Borrowing

For Swansea University staff and students, your staff or student card can also be used to borrow books and other materials.

Self-issue terminals are available in the Library - directions on how to use them are shown beside each terminal. The machines issue a receipt for all the items borrowed, together with the date(s) due for their return.

Total borrowing entitlements are summarised in the table below. Important exceptions and additional entitlements are listed after the table. 

The loan period and return dates for some categories of material will vary to allow for vacations.

Borrower	Number of items	Normal loan	Periodicals
Undergraduates	12	2 weeks	Until Issue Desk closing time next working day
Graduate students (Research & Masters)	20	12 weeks	2 weeks
Academic staff	30	12 weeks	2 weeks
External borrowers	5	2 weeks	May not borrow periodicals , one week or short loan items

Special loan categories

• Some items are designated as One-Week Loan and are identified by a red dot on the spine. These may be borrowed, by any borrower, for one week only.
• Items in very heavy demand are designated as Overnight loan or Short Loan. Overnight loan books are on the open shelves and can be borrowed using the self issue machines. LIC Short Loan books are kept at the Issue Desk and are only available during staffed hours - these are usually restricted because it would be difficult to obtain a replacement copy. Short and Overnight Loans can normally be borrowed overnight and are due back by Issue Desk closing time on the next working day  (some items in heavy demand may be loaned for 3 hours or 6 hours)
• The current issue of a periodical may not be borrowed.
• Short loan and Overnight Loan items, One Week Loans and periodicals cannot be borrowed by external borrowers
• Library Store - some older material, particularly older periodical runs, are now kept in the library store in Fforestfach. Items, or photocopies of journal articles, can be requested. Store Request Form. (Paper copies of the Store Request Form are available at the Issue Desk)

Additional borrower entitlements

• Swansea University staff and students can borrow material from the Adult Education collection in the South Wales Miners' Library at Hendrefoelan and Banwen Library in the Dulais Valley.
• DACE students on short accredited courses have the same borrowing entitlement as part-time undergraduate students (see above) but are not automatically registered for library use. If you wish to request a library card you need a letter of authorization from DACE which you should take to the South Wales Miners' Library.
• DACE students on non-accredited courses have access to Swansea University Libraries. Please ask to register at the South Wales Miners' Library Issue Desk.
• Please see our further information about library access and borrowing rights for external visitors  

Library materials must be returned to the branch from which they were borrowed. Fines are charged on all overdue items, but you can renew items you have borrowed if they are not required by anyone else. You can also reserve items you need which are on loan to other readers.

Returns

All items must be returned to the branch from which they were borrowed.

Self-return terminals are available in LIS. Alternatively, you can return them to the Issue Desk during staffed opening hours and wait until they have been cleared from your library card. Do not leave library materials unattended on the counter: you are responsible for all items issued to you until they have been cleared.

Recalls

All items are issued "subject to recall". When you borrow items, you will receive a slip giving the return dates. For long loans, you may receive an email asking you to return the item sooner than the due date because it has been requested by another borrower (see Reserving, below). Please return it by the new due date, which is normally seven days from the day the request was made, so that the person requesting the item can receive it. 

Overdue items

If you return items after the due date you will be fined. Overdue charges are applicable to ALL categories of borrower, including academic staff. 

Fines

Item	Amount
Normal loan	20p per day
One week loan Journals	50p per day £1 per day
Overnight / short loans A/V items Laptops	£1.50 per day £1.50 per day £10.00 per day
6 hour loans	20p per hour

Fines accumulate to a maximum of £10 on short and overnight loans, and £5 on other loans. If unpaid fines exceed £10, you will not be allowed to borrow any more items until you have reduced your debt. Where users have fines of £20 or more, a £5 administration fee is incurred and the account is passed to the university Finance Department. 

Overdue Notices will be emailed to you to remind you of the outstanding loan.

If items are lost, damaged or defaced, there is a standard replacement cost of £45 (unless the book is in print, and much more expensive) + a non-refundable £5 administration fee. 

 Renewing

If the item you have borrowed is not required by anyone else, you may extend the loan for a further period.  You can do this:

- in person at a Swansea University library Issue Desk or pc

- by telephone on 01792-295178 (or South Wales Miners' Library on 01792 518603 for items borrowed from there)

- on the Internet. Go to http://voyager.swan.ac.uk and open up the My Account icon. After renewing the items, check the new due date and
  print out the page for reference in case of any problem.   

  The system will not allow you to renew books reserved by other borrowers, and if your books are overdue it will add the appropriate fine to your account.  
  Please ask at the Issue Desk if you have problems renewing your books, or call us on 01792 295178 .