Borrowing

borrowing

Students may borrow up to 10 books at a time for up to 10 days during term. Please note that all medical text books are for 3 day loan only, and that any books marked as 'Reference' and all of the journals are not available for loan. Books may also be borrowed for the whole or part of each vacation.

Borrowing using the self-issue system

The loan station (1 on the diagram right, click to enlarge) is next to the catalogue enquiry terminals (2) on the ground floor. First, use the hand-held scanner (1) to scan the barcode on your library card; this identifies you to the system. Place the book you wish to borrow on the metal plate (3) next to the loan station, face down barcode side up. Ensure that the indicator light at the back of the plate is visible. Scan the barcode on the back of the book. Wait for the white light to switch on and off before removing the book. This will register the loan and enable you to take the volume through the security gates without triggering the alarm. Only place one book at a time on the plate.

To find out what you have on loan, details of your reservations, or whether you have any fines go to the Reader Information pages on Heritage and type in the number on your reader card to access your account.

Please remember to register a loan for each book that you remove from the Library, even for a short period, so that we have a record of where the book is. Failure to do so contravenes Library regulations. The issue system will automatically limit you to ten items; if you need more, please ask a member of staff. If you forget to issue a book, the security system will remind you by sounding an alarm as you leave. Please return to the loan station and ensure that you have followed the loan procedure correctly. A warning will appear on the screen if the item in question may not be borrowed. Enter your name, the time and the cause of the alarm into the Alarm Incident Record Book kept next to the loan station. Please note that the Library is continuously monitored by CCTV. Do not lend books you have borrowed to anyone else; you are responsible for all books and materials borrowed on your library card.

Vacation borrowing

All books are recalled, and must be returned to the Library, on the first and last Wednesday of each Full Term. The end of term recall ensures that all materials are made available for vacation borrowing, which takes place from 12 noon on the final Thursday of each term. You may borrow up to ten items for the whole of each vacation. Reference materials are not available for loan during the vacations.

Returning and renewing

Return books by placing them in the book return cupboard outside the Library Office. We expect you to return books by their recall date, to enable other readers to make use of them. Unless reserved by another reader, items may be renewed at the loan station by repeating the loan process, by sending an email request to librarian@sid.cam.ac.uk with your reader number and the five digit code on the left of the barcode label, or via Heritage OnLine using your Raven password.

Reservations

The Librarian will recall any book on loan to another reader on request. Alternatively, you may recall an item automatically via Heritage. Recalled items are held on the shelf near the Library Office for three working days, and you will be notified as soon as they are available. If you receive a recall request, please return the item within 48 hours.

Fines

During term, you will automatically be notified, by email, when a book is due for return. Return or renew books when you receive the first overdue reminder. Failure to comply with borrowing and recall regulations will result in a fine. All books are due back after ten days (or three days for short loan materials); a note of any overdue items will be sent to you via e-mail. If you do not return material within the first four days after receipt of the reminder (two days for medical books), a fine will automatically be charged to your College bill at the rate of 20p per item per day. The fine will rise to 50p per item per day for any item still outstanding after ten days. Failure to return an item after the final reminder is issued may result in the replacement cost of the item being charged to your bill in addition to any fines incurred. Fines are added to College bills at the end of each term.

DVDs & CDs

The Library has a small collection of CDs and DVDs available for loan. You can borrow up to three at any one time, for seven days. They are housed in the Library Office, so are only available for borrowing during staffed opening hours. The cases for the DVDs are shelved on spinners at the bottom of the main stairwell. To borrow a DVD, retrieve the case from the shelf and bring it to the Office where you will be issued with the DVD. Simply enquire about CDs in the Office.