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Borrowing, renewals, fines and Interlibrary loans

You can borrow books, videos, DVDs and CDs, usually for three weeks. Some items are available for one-week, one-day, or two-hour loans, while reference material can only be viewed in the Library.

Using the collection

  • Borrowing

    • Undergraduate/certificate/short course students can borrow up to 20 items (one-week, three-week loan), and two one-day loan items. 
    • Postgraduate students can borrow up to 25 items (one-week, three-week loan), and two one-day loan items.
    • Staff (including teaching/scholarship staff) can borrow up to 30 items (one-week, three-week loan), and two one-day loan items.
    • Visiting borrowers can usually borrow five items (excluding one-day loans).
    • Members of the public cannot borrow. They can consult printed materials on site.
    • Alumni can access the Library free of charge for reference only or, for an annual fee of £70, you can borrow five items (one-week or three-week loan). 
      • If you have a membership or a one-day pass, you can also get a guest photocopying account, a guest Wi-Fi account, and access to certain digital resources via the walk-in computer on level two. 
      • Alumni membership does not include access to printing, computers, one-day loans, Interlibrary loans, requests for items out on loan, or remote access to digital resources. 
    • Governors, fellows, and life members of Birkbeck can borrow five items (one-week or three-week loan). 
      • You can also get a guest photocopying account and a guest Wi-Fi account. 
      • Membership does not include access to printing, some digital resources, computers, one-day loans, Interlibrary loans, or requests for items out on loan.
    • Fetching Service: all library users are entitled to request items kept in storage. The Birkbeck Library item request form can be found in the Quick Links section on the left-hand side of Library catalogue page.
    • Click-and-post service: Birkbeck students and staff who cannot visit the Library can order up to five books at a time via the Birkbeck Library item request form.
    • Return your books by post: BOOK RETURNS, The Library, Birkbeck, University of London, Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HX.
    • To visit the Library: the entrance is via Torrington Square, on the right-hand side on the ground floor, of the main building, number one on the map of Birkbeck building locations.

  • Renewing

    • Most items on loan are automatically renewed.
    • Automatic renewal does not include Short Loan Collection items, one-day loan items or any item requested by another Library user.
    • Interlibrary loans are not automatically renewed. If you have borrowed items using the Interlibrary loans service you can request a renewal.

  • EMAIL REMINDERS

  • Fines

    • One-week and three-week loan items: fines are only charged for overdue requested items at the rate of 50p per day. 
    • One-day loans: fines are £5 per day. These items cannot be renewed. 

  • Interlibrary loans

  • Walk-in PC

    • If you have a membership or a one-day pass, you can also get a guest photocopying account, a guest Wi-Fi account, and access to certain digital resources via the walk-in computer on level two. (This is currently unavailable, April 2025.)