Staff
Borrowing and returning items
Use your University campus, staff card, or guest access card on our self-service units to borrow and return your items. If you are a student, you can borrow and return laptops from our lapsafes.
- Borrowing items
- Returning items
- Renewing items
- Borrowing periods
- Borrowing limits
- Notifications & blocks
- Items classed as lost & replacement costs
Borrowing items
To borrow items you need to issue them to your account. Tap your University campus card, staff card, or guest access card on the self-service unit, and then follow the onscreen instructions. A receipt will be emailed to your University e-mail address (for staff and students) or registered e-mail address (for library guests) which shows the return date for each item. This information can also be found by logging into your library account.
Log into your library account.
If you are a student, you can borrow a laptop from one of our lapsafes.
Returning items
Follow the on-screen instructions to return your print items. A receipt will be emailed to your University e-mail address (for staff and students) or registered e-mail address (for library guests) to show proof of return. Please keep your receipt as this is your confirmation that the return has been successful. We also recommend double-checking your library account to see if the return has been successful. Make sure you return your items on or before the return date to avoid any blocks.
Log into your library account.
If you have borrowed a laptop from one of our lapsafes, you will need to return it to the same lapsafe.
Renewing items
Items (except laptops) can be renewed for up to a total of an extra 196 days. The maximum renewal date, calculated as 196 days from the date the item was first issued, will be displayed on your account. If the resource has been reserved by another library user, renewals will not be possible. You can renew items by logging into your library account.
Log into your library account.
Borrowing periods
| Loan Category | Description | Fine per day per item overdue | Maximum |
| 28 Day Loan* | All wider reading materials, including DVDs and other materials. | N/A | N/A |
| Not For Loan | Items that cannot be borrowed from the library and are used within the library for reference. | N/A | N/A |
| Laptops | Self-service laptops. | £5 | £35 |
*If at the point of issue, a 28 Day Loan resource is reserved, the loan period will automatically change to a 7 Day Loan and renewals will not be possible, to ensure the fair circulation of resources. If a resource is reserved whilst on loan the due date will not change but renewals will not be possible.
Check your self-service receipt and manage your loans by logging into your library account.
Log into your library account.
Borrowing limits
| Students | 25 |
| Staff | 25 |
| Eligible guests e.g. SCONUL Access and Alumni Association | 4 |
| Borrower | Borrowing Limit |
Current students can borrow up to one laptop at a time. Guests are not eligible to borrow laptops.
If you are eligible to access our e-resources, please note that these do not need to be issued and as such these do not count towards your borrowing allocation. They are accessible anywhere you have internet access and a compatible device.
Notifications & blocks
Courtesy messages are sent 2 days before an item's due date. Overdue messages are sent 7 days after the due date (or 1 day after the due date for laptops).
Items that are overdue (not returned or renewed before the due date) will trigger an automatic borrowing block on your library account. This block prevents further borrowing of library resources. Blocks are added 14 days after the due date (or 3 days after the due date for laptops). To remove this block, please return the items or speak to a member of Library staff.
Get in touch with us using Library Talk.
Items classed as lost & replacement costs
Items that are overdue will eventually be classed as lost and a bill for the replacement cost will be issued. Items are classed as lost after 28 days (laptops are classed as lost after 7 days). If you have a billed item in your possession we can waive the replacement cost once the item has been returned. If you find the item after you have paid the bill we may be able to refund the amount back to you if it is within three months of you paying the bill and you are still studying at the University of Sunderland.
Learn more about our billing procedure.
Page reviewed: January 2023
