Borrowing, renewals, fines and Interlibrary loans
You can borrow books, videos, DVDs for three weeks.
Digital equipment: VR headsets and digital recording equipment must be returned to the issue desk and any problems reported to staff.
Using the collection
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Borrowing
- Undergraduate/certificate/short course students can borrow up to 20 items.
- Postgraduate students can borrow up to 25 items.
- Staff (including teaching/scholarship staff) can borrow up to 30 items.
- Visiting borrowers can usually borrow five items.
- Members of the public cannot borrow. They can consult printed materials on site.
- Alumni can access the Library free of charge for reference only or, for an annual fee of £70, you can borrow five items.
- You can have a membership or a one-day pass.
- Alumni membership does not include access to printing, computers, Interlibrary loans, requests for items out on loan, onsite or remote access to digital resources.
- Governors, fellows, and life members of Birkbeck can borrow five items.
- Membership does not include access to printing, some digital resources, computers, Interlibrary loans, or requests for items out on loan.
- Fetching Service: all library users are entitled to request items kept in storage. The Birkbeck Library item request form can be found in the Quick Links section on the left-hand side of Library catalogue page.
- Click-and-post service: Birkbeck students and staff who cannot visit the Library can order up to five books at a time via the Birkbeck Library item request form.
- Return your books by post: BOOK RETURNS, The Library, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HX.
- To visit the Library: the entrance is via Torrington Square, on the right-hand side on the ground floor, of the main building, number one on the map of Birkbeck building locations.
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Renewing
- All books and DVDs on loan are automatically renewed.
- Automatic renewal does not include any one-day loan items (equipment) 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.
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EMAIL REMINDERS
- We send you reminders by email from time to time (e.g. when one of your books has been requested by another library user).
- Birkbeck students: check and edit your email address online
- Birkbeck staff (except honorary/visiting staff): check and amend your email address online
- Visiting borrowers: you can register an email address with us at the Library.
- We send you reminders by email from time to time (e.g. when one of your books has been requested by another library user).
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Fines
- Three-week loan items: fines are only charged for overdue requested items at the rate of 50p per day.
- One-day loan items (equipment): fines are £5 per day. These items cannot be renewed.
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Interlibrary loans
- The Interlibrary loan service lets you request physical books, and digital copies of chapters, and journal articles that aren't available in Birkbeck Library or partner library, Senate House. You can borrow up to 10 items at a time. We'll email you when your item arrives. Just follow these steps:
- Check the Birkbeck Library catalogue to make sure the items you require aren't available here.
- Search the Senate House Library catalogue to make sure the items you require aren't available in their collection. (Birkbeck staff and students have access to Senate House Library and its collection for free.)
- Place an Interlibrary loan order (provide the details of the items you need, as well as any access requirements you have, and we'll find them for you).
- You can renew any item at no cost once if the other library agrees. Further renewals will cost £5 per renewal. Fines for overdue items are 50p per day.
- Contact us if you have any queries.
- To discuss accessibility requirements, please contact the Library Disability and Dyslexia Service
- The Interlibrary loan service lets you request physical books, and digital copies of chapters, and journal articles that aren't available in Birkbeck Library or partner library, Senate House. You can borrow up to 10 items at a time. We'll email you when your item arrives. Just follow these steps:
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Walk-in PC
- If you have a membership or a one-day pass, you can access certain digital resources via the walk-in computer on level two. (This PC will be available from November 2026).