Services and Facilities

Borrowing from the Library

Print books can be accessed via shelf-browsing and the Click and Collect services. Students unable to come to campus may also request a Postal Loan or scans of extracts from books or print journals.

Borrowing print books from the Library is easy and there's a number of options. You can:

  • Locate items you want using our LibrarySearch tool
  • Browse the bookshelves
  • Place a hold on items for either collection from the Library or postal loan
  • Request that chapters of books or articles from print journals are scanned and emailed to you

See the separate sections in this guide on Click & Collect, Postal Loans and Article and Chapter requests for more information.

For information on how many items you can borrow and how long you can borrow them for see the FAQs at the bottom of this page.


Click and Collect

Whilst many of your reading list items will be available online, there will be times when you need to borrow a book from the Library. Your reading list should indicate whether the item is online or a print version and the link within the reading list should take you directly to the item page within LibrarySearch. You can also search for items separately using LibrarySearch. Once you have located the item on LibrarySearch you can either come to the Library to find the book on the shelves or place a hold using using the Click & Collect service. Please place your requests in plenty of time as there is high-demand for this service.

Please do not come to the Library to collect your item until you have received an email advising that it is available.

We are unable to provide a same-day Click & Collect service. The amount of time to fulfill a request depends on the status of the book, staff availability, and the time of day the request is received. It will take at least one working day even for books that are on the shelf. If you are on campus we recommend that you come to the Library and browse the shelves in person rather than waiting for Click & Collect.

See our Click & Collect guide for more information.


Postal Loans

If you are a distance learner, or are unable to come to campus to borrow books, you can request that books are posted to you.

Please note that whilst the Library covers the cost of posting items out to you, you must pay the return postage for the items.

If you are attending campus regularly then we would encourage you to browse the Library shelves and borrow in person or make use of the Click & Collect service.

To find out more about the Postal Loans service, including how to place a request, see our Postal Loans guide.


Article & Chapter Requests

If you are unable to visit the library in person, you can ask us to scan articles from print journals and chapters of print books for you.

No more than one article from any issue of a journal, or one chapter of a book (or up to 10% of the whole item, whichever is greater), may be requested. These limits are set by UK Copyright law and the Library cannot exceed them.

Before asking for items to be scanned, check your Module Reading List - a digitised version may already be available.

Please place your requests in plenty of time as there is a high demand for this service. If you are on campus then we recommend that you browse the Library shelves and scan items in person rather than using the request service.

To find out more about the Article & Chapter requests service, including how to place a request, see our Article & Chapter Requests guide


Returning Library Items

Items can be returned to the Library in the following ways:

  • Visiting the Library in person
  • Using the book dropbox located in the foyer of the Sir Ian Wood Building
  • By post. Packages should be addressed to University Library, Sir Ian Wood Building, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, AB10 7GJ. We recommend that you obtain a proof of posting receipt as we will require to see that in the event of items going missing in the post. If you do not have proof of postage then you will be liable for the replacement cost of the books.

FAQs

What can I borrow and for how long?

User Group All Loan Items
RGU, ICRGU & Associate Students Up to 15 items for 56 days (subject to recall).
RGU Staff Up to 25 items for 56 days (subject to recall).
Community Members (including Alumni) Up to 5 items for 28 days (subject to recall).

Is there anything I cannot borrow?

Journals are reference only. There are also other items on the shelves that are reference only. These will be indicated by a label on the item. 'Reference only' means that the item cannot be borrowed, and is only for use within the library.

We may be able to scan a section of a reference item for you. Please see our guide to requesting articles and chapters for more information.

How should I return items?

Please check your Library account regularly. Items should be returned by their due date. You can return items in person to the Library or use the book return box available in the foyer of the Sir Ian Wood Building. The box is accessible during building opening hours.

Items may also be returned by post to University Library, Sir Ian Wood Building, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, AB10 7GJ. We recommend that proof of posting is obtained if returing items by post. Please note that we cannot reimburse postage costs.

Can I renew items I have on loan?

As long as your items have not been recalled, or are not needed by another library user, you can renew them by going to your library account and logging in with your student number and password. You can also renew items at the self-service kiosks in the Library, or by contacting us.

If you forget to renew your library items, then as long as your account is in good standing, we will do it for you 7 days before they're due back. If we cannot renew the items, you will receive an email to your University email account reminding you of the due date.

What is your recall policy?

All library items are loaned subject to recall, including Postal Loan items. If any of your loans are recalled, you will be notified by email to your University email account. You will normally have 7 days from the date of the recall to return the item(s). Please see our library policies for details of fines for the late return of recalled items.

How do I check what I’ve got on loan?

Simply log in to your library account to see details of all items on loan. Do this regularly to see if any items have been recalled, check "due back" dates, and see the progress of any holds you have placed. You can also check your account at the self-service kiosks in the library.

What do I do if the item I want is on loan?

If the item is on loan you can place a hold using LibrarySearch. The item will be recalled from the borrower and you will be notified by email when it is ready to collect. If you have requested a postal loan you will be notified when the item has been sent to you.

What happens if my items are overdue?

Please return all items you no longer require as soon as you can. If you have overdues, you will be unable to borrow further items until they are returned. You may also be fined or billed for the overdue item. Details can be found in our library policies.

Can I take Library items out of the UK?

We don't recommend that Library items are taken out of the UK. If you are planning to be out of the UK for some time then all Library items should be returned prior to leaving.

Library materials are limited in availability and must be shared amongst the University community through the loan and recall processes. If you choose to take Library items out of the UK, those items remain subject to the standard recall process and you should ensure you are checking RGU emails regularly and are in a position to return those items if requested to do so. In the event that an item is recalled and not returned you'll incur overdue charges, lost item bills and blocks on access to RGU IT systems as detailed in the Debt Recovery Policy. This could result in access to Campus Moodle and Library e-resources blocked until the items are returned so taking items abroad is something we definitely don't recommend!

What happens if I damage or lose Library material?

Contact us as soon as you can. You may be billed for the full replacement cost. For recalled items, any fines that have been accrued while the items have been overdue will be added to the replacement cost.

I am a graduate of RGU. Can I use the Library?

RGU Alumni are welcome to register for free with the Library to borrow print items. Due to licensing issues we're unable to provide remote access to online resources such as ebooks and journal databases, but you can access some databases on campus through our Walk-In Service.
For more information about Alumni membership, and to register, see our Community and Alumni Memberships page

Library payments

Charges can be paid by credit or debit card by logging into your Library Account and selecting the Charges option.

You can also pay at the self-service kiosks in the Library or at the Reception desk on Level 5.

Alternatively, you can call 01224 263450 and we can process your payment over the phone.

If your IT account has been blocked due to Library charges, please note that the account will not be unlocked immediately. An instruction to unlock the account will be passed to the IT team during normal Monday-Friday working hours . Your account should be unlocked and available to use from the next working day.