Borrowing and reserving items

You can borrow books, DVDs and CDs from the library using the self-issue machines on the ground floor. To borrow items, you will need your ID card and your library PIN. Your PIN is separate from your network password.

Reference items are marked with a red sticker and cannot be removed from the library.

If you are not in a hurry or your item is currently out on loan to someone else, you can request the book from our library search and collect it at a later date. We will email you when the item is ready to collect. Visit our Click and Collect page to find out more.

How many items can I borrow?

Library users have different loan entitlements:

Undergraduates: 15 items

Taught postgraduates: 15 items

Research postgraduates: 20 items

University staff: 35 items

Visitors (with borrowing privileges): 6 items

When is my loan due? How do I renew items?

You can borrow an item for 4 weeks. If the item has not been requested by another user it will automatically renew a further 6 times.

After this period we ask that you physically return the book to the library.

An item will not renew if:

It has been reserved by another user
Your fines have reached the £20 fine limit.

If an item cannot be renewed we will send you an email asking you to return the item. You can check the items you currently have on loan and when they are due back by going to ‘My Account’ on the library web page.

How do I return an item?

You can return an item via the Returns machines opposite the Library Help Desk. These will automatically discharge the items and email you a receipt. Remember to "post" each item one at a time, waiting for the screen to tell you when to send the next item through.

When the Library is closed you can return books by posting them through the book drop. The book drop is to the left of the main doors of the Bannerman Centre.

If you are a distance learner or are unable to make it to campus you can return books via our Freepost Returns service.

Can you remind me when my items are due back?

The Library system will automatically send you monthly account statements showing you recalled items and the new due date, current loans and their due dates, outstanding bills and the status of any reserved items.

You will receive separate notices via email if:

An item has been auto-renewed for the maximum number of times and must be physically returned to the Library
An item has been recalled because another user wishes to borrow it. If you receive this notice, you will have 14 days to return the item. Fines start on the 15th day from when you received the notice.

These reminders are sent to your Brunel email address.

Please note that although these reminders are generally reliable, they are a courtesy service, and you should still keep track of your account - if there seem to be problems then it's important you let us know as soon as possible

What happens if I'm late returning an item?

The Library has a fines free policy on overdue items but there are exceptions.

Recall charges: Any item that you have on loan can be recalled to fulfil another user's reservation. Items are only recalled when you've had them for 14 days. When you receive a recall notice you have 14 days to return the item to us. If the item has not been returned by this date recall charges are applied at £2 per day.

Lost Book Policy: If an item is 14 days overdue the Library considers the item lost and invoices the user’s library account for the cost of the book. Pricing information is pulled from the item record. If no price information is available the default price is £50.00, as that is the average cost of a book in the Library. Users will be informed by email that they have been invoiced and that they have 14 days to return the item before it becomes a University Bill. If the item is returned within the 28 days before the invoice becomes a University Bill, the Library invoice is automatically cancelled off the student’s account.

After 14 days from the invoice date (or once the item is 28 days overdue), the invoice will be passed to Student Finance and becomes a University Bill. The invoice is removed from the student’s Library account and added to the student’s admin fees in eVision and will appear on their My Money page. Student Finance will also email out a formal invoice from the University.

If the item is returned after 28 days overdue i.e., after the invoice has been made a University Bill, then the invoice is not automatically cancelled and the Library has to request a credit against the students’ university admin fees to waive the invoice. If the item(s) are not returned within 6 months of the invoice becoming a University Bill, the invoice will have to be paid in full, regardless of whether the item is returned or not. This is because, to maintain the Library resources at an acceptable level for all our students, the Library aims to replace, or purchase equivalent material to replace lost items, within 6 months. The University is then recovering the expenditure for the new material from the student. If an invoice is paid, at any point, and the item then returned, no refund will be possible.

How can I reserve an item?

If a physical item is not available it is always worth checking to see if it is available as an e-resource.

You can also reserve an item if all copies are currently out on loan. For more information visit our Click and Collect page.

How can I request an interlibrary loan?

Material not held at Brunel can be requested via our interlibrary loans service. Journal articles and photocopies from conference proceedings can be sent through the post or via Secure Electronic Delivery. Books and other material have to be collected from the Library.