Item Allowance

All students and staff are entitled to borrow from the library. To borrow a library item, and to make changes on your account, you will need your Royal Holloway College Card.

 

How many items can I borrow?

Undergraduates and Postgraduate Taught	35
Postgraduate Research and Staff	50

Loan types

Please note that loan periods can change over vacation periods. If this occurs, information will be provided ahead of time.

All staff and student loans will automatically be renewed on their renewal date, unless it has been recalled by another user.

Loan Length

One Week	All University staff and students can borrow
Three Week	All University staff and students can borrow

Laptops 

For information on how to borrow a laptop, please see our Accessing our Physical Collection page. Hard drives for use with the laptops are available for loan from the library helpdesk.

Loan Length	24 hours
✗	For use on campus only
✗	Not renewable

In certain circumstances, arrangements can be made, to borrow a laptop longer than the published loan length. Please email library@rhul.ac.uk. 

Lockers

24hr	A limited number are available for students on a first-come, first-served basis. Keys are available from the helpdesk during helpdesk opening hours
Termly	There are a limited number of lockers available for loan for the duration of the academic term.  These are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Keys are available from the beginning of each term from the helpdesk during helpdesk opening hours

Charges and fines

Books: If an item has been recalled by another user, you will need to return it by the due date. Otherwise you will incur a fine. The fine is 40p per day. If the item is not returned within 14 days a lost item replacement fee of £25 and a non-refundable admin fee of £5 will be added to your account.

Laptops: These will incur a charge of £1 per every hour overdue. If you reach fines of £16 on a laptop loan, your library account will be blocked. If the laptop is still not returned to the library after this, a lost item fee of £700 will be incurred.

Lockers: If locker keys are not returned on time, your library account will be blocked, and fines incurred. Fines are £1 per day. There is a £20 replacement charge for lost keys. Please read the Locker Terms of Condition and Use for further information.

Fines can be paid from the same account you use to top up your printing credit. Pay my fines

For charges associated with the Inter-Library Loans service (ILL), please visit the ILL page. 

Requesting an item

Physical items which are out on loan or showing as unavailable on LibrarySearch can be requested.

Students registered with the Disability and Neurodiversity Service or based at our Central London Campus can also request items which are not on loan.

Please visit the Accessing the Physical Collection page for information on how to request an item.

Returning items

Books can be returned to the returns window in the Davison Building atrium during opening hours. Please check that all books returned, are recorded on the email sent to your college email address at the time of return.

Outside of opening hours you can use the external dropbox on the outside of the Emily Wilding Davison building opposite the Windsor Building. Please check that all books returned, are recorded on the email sent to your college email address within 24hrs of return.

If an item is still on your account after you have returned it please contact the library and we will look into this for you. 

Senate House Library returns

Please do not return Senate House books to the library. There is a drop box designated for Senate House returns on campus at the Depository (see the campus map). The drop box is located in the fence by the green gates at the entrance to the Depository site. There are a few things to note: 

• The box is open 24/7
• Fines money cannot be taken at the Depository, nor can fines disputes be dealt with there.