More and more, the world seems to be delivered digitally. It is easy to understand why. Resources accessible over the internet are available from anywhere, so you don't have to remember to turn up anywhere to get hold of them, and even when the number of digital copies is being rationed by the supplier because they are holding out for more money, you can still access each copy the moment it returns to its digital bookshelf. Print books, on the other hand, might be on loan when you want them and take a week or more to be returned for you to read. But there is something deeply comforting about opening a book and not staring at a screen, straining your eyes for yet another hour. However fast the refresh rate, however you have tuned the screen brightness and contrast, ink on paper still seems more restful for many people. There is evidence that many people remember what they read in print far better than what they read from a screen. There is also something tactile about the printed book. The touch of paper can be provocative. Was this because we held printed books as children? Will it change when a generation raised entirely in front of a screen reach university? Who can tell, but many people at university right now actively prefer print, so if that includes you, you are not alone.
Yet life is busy and all those subtle barriers to getting your hands on the books you want when you want them can mount up for many. That's why we make getting hold of all kinds of printed books when you want them as easy as possible.
Simply click and collect
Inspired by supermarkets everywhere, you can reserve books online with our Click & Collect service, then (after we email you to confirm they are ready), pick them up from the Library Atrium 24/7 (during term-time) and borrow them using the self-service kiosks. It usually takes only a couple of days to get books ready for collection and we keep them ready for you to collect for seven days. This works even if a book is on loan to someone else - it just takes a few days longer because they are given up to a week to return it.
To request books, simply choose the "Request for collection" button in the Library catalogue and follow the on-screen instructions. You will be asked for your "library number", which is printed on your student card and is different (and longer) than your student number. The reason for this is that the Library management system is based on very old software that simply cannot cope with short numbers.
Books delivered to you
For those times when you are living at a distance, home for the holidays, or simply cannot get to the Library, there are postal loans. You have to sign for receipt and you remain responsible for getting books back to us (we suggest dropping them off in person or using a signed for delivery service) but we will post books to your registered UK address for free on request. Click the "Request for delivery" button in the catalogue record for the book you want or fill in the postal loans request form and we will do the rest. Postal loans usually arrive within the week, although I always encourage students to get requests in early before Christmas to make sure they are delivered the right side of Christmas itself.
Books from elsewhere
Whenever someone requests a book we do not have in our collection, we tend to try to buy the ebook version but you can always ask for it in print. There might be good reasons why the print version is better - higher resolution pictures, tactile plates, or simply because the design of the printed book is what is of interest, or you might be a member of that sizeable population that really prefers good, old fashioned, printed books. Sometimes digital is no good, so feel free to tell us what you want. We can sometimes borrow a copy from another Library for a few weeks, rather than buying new, especially for obscure works other people are less likely to want. Between our interlibrary loan service and buying new, we can source almost anything you might want and make it available and all you have to do is (fill in the webform and) ask.
Books for pleasure
While the public library specialises in fiction and audiobooks that you can stream online, we have a fun little collection of books for reading for pleasure tucked away in the relaxation corner near the Library café that you can borrow like anything else. From award winning fiction to plant spotting, we try to keep these books light, fun, diverting, and we keep changing which ones are on show to keep the display interesting, but you can borrow anything you like on the shelves at any time, using the self-service kiosks as you would for any other books. Dive in and enjoy!
Not sure what you need?
As with everything Library, if you are unsure what would work best for you, ask a librarian. We are a really friendly bunch - you can chat with us in person (at the Library Help Desk, 11 am - 3pm, Monday - Friday) or online (24/7, although our local team staff chat from 9 am - 4.50 pm Monday - Friday). You can also drop us an email ([email protected]) at any time and we will get back to you as soon as we are back in the office. Let us know what you want and we will be happy to help you put in the right request or follow up on any request you have made that has yet to be fulfilled.
Until then, happy borrowing!