Hekman Library is here for you: This library is open to the public and welcomes guests from outside the Calvin community, including members of the public, former students and faculty, students of other schools, area clergy, and more. Some electronic resources may only be available off-campus to current Calvin students, faculty, and staff, but when you visit the library in person, you have full access to our resources through our public computers. You can also purchase a guest library card to check out materials and use our guest printer cards to print or make copies here.
Access for Guest and Alumni Users: There are a few differences for guest/alumni users when it comes to accessing library materials at Hekman.
Guests who wish to check out materials from Hekman Library may purchase a Guest User card for $20, good for six months. Cards are available at the 2nd floor Circulation Desk.
Users who are exempt from the guest card fee include Calvin University and Calvin Theological Seminary faculty, emeriti, staff, Calvin and high school students, CALL members, and alumni. Spouses and dependent children of Calvin faculty and staff can also be exempt from the fee at the request of the employed faculty or staff member.
Alumni may receive a guest card or reactivate an old card with no fee by following the steps below:
You will then be invited to pick up your library card at the 2nd floor circulation desk when your request is processed.
Please note some limitations to your guest library card:
Alumni Access to Databases
Although most Calvin databases and ebooks are restricted off-campus, Calvin alumni can access the following:
You may be prompted to log in to view these resources through the library website when off-campus - enter your entire library card barcode (including any leading zeros) as both username and password.
Alumni Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
Alumni may request up to five (5) ILL items per year. If you are enrolled at another institution, we ask that you use that institution's ILL service.
Guests should use their local public libraries or the services offered by the educational institutions where they are enrolled. The purchase of a guest user card at Hekman does not include Interlibrary Loan service.
Area high school students are welcome to visit and use the library resources on their own or as part of a class visit (please review the section on this page for obtaining a Guest User card to check out Hekman materials and our policy pages on printing and computer use for guests)
Teachers interested in arranging a class group visit should contact Kathy DeMey or Sarah Kolk. For class visits: