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Borrowing for on-campus staff and students
How to borrow
To borrow a standard or week loan item, find the item on the shelves and take it to the Service Desk on Level 2. To borrow a 3 hour loan item, ask at the Service Desk on Level 2. To borrow items you will need your staff or student ID card.
The library catalogue will help you find
items in our collection and tell you
which type of loan (standard, week or 3 hour loan) applies to each item.
How many items can be borrowed?
Undergraduate students = 15
MSc / diploma students = 20
PhD students = 25
Staff = 30
You can request an increase in the number of items you can borrow by contacting the Reader Services Manager.
How long can borrowed items be kept?
● Standard loans
Undergraduates, MSc & Diploma students, External Readers
Books borrowed in Weeks 1 - 10 of semester 1 must be returned by Friday of Week 12.
Books borrowed in Weeks 11 - 14 of semester 1 or during Christmas vacation must be returned by Friday of Week 1 in semester 2.
Books borrowed in Weeks 1 - 10 of semester 2 must be returned by Friday of Week 12.
Books borrowed in Weeks 11 - 12 of semester 2, during Easter vacation or in Weeks 1 - 2 of Exam/Assessment period must be returned by last Friday of Exam/Assessment period.
Books borrowed in Weeks 3 - 4 of Exam/Assessment period or during summer vacation must be returned by Friday of Week 1 in semester 1.PhD students
Books borrowed in semesters 1 & 2 must be returned by Friday of Week 1 of Exam/Assessment period.
Books borrowed in Easter vacation, Exam/Assessment period or summer vacation must be returned by Friday of Week 1 of semester 1.Staff
Books borrowed must be returned by Friday of Week 1 of Exam/Assessment period .
● Week loans
Books borrowed must be returned 1 week after borrowing; or by 1st Friday of semester 1 for those borrowed during the summer vacation.
● Journals
Journals borrowed must be returned 1 week after borrowing or 6 weeks after borrowing for Maths & Actuarial Maths journals.
● 3 hour loans
Books borrowed must be returned 3 hours after borrowing or 1 hour after the Library opens for overnight loans.
Renewing
If you'd like to keep items you have longer than the due date shown on the inside front cover - you can do this by renewing.
Bring 3 Hour loans and items without a barcode to the Library Service Desk on Level 2 for renewal.
For Standard Loans, Week Loans and barcoded journals you can use the self-renewal function in the catalogue, or you can bring them to the Library Service Desk on Level 2 for renewal.
You can use the self-renewal function as often as you wish during the academic year. However, during our annual stock take, the self-renewal function is suspended. This means you'll have to bring any items on loan into the Library for renewal as follows:
| Standard Loans | Week Loans | |
| Staff | during Easter vacation & Week 1 of
Exam/Assessment period |
during Week 4 of
Exam/Assessment period |
| PhD students | during Easter vacation & Week 1 of
Exam/Assessment period |
during Week 4 of
Exam/Assessment period |
| Masters & Diploma students | during Weeks 3 - 4 of Exam/Assessment period | during Week 4 of
Exam/Assessment period |
| Undergraduates | during Weeks 3 - 4 Exam/Assessment period | during Week 4 of
Exam/Assessment period |
You can't renew an item if -
- another person has requested it
- you have any overdue items
- you have more than £2.00 of unpaid fines
Returning items
Hand returned items to a member of staff at the Service Desk on Level 2 for checking in. Please return all items by the due date and/or time. We'll charge a fine for late items.
When Riccarton Library is closed, you may return items through the Book Return Box, which is near the entrance on the east side of the building by the stream. In all cases, the date and time when the Library staff check in the item will be considered to be the time of return.
Return dates 2009-2010
Standard Loan books are due for return or renewal as follows:
| Books borrowed between | Return date | |
| Undergraduates, Masters, Diploma
students. External Borrowers |
4 Sept 2009 - 19 Nov 2009 | 4 Dec 2009 |
| 20 Nov 2009 - 4 Jan 2010 | 15 Jan 2009 | |
| 5 Jan 2010 - 18 Mar 2010 | 2 Apr 2010 | |
| 19 Mar 2010 - 6 May 2010 | 21 May 2010 | |
| 7 May 2010 - 2 Sept 2010 | 17 Sept 2010 | |
| PhD students | 4 Sept 2009 - 8 Apr 2010 | 30 Apr 2010 |
| 9 Apr 2010 - 2 Sept 2010 | 17 Sept 2010 | |
| Staff | 10 Apr 2009 - 8 Apr 2010 | 30 Apr 2010 |
| 9 Apr 2010 - 7 Apr 2011 | 29 Apr 2011 |
Week Loan books are due for return or renewal as follows:
| Books borrowed between | Return date | |
| All borrowers | 11 Sept 2009 - 13 May 2010 |
1 week after borrowing |
| All borrowers - summer vacation | 14 May 2010 - 9 Sept 2010 | 17 Sept 2010 |
Overdue items
If you don't return an item by the due date/time, the Library will send you an email overdue notice the next day. You will be charged a fine when you return it. The longer you keep an item after the due date or time, the larger the fine.
