FAQs about loans

Frequently asked questions about borrowing books

You can find out whether a book can be borrowed by looking at the colour of the spine label on the book. Books with white spine labels can be borrowed. For books with yellow spine labels, the conditions of the short loan apply. Bound journals with yellow spine labels and books with red spine labels are absolutely present. These media can therefore not be borrowed.

You can also find the information on the loan status in the copy view of the catalogue under "Status". In addition, it is also coded in the so-called code number. All items with odd numbers can be borrowed.

For literature that can be borrowed regularly, the loan period is 30 days. Before the end of this period, the book must be returned or the period must be extended. Books subject to the conditions of short loan are only available for loan for one day, over the weekend and over public holidays. Absolutely present literature cannot be borrowed.

If a book you need is already on loan, you can reserve it for yourself. To do so, click on the entry "Reserve a copy" in the copy view of the catalogue. Please note that you can only make a reservation for borrowed books. If you have several copies, they must all be borrowed. Reserved books will be made available to you in the self-collection area or at the counter of the Local Lending Desk after they have been returned by the previous borrower (the return date does not have to correspond to the end of the loan period stated in the catalogue). You will only be informed about the provision by e-mail. In addition, you can check at any time in your library account under "Reservations" whether media that have already been reserved for you are available.

If the book you need cannot be found on the shelf at your location, even though it is marked as not on loan in the catalogue, you can place a search request . Such a search request is a prerequisite for ordering such a missing book by interlibrary loan from another library.

Only if you have a valid email address on file in your library account (for students, this is always the IMT email address) will you receive two email reminders from us before the loan period expires. However, you are responsible for adhering to the loan periods of your books. It is best to check these regularly in your library account.

If you return your borrowed books after the loan period has expired, you will be charged an overdue fee. There are no grace days or similar. The amount of these fees is regulated by the fee regulations of the Paderborn University Library of 20.05.2010. Information about the current fee rates can be found here.

You should report the loss of a book to the library as soon as possible so that no late fees are incurred due to the non-return of the book. In this case, you will have to replace the lost book and pay an additional fee of 25 euros per lost book.

If you wish to keep the borrowed books for longer than thirty days, you can extend the loan period. You can do this extension via your library account . Requests to extend the loan period by e-mail or telephone are not possible.

If the book is on hold, it is not possible to extend the loan period. In all other cases, you can extend the loan period as often as you wish. After one year at the latest, however, you must present the book to the library.

It is not possible to extend the loan period for books that are subject to the conditions of short-term loan.

Books borrowed from the self-check-in terminals can be returned to the return machine during the entire opening hours of the library. Books that have been handed out at the counter of the Local Lending Department (e.g. interlibrary loans) should be returned there.

In exceptional cases, books can be returned by post (address: Paderborn University Library, Warburger Str. 100, 33098 Paderborn). The borrower is liable for any loss or damage that occurs in the post.

Frequently asked questions about special conditions for employees of the university

All holdings of the University Library can be borrowed by employees of the University (except absolutely present literature and current periodicals). Conditionally available literature is subject to special conditions.

As long as the books you have borrowed are not needed by other users of the library, you do not have to return them. After the loan period has expired, an automatic renewal took place. However, after two years at the latest, the books must be presented at the university library.

For conditionally present books, a loan period of 30 days applies. A three-time automatic renewal is possible, provided the book is not needed by another user of the library.

Bound periodicals have a loan period of 15 days. An extension of the loan period is not possible.

Should

  • the two-year period expires for any of the titles you have borrowed,
  • the maximum number of renewals has been reached for titles that are subject to short-term loan, or
  • a reservation has been made,

you will be notified 7 days before the end of the loan period by e-mail only.

In this case, an extension of the loan period is not possible.