more in --> Use of rare books, etc.
Please contact Rare Books Section.

The newspapers (domestic and international) that Tohoku University Main Library currently subscribed to are listed in the table below.
For Newspaper databases, click here --> Newspaper database
For the details on the subscription status of the main library, branch libraries, and each library, please click here --> List of newspaper subscriptions

Shelf location	domestic				international
	The Asahi Shimbun	KAHOKU SHIMPO	THE SANKEI SHIMBUN	NIKKAN SPORTS	China Daily	The Japan Times	The Japan Times Alpha
	NIKKEI	The Mainichi Shimbun	The Yomiuri Shimbun	―	People's Daily	The Chosunilbo	Ryugakusei Times
For the day	Lounge				―
First day of the current month to the previous day	Main Counter				Global Learning Room
Before last month	Stack Room B1F South-side				Main Counter, Stack Room B1F South-side

Usage Guide

Do not require reservations

Detail	Facility name
	Flexible Working Area	Global Learning Room	2nd floor balcony	Student Reading Room 1F,2F
Eligible users	All users (During exam periods and at the start of the new academic year, the facility is only available to university members.)
Number of people allowed	From 1 person to a small group		1 person
Available time	From opening to closing hours
Speak	Speak at a volume that is considerate of those around you.		Unable to speak
Usage notes	Be sure to return the item to its original state without leaving any rubbish or eraser residue behind.

Requires reservations

Facilities available for 1 person or small groups
Detail	Facility name
	Private Research Room	Personal Booth No.1-2	Group Study Room No.1-4		Main Floor Box Seats No.1-5
Eligible users	Graduate students, Faculty	Graduate students, Undergraduate students
Terms of use	No talking	Activities that require speaking (please be considerate of those around you regarding the volume)
Number of users	1 (Personal use only)	1 (Personal use only)	No.1 : 1-8	No.2-4: 1-4	No.1,2,5 : 2-4	No.3-4 : 2-6
Usage time	From opening until 30 minutes before closing *Usage time includes setup and cleanup time. Please return the key and any borrowed items by the end of the session.
Number of uses per day	No limit/day	Once per day(You cannot use the same facility multiple times)
Available hours per day	No limit/day	Maximum 3 hours per day			Maximum 4 hours per day
Reservation registration start date	Two weeks prior	A week prior	Two weeks prior		One day before
Number of reservations available	No limit	Once during the reservation period. *Once a booking has been completed or cancelled, a new booking will be made available.
Number of rooms	4	2	4		5 sections
Special Notes	Consecutive reservations accepted. *Up to 2 weeks	-	It may be possible to extend the usage period during off-peak periods such as long holidays.		Available for up to 5 hours. *If there is no next reservation
Application for use	Register from the MyLibrary page "Facility Reservations" section
Procedures on the day	Applicants check in at the main counter and receive the key, the rental items, etc. After using the facility, please make sure to tidy up the room, to turn off the air conditioning and lights, to lock the door, and to return the key to the main counter.

Facilities that can be used by large numbers of people for classes, events, etc.
Detail	Facility
	Global Learning Room	Flexible Working Area	Multipurpose room	1F Exhibition Space
Eligible users	Tohoku University Members
Number of users	up to 80 people	up to 60 people	up to 80 people	This space can be used for panel and other exhibitions. If you wish to hold an in-person event, please contact us.
Usage time	From opening time until 30 minutes before closing time. ※Usage time includes setup and removal time. Please return the keys and any borrowed items before the end of the session.			During library opening hours. Please contact us regarding exhibition periods and in-person events.
Talking	Possible
Application for use	[1 How to make a reservation] Please apply using the facility event usage application form at least two weeks prior to the date of use. Reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance. Participants may include people from outside the university. [2 Reservation Restrictions] Only one group per facility per day is allowed. If the Global Study Room or Flexible Area is fully booked, the remaining area cannot be used. If half of the Global Study Room or Flexible Area is reserved, only half of the other area may be used. Reservations per group are limited to up to 5 days per month. To balance this with use as a study space, both spaces will be open four days a week. Use of the 1F Exhibition Space is not permitted during events hosted by the Library. [3 Exam period (July to early August, December to January)] During this period, reservations for the Global Study Room and Flexible Working Area will not be accepted outside of class hours. The multipurpose room will also not be available for events. The 1F Exhibition Space is available for use.
Area	The entire area can also be rented out
Procedures on the day	The applicant must collect the borrowed item in person at the main counter. After use, please return the desks and chairs to their original state and return any borrowed items.
Reservation status	Tap (or click) to check the reservation status of the facility. Global Learning Room Flexible Working Area Multipurpose Room 1st floor exhibition space