You won't be able to borrow any more items until the overdue item has been returned. The Library will continue to send you reminder notices until you return the item. Notices for students will be sent to the term-time contact address which you gave to the University at registration.
The University Librarian may suspend you from all use of the Library if you have a seriously overdue item. If you don't return a seriously overdue item you will be sent an invoice for the replacement cost of the item and will be suspended from all use of the Library until the item is returned or the charge paid.
Fines & charges
Fines are charged on the late return of all library material. All borrowers are charged at the following rate:
Standard loans: 20p per day. 3 day grace period. No fine charged if returned within 3 days of due date.
Recalled standard loans: 30p per day. No grace period.
Week loans: 30p per day. No grace period.
Periodicals: 20p per day. 3 day grace period. No fine charged if returned within 3 days of the due date.
Three hour loans: 1p per minute. 15 minute grace period. No fine charged if returned within 15 minutes of due time.
THE MAXIMUM FINE IS £10.00 PER ITEM.
Recalled items
If you have an item on loan which another reader needs to use, you will be sent an email recall notice. This will ask you to return the item by a certain date, normally one week from the date the notice was sent. You must return the item on or before the date indicated on the recall notice. If you don't do this, you'll be charged a fine of 30p per day.
Reserving items
If you want an item which is out on loan to another borrower, you can reserve it using the 'request' option in the catalogue. The library will ask the borrower to return the item and inform you by email when it is available for collection.
You can also use the 'request' option in the catalogue to reserve books which have been ordered for the Library but not yet received from the supplier, or which are currently on the new books display.
In addition, you can use the 'request' option in the catalogue to reserve items in the Riccarton, Scottish Borders Campus or Orkney Libraries and have them sent to Riccarton library for you.
More details of the procedures for reserving books are available on our catalogue information page.
Requesting items from other Heriot Watt Libraries
You can use the catalogue 'request' option to ask for items from the Scottish Borders Campus or Orkney Libraries to be sent to Riccarton Library for you. You will be sent an email notice when it is available for collection.
You may also wish to get articles from journals held in the Scottish Borders Campus Library. You can choose to have the complete journal sent to Riccarton Library, or you can request a photocopy of the article you need. Give the details to the Service Desk staff and they will arrange for the item to be sent. If you request a photocopy, you will be charged the copying cost of 5p per page when you collect the article.
Lost, stolen or damaged items
You are responsible for the cost of replacing any items you are unable to return to the Library because they are lost or stolen from you. Please inform the Service Desk staff as soon as this happens. You will be sent an invoice for the replacement cost of the item, plus an administrative charge of £5.00, which should be paid within 2 weeks. The minimum replacement charge is £25.00.
If you prefer, you can purchase a replacement copy yourself and provide it to the Library. The replacement must be the most recent edition available and should be new or in an excellent condition. The Library reserves the right to reject a replacement copy which does not meet these criteria and to require you to pay the invoice.
If you find a lost book after you have paid its replacement cost or if a stolen book is found and returned to you, return it to the Library with your receipt, and we will arrange for you to be reimbursed, less the administrative charge.
If an item is damaged while in your possession, you will be responsible for the cost of repair, if this is possible, or for the cost of replacing it if it cannot be repaired.
Library Regulations
Borrowing from the Library is subject to the Library Regulations which are contained in the University's Ordinances and Regulations.
Tips
- We'll charge a fine if you return items late. Please always check the return date stamped on the date label inside the front cover, return on time or renew if you need to.
- You're responsible for items you borrow. Don't lend them to anyone else as they may lose them or return them late. If this happens you'll be asked to pay the fine or replacement charge
- Don't lend your ID card to anyone to borrow items. If they lose them or return them late you'll be asked to pay the fine or replacement charge
- If you lose your ID card, please inform the Library Service Desk (0131-451-3577 / ServiceDesk@hw.ac.uk). Staff and students should contact Academic Registry (Registry@hw.ac.uk) to find out how to get a replacement.
- Students - please tell your School if you change your address, so that we (and other Departments) have your current contact details.