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Borrowing, renewals, fines and Interlibrary loans

You can borrow books, videos, DVDs and CDs, usually for three weeks. Some items are available for one-week, one-day or two-hour loan, while reference material can only be viewed in the Library. Please consult the Service adjustments during COVID-19.

Using the collection

Borrowing 

  • Undergraduate/certificate/short course students can borrow up to 20 items (one-week, three-week loan and Short Loan Collection) and two one-day loan items. 
  • Postgraduate students and can borrow up to 25 items (one-week, three-week loan and Short Loan Collection) and two one-day loan items.
  • Staff (including teaching/scholarship staff) can borrow up to 30 items (one-week, three-week loan and Short Loan Collection) and two one-day loan items.
  • Visiting borrowers can usually borrow five items (excluding one-day loans and Short Loan Collection items). 
  • Alumni can access the Library free of charge for reference only or, for an annual fee of £70, you can borrow five items (one-week or three-week loan). 
    • If you have a membership or a one-day pass, you can also get a guest photocopying account, a guest wi-fi account and access to certain digital resources via the walk-in computer near the helpdesk on level one. 
    • Alumni membership does not include access to printing, computers, one-day loans, Interlibrary loans, requests for items out on loan or remote access to digital resources. 
  • Governors, fellows and life members of Birkbeck can borrow five items (one-week or three-week loan). 
    • You can also get a guest photocopying account and a guest wi-fi account. 
    • Membership does not include access to printing, some digital resources, computers, one-day loans, Interlibrary loans or requests for items out on loan.
  • Fetching Service all library users are entitled to request items kept in storage. The Store Request Form can be found on the bottom right of the Library catalogue page.

Renewing 

  • All items on loan are automatically renewed.
  • After the pandemic is over, automatic renewal will not include Short Loan Collection items, one-day loan items or any item requested by another Library user.
  • Interlibrary loans are not automatically renewed. If you have borrowed items using the Interlibrary loans service you can request a renewal.

EMAIL REMINDERS 

Fines - currently suspended during the pandemic

  • One-week and three-week loan items: fines are 25p per day for each late three-week loan item and 50p per day for each late one-week loan item. For current Birkbeck staff and students, there is a grace period of one week before you are charged, which includes the seventh day. On the eighth day, fines on items returned or renewed are £2 for three-week loan items and £4 for one-week loan items. 
  • One-day loans: fines are £5 per day and there is no grace period. These items cannot be renewed. 
  • Short Loan Collection (two-hour loans): fines are 50p per hour or part hour and there is a grace period of 10 minutes. These items cannot be renewed. 
  • If you owe more than £25 in fines, you will not be able to borrow or renew until you have paid some of this amount back.
  • If you are a third-party user/visitor and owe more than £10 in fines, you will not be able to borrow or renew until you have paid some of this amount back.

Interlibrary loans