W2D-001 QUB administration-1.txt
The Queen's University of Belfast

Library Information

Borrowing Books

Who may borrow?

All Queen's University staff and registered students, associate members and reciprocal associate borrowers are entitled to use the library and to borrow from it.

What may be borrowed?

Most of the books in the library can be borrowed. Certain categories of material are not available for loan. These include all periodicals; bibliographies (class Z on the ground floor and floor 1 of the Old Library Building); past examination papers; new books on display; university calendars, telephone directories, timetables; reference books on the ground floor and floor 1 of the Old Library Building (and in the ordinary book stacks, if so marked); and most of the Special Collections.

Period of loan

Undergraduates, Postgraduates on taught courses, Associate Members and Reciprocal Associate Borrowers

Undergraduates may borrow books from the main collection for two weeks; associate members and reciprocal associate borrowers for four weeks, this period being renewable if no prior reservation has been made by another reader.

Staff and Research Students

Staff and research students may borrow books from the main collection for twelve weeks, this period being renewable if no prior reservation has been mad by another reader.

(The loan period to all borrowers for material borrowed from the medical Library is four weeks)

Note: Books for which there is a waiting list at the time of borrowing are lent for one week only to all categories of reader. If these are returned late they are subject to a fine of 50p per day overdue.

ALL BOOKS ARE SUBJECT TO RECALL AT ANY TIME IF REQUESTED BY ANOTHER READER

Fines

A fine of 5p per day, or 25p per week is levied for each book overdue (undergraduates, postgraduates on taught courses, associate members and reciprocal associate borrowers) Staff and research students incur fines at the same rate if an overdue notice has been sent and the borrower has failed to return the book by the date stipulated in the notice. Fines of 10p per day operate in the case of books recalled on behalf of another reader which have not been returned by the date stipulated on the recall notice.

Books borrowed from the Undergraduate Collection or the Restricted Loans Collections are subject to a fine of 20p per hour or part thereof, if they are not returned on time.

How to borrow books

You should bring any books you wish to borrow to the Issue Desk on the Ground Floor of the Old Library Building and hand them, along with your barcoded staff, student associate membership or reciprocal associate borrower identity card, to the assistant who will validate the loan.

How many books may I borrow?

Undergraduate and postgraduate students on taught courses may have on loan up to ten books at any one time from the main collections of the University Library. Some material is kept at the Issue Desk (e.g. Offprints of recommended journal articles or chapters from books). Borrowers may have 3 items from this collection on loan at any one time. In addition, QUB students may borrow up to four books from the Undergraduate Collection.

Personal Associate Members and Reciprocal Associate Borrowers may have 6 books on loan at any one time. Professional and Corporate Associate Members may have up to 10 books on loan a any one time.

Staff and research students of Queen's may have up to 25 books on loan from the University Library at any one time.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Borrowers remain responsible for books represented in the files by uncancelled records, and may be charged the replacement cost of any outstanding items. It is, therefore, very important that you do not leave books at the returns desk without ensuring that library staff have discharged the books in the computer files.

Lost books

The loss of any books should be reported to the Issue Desk immediately. A replacement fee, which includes a handling charge will be levied.

Renewing Books

Books due for return may be renewed if not wanted by another reader. Books for renewal should be taken to the Returns Desk in the Main Library.

On an experimental basis a telephone renewal service is available for staff, research students, associate members and reciprocal associate borrowers. The number to ring for telephone renewal of Main Library books is ext 5022 (or 335022 from outside the University).

Reservation of books

Should a book in the Main Library stock be on loan to another reader, it may be reserved by using the Public Reservation facility in the OPAC. Readers are limited to three 'public reservations' but additional reservations may be placed by enquiring at the Issue Desk. Alternatively, you may reserve a book by quoting the barcode number or ISBN to an assistant at the Issue Desk asking them to reserve the book for you. Readers may be asked to complete a reservation postcard.