Item rental

• The following items require prior application along with the facility use application.
• If multiple applications are submitted at the same time, they will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
• The microphone is not the type that connects to a PC.

Product name	Remarks	Number of holdings
Projector set	HDMI cable included	2 sets
HDMI to VGA conversion adapter	-	1
Screen (60-inch, 80-inch, 100-inch)	-	one of each
monitor	55-inch / Flexible working area only / HDMI cable included	1
Wireless microphone set	>Two handheld microphones	1 set
extension cord	-	1-5
HDMI cable (10m)	-	1
VGA cable (10m)	-	1
laser pointer	green laser	2
Document camera	USB connection	1
Whiteboard	Installed in the Global Learning Room and Flexible Working Area	1-11
Large display panel	-	1-8

NDL digitized materials that are out of print or difficult to obtain can be viewed and copied at dedicated terminals in the Main Library.
Please apply at the Interlibrary Services Counter.

• Usage hours: Weekdays 9:00-16:30
• This service is not available to non-university users.
• Digital files cannot be copied or downloaded.
• Printing is permitted within the limits of Article 31 of the Copyright Act. *Fees are covered by the university.

If you have registered for the " Digitized Contents Transmission Service for Individuals," you can use it from your own PC.
Please check here for more information about this service.-->[National Diet Library, Digitized Contents Transmission Service for Individuals]

Requesting photocopies (document copies)

Target materials	Journal articles held in libraries on other campuses. Journal articles held in libraries on other universities, etc. *Under the Copyright Act, more than half of a single journal issue may not be photocopied. *For books with multiple authors, such as collected papers, you may request up to half of each individual article or chapter. *For books, only half of each work, paper or writing may be copied.
How to apply	Please apply through MyLibrary or fill out the application form at the Interlibrary Services Counter.
Fee	Paid by university *If you wish to pay by private/public expenses for some reason, please select this as your payment method.
Payment	[University Coverage] No payment required (select "ILL University Support" as the payment method) [Private Expenses] Payment must be made at the Kawauchi Business Center. Please bring the issued receipt to the counter and collect the item. [University research funds] Internal Budget Transfer is made within the university on a quarterly basis. Advance application is required for Internal Budget Transfer. If you wish to register, please contact your department's library or administrative office.
Processing & Delivery Time	Approximately 4 to 10 days

Borrowing physical books

Eligible materials	Books not held at Tohoku University (Journals cannot be borrowed). *Depending on the lending library's policy, borrowed materials may be limited to use within the library (they cannot be taken home).
How to apply	Please apply through MyLibrary or fill out the application form at the Interlibrary Services Counter.
Fee	Paid by university *If you wish to pay by private/University funds for some reason, please select this as your payment method.
Payment	[University Coverage] No payment required (select "ILL University Support" as the payment selection) [Private Expenses] Payment must be made at the Kawauchi Business Center. Please bring the issued receipt to the counter and collect the item. [Public Expenses] Internal Budget Transfer is made within the university on a quarterly basis. Advance application is required for Internal Budget Transfer. If you wish to register, please contact your department's library.
Processing & Delivery Time	Approximately 4 to 10 days
Borrowing period	Approximately 1-2 weeks (varies depending on the lending library)

Data Transmission Services for Persons with Print Disabilities (for institutions)

