Borrow books
Students, staff and external users may borrow from Stockholm University Library. Students and staff at Stockholm University may borrow all material marked as home-loan or course literature. With your university account you can access all the library’s e-resources remotely. Staff can also borrow material on limited loans to their offices.
If you are not a student or staff member at Stockholm University, you can borrow all material marked as home-loan, but not course literature. You can access the library’s e-resources on-site in the library.
Swedish words in the library catalogue
Borrow and return books
To be able to borrow, you need to have a library account with Stockholm University Library.
You borrow at the library's self-service check-out machines located near the entrance. To borrow, you use your personal identity number or T-number and the PIN code you chose when you created your library account.
To return your borrowed books you use the self-service check-in machines near the entrance.
On the ground floor you will also find the shelves with course literature.
Loan periods and loan renewals
The library's books have a loan period of 7 or 28 days. Books with a loan period of 7 days are course books and can only be borrowed by students and staff at Stockholm University.
Journals and older material can only be read in the library.
Your loans are automatically renewed, up to 25 times, as long as no other patron has requested the book. You can also renew your loans yourself via My Library Account. On My Library Account you can also see if someone has requested the book.
Borrow course literature
Course literature may be borrowed by students and staff at Stockholm University. The loan period for course literature is 7 days.
It is not possible to reserve books that are available on the shelves, instead you must visit the library yourself and borrow the book.
The book is renewed automatically at the end of the loan period, if no one else is queuing for the book. You can also renew your books via “My Library Account”.
A short film on how to search for course literature in the catalogue and find it on the shelves (Youtube)
Borrowing rules
Queue for a borrowed book
If you find a book in the catalogue that is on loan, you can place you name in the queue for it. Then it is reserved for you when it is returned to the library. It is free to queue for a book.
Please note that you cannot queue for books where any copies of the book are available at the library. We can therefore not put aside and reserve books that are not on loan.
You will receive an e-mail from the library when the book is available for you. You can also see under “My Library Account” when the book is available. You have three days in which to collect the book. Only you who ordered the book can borrow it.
Staff at Stockholm University can choose to receive direct deliveries of books that they have been queuing for to their department by internal mail. This option is available, whenever possible, as an option when ordering.
How to queue for a book
- Go to “My Library Account” and log in with your university login, or under “Other Login”, if you are not a student or member of staff.
- Go back to the homepage and search for the book by typing the title of the book in the search box.
- Click on the title of the book in the list of hits.
- Scroll down to where it says “Stockholm University Library”. Click on the blue icon “Request”.
- A new box opens. Click on the blue button marked ”Queue”.
- Another box opens where you can confirm that you want to queue for the book. Click “OK”.
- You are now queuing for the book.
Order a book placed in closed stacks
Some of the library books are placed in closed stacks. These books are not possible to pick up from the shelves yourself, but you need to order them via the library’s website.
An order placed before 7.00 on a weekday can be picked up the same day. If you order after 7.00, the book will be available for you the next weekday.
When the book is available for pick up, you will receive an e-mail from the library. You have three days in which to check out the book. You can also see on “My Library Account” when the book is available for you to pick up. Only the person who ordered the book can borrow it.
How to order a book from the library’s closed stacks
- Go to ”My Library Account” and log in with your university login, or under “Other Login”, if you are not a student or member of staff.
- Go back to the home page and search for the book by typing the title of the book in the search box. Click on the title of the book in the list of hits.
- Scroll down to where it says “Stockholm University Library”. Click on the blue box that says “Request”.
- A new box opens. Click on the blue button marked “Order”.
- Another box will open where can confirm that you want to order the book. Click on ”Yes”.
- The book is now ordered.
Direct delivery for staff
Staff at Stockholm University are offered delivery of books to their respective departments, as a complement to borrowing on-site in the library. To use the service an active library account and a correct department address are required. Certain material cannot be ordered as direct delivery. If the button ”For Direct Delivery” is missing when ordering, this means that this title cannot be sent as a direct delivery.
