Borrowing

Borrowing | Returns | Renewals | Requests | Fines | System Downtime |

Borrowing categories

Entitlements depend both on the type of item and type of library user:

Undergraduates may borrow up to a maximum of:

• 10 books at a time with an initial loan period of 7 days, after which all loans will automatically renew until returned to the library
• Borrowed books may be requested by another library user during term time only

University Staff, University PhD and Masters students may borrow up to a maximum of:

• 20 books at a time with an initial loan period of 28 days after which all loans will automatically renew until returned to the library
• Borrowed books may be requested by another library user during term time only

All other users with borrowing rights, may borrow up to a maximum of:

• 20 books at a time with an initial loan period of 8 weeks (three times renewal, online or in person)
• Borrowed books may be requested if required by another library user during full term and vacation periods

Other borrowing rules

• Journal volumes have a loan period of 1 day (please note that journal issues from the current calendar year may not be borrowed)
• Non-book media items are for use in the Library only
• Reference items may not be borrowed

Borrowing items

Readers are able to borrow via our Click & Collect service. Click here for more details.

Readers are also able to borrow in person, using the self-service kiosk on the ground floor when visiting the library.

Existing loans/fines etc.can be managed by logging into iDiscover and accessing the 'My Library Account' option from the menu.

Further information on borrowing can be found here: https://libguides.cam.ac.uk/borrowing/home

Returns

Readers are able to return books at the library issue desk, or the self issue machine on the ground floor between the following times:

Term Time:

• Monday to Thursdays; 09:00 - 20:45. Fridays during Lent Term 2024: 09:00 - 16:45
• Saturdays: 09:00 - 12:45

VacationTime:

• Monday to Fridays; 09:00 - 16:45
• Saturdays: 09:00 - 12:45 (except Summer vacation, closed Saturdays)

Out of hours, books can be posted into the Drop Box found next to the library entrance. Books returned via the drop box may take a short while to be removed from your account.

Renewing items

Undergraduate, PhD, Masters students and all current University Staff

Books borrowed by these user categories will renew automatically (i.e. manual renewal is not required). Patrons in the above groups may borrow books until such time as they are no longer needed or have been requested by another patron.

All other users with borrowing rights (see full list here)

Borrowed items may be renewed at any time without penalty, provided that:

• The item has not been requested by another reader
• The item is not overdue
• The item has not reached its maximum loan period (usually three times the length of the initial loan)
• The reader has no outstanding fines, account blocks, or overdue loans

Other ways to renew items, are as follows:

• Telephone (01223 765670) during Library opening hours
• E-mail (moore-circulation@lib.cam.ac.uk) between 0900-1700, Monday-Friday
• By using the 'My Library Account' function in iDiscover

Requesting items

How do I place a request?

What happens if I place a request?

• An email notification will ask the borrower to return the requested item within 3 days. However requests will never be due back on a weekend or a bank holiday so the request would be due on the next working day.
• If a requested item is not returned within 3 days it becomes overdue and will begin to accrue fines.
• If you have 2 or more overdue requests your card will be blocked from borrowing at any Library until the requested items are returned.
• When the requested item is returned you will be notified and it must be collected from the Library within 2 days. Some Colleges may reserve the item for you for longer.
• You are not able to request a book during vacation.

Fines

You can now pay any fines you have accrued by using the 'My Library Account' function in iDiscover.

Current fine rates are as follows:

Undergraduate, PhD, Masters students and all current University Staff

There are no fines on overdue books for staff members or students. For overdue requested books, the fine is £1.00 per working day.

All other users with borrowing rights (see full list here)

Overdue books are fined at 25p per working day. Overdue requested books are fined at 50p per working day.

System Downtime

Please note: Scheduled downtime for work on our library management system production servers takes place between 23:00 on a Saturday evening and 04:00 on a Sunday morning. During these times, fine payments, requests and renewals will not be possible.