Service details	Materials for the visually impaired and others (audio DAISY data, audio books, braille books, etc.) produced or collected by the National Diet Library can be requested through the main library.
Eligible users	Members of Tohoku University who have difficulty reading printed materials in standard type due to visual impairment or other reasons.
How to apply	1. Please register to use this service at the main library using the user registration form. 2. Submit a request for the materials you need by going to "InterLibraryLoan/Photocopy Request" in MyLibrary. 　Please enter "DAISY for the visually impaired" or "audio book for the visually impaired" in the Comments field.
Receiving digital materials	Required: USB flash drive for data transfer.
Audio books Braille books	Audio books and Braille books may only be used within the Main Library and are not available for external loan.
Available materials	Please check "Mina Search: Search for Accessible Materials for people with disabilities".
Reference	National Diet Library Data Transmission Service for the Visually Impaired (Japanese Only) National Diet Library Interlibrary Loan of Materials for People with Disabilities (Japanese Only) Integrated search and catalogue of materials for people with disabilities (Japanese Only)

*ILL request details and status can be checked on MyLibrary.

When using libraries at other institutions, please check the terms of use on the target library's website in advance. 　　　　
If you need a Letter of Introduction issued by our library, please apply through the following: online form (Japanese Only).
*How to apply(pdf) (Japanese Only) 　　　　
*Notice: Please submit your application at least 2 weeks prior to your visit, as contacting the target library and processing your request takes time.
*If you have any questions, please contact the Reference section or the Interlibrary Services Counter (reception hours: weekdays 9:00-16:30).

Depending on the nature of your inquiry, please contact us at the following:

Inquiry details		Contact Information Please replace the @ in the email with "@grp.tohoku.ac.jp".
Library Use	1. Opening Hours(*1) 2. Entry Procedures 3. Viewing and Borrowing Information 4. Materials in Building 1, including the Stack Room and Student Reading Room 5. Materials on Loan to Kawauchi Campus Research Laboratories 6. Journals(Materials on Floors 1-3 of Building 2) 7. Use by Non-University Visitors	Main Counter in Building 1 (Access Services Section)	：(022)795-5943 ：main-counter@
	1. Viewing rare books 2. Photographing and publishing materials	Counter in Building 2 (Rare Books Section)	：(022)795-5939 ：etsu2@
Interlibrary Loan(ILL)	1. Copying Library Materials 2. Copying Microfilm Materials 3. ILL Copy Request 4. ILL Loan Request 5. Receiving Copies and Books 6. NDL Digital Transmission Services 7. Internal Budget Transfer	Reference Desk in Building 1 (Reference Section)	：(022)795-5941 ：ref@
Reference Service	1. Collections Research 2. Material Search Consultation 3. Application for Use from Other Universities (Letter of Introduction) 4. Database Search and Use
1. Library guidance, Service for international students		Learning Support Section	：(022)795-5933 ：gakushi@
1. Electronic Journals & Database		Serials Management Section	：serials@
1. Periodical Subscription / Cataloging
1. Book Purchase / Cataloging		Acquisition and Cataloging Section	：acq-cat@
1. Book Selection, Donation (Click here if you are considering donating materials)		Information Management Division Assistant Director Acquisition and Cataloging Section	：(022)795-5919 ：(022)795-5921 ：acq-cat@
1. Tohoku University Repository		Open Access Promotion Section	：tour@
1. General Affairs	1. Library Tour 2. Internship Reception 3. Lecturer requests, etc.	Administrative Planning Section	：(022)795-5911 ：lib-som@
1. Website		Information Infrastructure Section	：lib-webmaster@

The Tohoku University library offers a consulting service for international students（the International Student Concierge Service）.
They will answer any questions you may have concerning our library,resources and services.

    More details

Library staff offer customized workshops tailored to the needs of faculty members, such as the information searching skills they want students to acquire and effective use of library services.
We can accommodate a variety of needs, from undergraduate students to graduate students and international students. Please feel free to contact us for consultation or to request a workshop.
　

    More details

Visiting

• Address: 27-1 Kawauchi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8576
• There is no parking available. Please use public transportation.

Access by public transport

• About a 5-minute walk from Kawauchi Station on the Sendai Subway Tozai Line
• About a 8-minute walk from West Exit 1 of Kokusai Center Station on the Sendai Subway Tozai Line

Kawauchi Campus Map

• Kawauchi Campus Map