When the book is ordered, the loan is registered in your account and sent by internal mail to your mailbox at the specified department address. Delivery takes about four working days. As a borrower, you are responsible for the book throughout the loan period.
How to order direct delivery
- Log in with your university login in “My Library Account”.
- Then search for the book in the library catalogue.
- When you have found the book, click on the button that says “Direct Delivery”.
- Check your address and click “Continue”.
Material not available for direct delivery
The following cannot be ordered for direct delivery:
- Course books
- Reference books
- Books printed before 1900
- Fragile books
- Folios and journals
Submit purchase suggestions or order interlibrary loans
Students and staff at Stockholm University can make a purchase suggestion for books, articles and other media resources which are not already available in the library.
The library buys or borrows requested books and articles, provided they are relevant for current studies or research at Stockholm University. The library decides from case to case whether the ordered material should be purchased or borrowed by interlibrary loan.
Generally, the library buys resources published in recent years, while older material is borrowed.
Form to submit purchase suggestions or order interlibrary loans
When the material is available, you will be notified by e-mail.
You can follow your order under My Requests at My Library Account
Interlibrary loan for other libraries and organisations
Borrowing library books is free of charge. Articles are scanned or copied and sent for a fee. Order an interlibrary loan by form or via Libris.
Form for ordering interlibrary loans for other libraries
Rules for interlibrary loan of books
For monographs, a loan period of 28 days is guaranteed.
Maximum of 25 automatic re-loans, if no other borrower is queuing for the book.
If the title is reserved, the book must be returned immediately, if the guaranteed loan period has expired.
Books marked “EJ HEM” may only be borrowed as reading room loans by the borrowing library.
Rarities, folios, reference books, course literature, children’s literature and books from the Slavic collection are not lent out.
Journals – copying only.
Degree projects and essays are not available at the library. Please contact the respective department.
Rules and prices for interlibrary loan of articles
Articles are sent via e-mail if the agreement so allows, otherwise via regular mail. The article must be printed and submitted to the borrower in paper form in accordance with current legislation.
Please note in the order if you wish to pay with IFLA vouchers.
Prices
Price per article available in our e-inventory:
- 100 SEK or 1 full IFLA voucher.
Price per article that needs to be scanned or copied:
- 1-20 pages 100 SEK or 1 full IFLA voucher.
- 20-50 pages 200 SEK or 2 full IFLA vouchers.
Fees for overdue items and lost books
The library charges fees for overdue books, both for those with a queue and books that have been borrowed a maximum number of times. The overdue fee is SEK 10 per book, per day.
If you have more than SEK 100 in overdue charges, your university card or library account will be blocked for further loans.
A book not returned within 30 days of the return date is considered lost. You will then be charged SEK 600 in fees for each lost book. If the book is returned, only the late fee is to be paid.
If the book is borrowed via interlibrary loan, the delay fee is determined by the library that lent the book. After a third reminder, or if the library has sent you an invoice, you will be temporarily unable to borrow materials from the library until the matter has been resolved.
How to pay late fees
- You pay your late fees via “My Library Account” on the library’s website. You can pay by bank card or via Swish.
- You can also pay to the library’s bankgiro transfer 812-0669. When paying by bank transfer, it is important to state your name, personal number and what the payment is for. Please note that it takes at least three banking days before the payment is processed with us.
- You can also pay by bank card at Frescati Library.
Lost or damaged book
If you have lost or damaged a book, you will need to replace it.
You can replace a book that has been lost or damaged by purchasing a new copy of the same book, or a later edition, and leave it at the information point at the library. This is usually the cheapest option for replacing a book.
If you cannot buy the book yourself, you can replace it by paying a standard fee of SEK 600. Any late fees incurred must also be paid.
Contact
- Chat
Monday - Friday 9.00-15.00
- Office hours
The information point is staffed:
Monday - Thursday 9.00 - 21.30
Friday 9.00 - 18.00
Saturday - Sunday 9.00 - 17.00
- Phone hours
Monday and Tuesday 10.00 - 11.00
Last updated: September 20, 2024
Source: Stockholm University Library