Access a gateway to more than 20 millions documents
Simplified and broad access to the resources of Quebec’s 18 academic libraries through shared collections. A BCI card is no longer required.
Sofia Discovery Tool
A collective project serving the university community
All of Quebec’s university libraries have come together to provide easy access to their collections and services. This important resource better meets the learning, teaching and research needs of the university community.
Here is Sofia
A shared discovery tool
This new discovery interface allows users to initiate queries in their academic library’s collections, extend the results to all of Quebec university libraries, and see which items are available in each institution in real time.
A simple and efficient access to knowledge
Explore collections in English and French
Sofia’s interface is bilingual, as selected by the user.
Retrieve efficient results
A single window for document research and document access (books, articles, learning resources, DVDs, etc.). Launching a new search depending on the type of document is no longer necessary.
Find digital resources quickly
Access complies with all partner library licensing agreements.
Use the discovery tool on your favorite devices
A user-friendly interface is designed with mobile devices in mind.
Search once for a wide range of results
Sofia searches in both languages from key-words typed in only one language.
Locate items in real-time
Search results clearly indicate availability in each of the libraries that hold the same resource.
Facilitated network loans for Quebec Universities
Users from the academic community have a single record for borrowing in all of Quebec’s university libraries.
With their institutional ID card, they can borrow items throughout the network. The access card to other libraries (BCI) is only required to borrow documents from Canadian academic institutions outside Quebec and from the BAnQ (Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec).
Late fees can be paid online, regardless of lending library. Travelling to the lending library to pay fees is no longer required.
Improved loan policies
With Sofia, users benefit from simplified and improved loan policies across the network.
- Users may borrow up to 100 resources.
- 30-day loan period (for all resources - same policies as monographs).
- Automatic renewal until the user’s record expires. Please note that renewals continue automatically if the item is not reserved or recalled, and if the user’s record is in good standing.
Some collections may be subject to different loan policies.
