How to borrow and order

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

Books which have a loan period of 28 days can be borrowed if you have a university card or a library account.

Course literature can only be borrowed by students and staff at Stockholm University. Journals and older material can only be read on-site in the library.

Photo: Cecilia Burman
You can check out your books in the machines next to the entrance in the library.
Photo: Cecilia Burman

Your books are automatically renewed up to 25 times, as long as no other borrower is queuing for the book. You can also renew your books via "My Library Account”.

You can return your books in the library when it is open or in our return box outside when the library is closed, as long as the university premises are open. When you return material you have borrowed, you will receive a receipt to the e-mail address you have provided. Save the receipt until you have checked in “My Library Account” that your loan has been deregistered.

Visitors returning books at the library
Photo: Karl Edqvist

 

Course literature may be borrowed by students and staff at Stockholm University. The loan period for course literature is 7 days.

Student med uppslagen bok vid hyllorna för kurslitteratur
Photo: Lena Katarina Johansson
 

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”.  

My Library Account

A short film on how to search for course literature in the catalogue and find it on the shelves (Youtube)

 

Read and download e-books

A large part of the books at Stockholm University Library are e-books. They are available for students and staff at Stockholm University and to visitors on-site at the library.

You can find the e-books via the search box on the library’s home page, under E-books A-Z, and on the e-book platform that provides access to the actual book.

How to find e-books in full tex

Student reading an e-book
Photo: Lena Katarina Johansson

 

Most e-books work well for reading online only in the browser. Terms of use for printing, downloading, format and number of simultaneous users may vary from book to book. This depends on which publisher has published the book and on which e-book platform it is available. You can find what is relevant for a specific book in the interface when you use the book, or in the platform’s help text.

By creating a personal account on the e-book platform, you can, for example, save the book in your own electronic bookshelf and work with the text. On certain platforms, you also need to create a personal account if you wish to download the e-book.

You can read e-books only online, but, if you wish, you can also download them and save them on your computer. On some e-book platforms, the books are provided with copyright protection, so-called Digital Rights Management (DRM). This means that the publishers use different techniques to control the distribution and use of the content.

If you want to download DRM-protected books to be able to read them when you are offline, you need to download and save the e-book to your computer, then open the e-book in Adobe Digital Editions.

  • Download Adobe Digital Editions to your computer, reading or writing tablet or mobile phone. Adobe Digital Editions can be downloaded free from the App Store and Google Play.
  • Activate your Adobe ID in the programme or app you want to use for reading the books. You only need to do this the first time.

In order to download a DRM-protected book from the platform, you need to create a personal account on the e-book platform where the book is located, EBSCOHost or Ebook Central. You also need to have a university account which shows that you are eligible to read e-books, while your personal account is needed for the DRM protection to work.

If you have any questions regarding the e-books, you are welcome to contact media.sub@su.se.

 

How to find e-resources

You can find the e-books when searching on the library’s home page, under E-books A-Z, and on the e-book platform, which provides access to the actual book. You can also search the content of the e-book. You search for articles under the tab “Articles” in the search box, e-journals under E-journals “A-Z”, and databases under “Databases A-Z”.

Article tab in the search box

E-books A-Z

E-journals A-Z

Databases A-Z

When you have clicked on to an e-book, article or database, you will be directed to the university login where you log in with your university account, i.e. your user name and password.

For questions about the university account

You cannot save a bookmark directly to a database or e-journal. Since remote access is based on dynamic URLs, the bookmark will not go to the same location the next time you use it.

The library has agreements with numerous suppliers of e-books, e-journals and databases. With a few exceptions the e-resources are available on the entire Stockholm University network and by remote access for students and staff. Other visitors have access on-site in the library.

As a student, researcher or other visitor to the library, you may use the content regulated by agreement with the respective supplier. The terms of use may thus vary depending on the supplier, but generally you have the right to use the library’s e-resources for your own use, for study and research purposes.

You may:

  • Print and copy individual articles, chapters or shorter sections.
  • Download individual articles, chapters or shorter sections.
  • Send individual articles, chapters or shorter sections to yourself.

You may often:

  • As teacher, use individual articles, chapters or shorter sections in course compendiums. It is also allowed to upload these full-text to Athena.
  • As researcher, for scholarly purposes, share individual articles, chapters or shorter sections with colleagues at other institutions, scholarly sharing.

To see if this is allowed on a specific platform/database, please see the information in Database A-Z.

You may not:

  • Print or download entire journals or books.
  • Systematically download or print large amounts of material.
  • Upload or distribute copyright material.
  • Sell or re-distribute material. It is never allowed to use material commercially.
  • Text and Datamine. Please contact the library if you wish to Text and Datamine in a specific database.

To be able to get links to the full-texts that Stockholm University Library has access to via Google Scholar, you need to activate library links in Google Scholar. To activate Stockholm University Library’s link:

  • Go to Google Scholar
  • Go to Settings and Library links under the menu on the top left.
  • Search for Stockholm University Library. Click in the box next to “Stockholm University Library - SU Full Text”.
  • Save the setting.

SU Full Text-links are now displayed with all the articles that you have access to as a SU - user.

If you go to Google Scholar via the library’s web page, you will receive these links without having to change the setting.

 

Remote access to e-resources

Students and staff at Stockholm University have access to e-resources remotely by logging in to their university account.

For remote access to work on your computer or mobile device, the following is required: 

  • The browser must accept cookies
  • The browser must accept javascript  

We recommend that you turn off pop-up blocking in your browser, or at least allow pop-ups from ezp.sub.su.se.

By using LibKey Nomad, you can save an article as a PDF directly to your computer without first searching the Stockholm University Library website. The extension can be used even if you are not on campus or logged in.

Follow these steps to download the program to your browser:

  • Go to Libkeynomad.com
  • Choose which browser you want to use LibKey Nomad on and follow the instructions
  • Select Stockholm University from the dropdown menu

Once you have downloaded the extension and want to save an article as a PDF to your computer, click on the box with 'Download PDF LibKey Nomad' in your browser.

For this to work, the article needs to have a DOI number (Digital Object Identifier), a persistent identification number given to electronic documents.

You will receive the following access versions:

  • Download PDF: An article subscribed to by the library or an Open Access journal.
  • Article Link: An article subscribed to by the library or an Open Access journal with a direct link to the article page.
  • Manuscript PDF & Manuscript Link: An early version of the article available online for free. This version is not necessarily the final version.

LibKey Nomad

An instruction film from LibKey

Guide to LibKey Nomad

 

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.

  • 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.

My Library Account

 

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 download, 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 collection. Only the borrower can check out the 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 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.

My Library Account

 

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.

  • 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”.

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

Many articles can be ordered via the “Get it Now” service.

The option to order via “Get it Now” is displayed when you search for articles in the library’s search box on the home page, or in the “Other Articles” databases with the function “SU Full Text”.

Search for articles in the library’s search box

The article is delivered directly to your e-mail address within eight hours. An e-mail address within the su.se domain is required.

If you do not find the article you require via “Get it Now”, you can order it as a purchase, or as a loan from another library.

 

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

Order via Libris

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.

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.

  • 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.

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

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