About Spouses and Domestic Partners

Yale University recognizes marriages (opposite- and same-sex) as well as civil unions or legal partnerships created by states, regardless of name ("spouse"). If you are the spouse of a Yale faculty or staff member, or student, you are eligible for a Yale ID and free library access and borrowing.

If you are not considered a spouse by the university, but are the long-term partner of a Yale faculty or staff member or student, the library offers a separate option for access and borrowing ("domestic partner"). This borrowing status is unrelated to the university's or state's definition of your relationship.

Spouses: What am I eligible for?

Spouses of Yale faculty, students and staff are eligible for borrowing privileges at the library at no charge. These privileges include:

• Check out materials from any library 
• Building Access – allowed until closing
• Loan length – two months or date of library account expiration, whichever is lesser. 
• Book limit – 50 books  

Spouses:  How do I register?

The spouse must bring required documentation and identification to the Yale University ID Center to get a Yale University ID Card.  Once you have your Yale ID Card, you will need to visit the Privileges Office to arrange for borrowing privileges and establish your library account.  Borrowing privileges expire on June 30th each year and are renewable for the duration of spouses' appointment at Yale University.

Domestic partner: What am I eligible for?

Yale faculty, student and staff may sponsor his/her long-term domestic partner for privileges at the Yale University Library (YUL) during the time s/he is eligible for borrowing privileges as a member of the Yale community.  Partners who are able to attain a Yale ID card (see ID Center policy) receive borrowing privileges at no cost.  Otherwise, privileges are good for a semester at a time and require re-registration upon renewal.  These include:

Rates & Details:

Domestic Partner:  How do I register?

Domestic partners who wish to use the Yale University Library collections must register in person with their partner at the Privileges Office located in the nave of Sterling Memorial Library (SML).  The sponsor and partner both complete and sign the registration form.  To register, you will need to provide two forms of ID - one from each column.   

Domestic Partner: Explanation of Pass Options

Stacks Pass:

• Access to the Sterling Memorial Library stacks
• No borrowing privileges
• Retrieve materials from Sterling, LSF and Mudd collections (20 items per day)* 
• Access to Library facilities for all open hours (some exclusions for School and Departmental libraries – please inquire at specific location before arrival)

Affiliate Borrower:

• Check out materials from any library 
• Building Access – allowed until closing
• 3 month minimum purchase; discount for yearly purchase
• Loan length – 61 days or date of library account expiration, whichever is lesser
• Book limit – 50 books