External Users: Access, Registration, and Fees at the University Library

Updated on October 21, 2026

Access on-site services (no registration required)

Without a paid membership, you can view the materials on site and use the following services:

Review the documentation and work on site

Access to the print collections and on-site use are open to all and free of charge.

Access electronic resources

Online electronic resources (e-books, e-journals, online news, and databases) are reserved for the University of Montpellier community. Other users may access these resources only on-site, via a public computer, after creating a free account.

Using Desktop Computers

Desktop computers are available after you create a free account, which provides access to the internet and the Office suite.

Connect to Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi access is available only to members of a European university that can enable the Eduroam Wi-Fi network. Otherwise, public computers can be accessed after creating a free account. For more information , visit the dedicated page.

Photocopy, print, or scan

Printers are available in all of the University of Montpellier's academic libraries. For more information, visit the dedicated page.

Sign Up to Borrow Materials for Home Use

Registration takes place at the front desk of any university library in the network. There is a fee, which entitles you to a library card and is valid for one year from the date of registration.

The process, step by step:

Please go to the reception desk with a form of identification, proof of address issued within the last 3 months, and, if applicable, proof of eligibility for free or half-price admission (see table below);
You will receive a link to the EsupPay online payment platform to pay the amount corresponding to your status and obtain a payment confirmation receipt. Payment can also be made by bank transfer, check, or cash at the University’s accounting office;
Upon presentation of your payment confirmation receipt, you will receive your library card.

Registration Fee Based on Status

Status	Registration Fee (1 year)
• private practice • external consultant at a private, non-university hospital • hospital physician	full price (€68)
• Student at a public institution of higher education (excluding the Universities of Montpellier, Nîmes, and Perpignan) • Student at a public school • CNED • High school student • Preparatory class student (excluding Montpellier)	half-price (€34)
• elementary, secondary, or higher education teacher at a public institution • external researcher in the public sector	half-price (€34)
• Student and faculty researcher at the Montpellier School of Agronomy (ENSAM) • Student and faculty researcher at the Law School • Student and faculty researcher at the Institute of Construction and Housing • student and faculty member at the National Institute for Notarial Training (INFN) • student and faculty member at the University of Le Tiers Temps (UTT)	half-price (€34)
retired professor at a university in Montpellier	half-price (€34)
• Students and staff of the AgroMontpellier Institute • Students and staff of Agropolis • Students of ENSCM • Students of AgroParisTech Montpellier • Researchers from research organizations based at the UM campus (CNRS, INRAE, INSERM, CIRAD, IRD, INRIA) • Regional Institute of Social Work (ITRS) • ABES staff • staff of the Montpellier Academy of Sciences and Letters • staff of public libraries and public archives throughout France • staff of university hospitals (Nîmes and Montpellier)	Free (proof required)
• job seeker / RSA recipient • recipient of the Disability Allowance for Adults	Free (proof required)
• Retired professor emeritus (who is still active) from a university in Montpellier • Retiree of the SCD in Montpellier	Free (proof required)

Services Available After Registration

Once you've registered and have your library card, you can:

Borrow up to 10 items for 21 days, and borrow materials to use on-site or take home;
request a document not available in Montpellier's university libraries through the interlibrary loan (ILL) service (a paid service, available only to registered users);
Reserve a document and select your university library for pickup;
extend a document;
Reserve a workspace at the Richter Library (a booth for 1 to 2 people) using the designated form.

Frequently Asked Questions About External Users (External Readers)

The answers below pertain to access, registration, and services at the Montpellier University Libraries for external users.

On-site access is open to everyone and free of charge: you can come to work and consult the materials—even as a non-member—without registering. A paid membership is required only to borrow materials to take home.

No. If you are neither a student nor a staff member of UM or an affiliated institution, you are considered an external user: you may work and consult materials on site without registering. To borrow items to take home, you must pay a registration fee.

Go to the reception desk at a university library with a form of identification, proof of address issued within the last 3 months, and, if applicable, proof of eligibility for free or half-price admission.

You can register at the front desk of any university library in the network by presenting the required documentation. You pay the fee corresponding to your status via the EsupPay platform (or by bank transfer, check, or cash at the accounting office), and your library card will be issued to you upon presentation of the payment receipt. It is valid for one year from the date of issuance.

The cost depends on your status: full fare, half fare, or free—the latter two require proof of eligibility. The exact amount applicable to your situation will be provided to you at the time of registration.

No: To borrow items, you need your library card, which is issued after you register. Without a card, you can view materials on site but cannot borrow them.