Borrowing: Flexible Loans
You can borrow print books, CDs and Blu-rays, folios and music scores from the library. Students and staff can borrow up to 75 items at once, and you can take them out yourself using our self-issue machines.
Check your emails so you know when an item you've borrowed has been requested by someone else: our Flexible Loans system means the amount of time you can borrow them for varies according to how popular the items are.
What can I borrow?
We have around a million print books and you'll find them all in YorSearch, our library catalogue.
We also have Blu-rays, DVDs, CDs, music scores, and maps - these are in YorSearch too.
How do I borrow?
1. Look the item up on YorSearch. It will tell you how many copies we have, whether they're in the library or out on loan, and where to find them on our shelves.
2. Go and find the item in the relevant area of the library
3. Take it to a Self-Issue Machine and follow the instructions on screen. You'll need your library card, or the MyUoY app, to borrow items.
That's it. If you can't visit the library buildings, we may be able to get material to you in other ways.
How many items can I borrow?
York Students and Staff can borrow up to 75 items. You don't have to take this as a challenge!
External members can borrow up to 10 items. This includes SCONUL users.
How long can I keep items?
Flexible Loans last for as long as you need them, unless someone else requests the item, in which case you'll be sent an email asking you to bring the item back.
All users have up to seven days to return the item once a request is made.
If there is a queue of requests on a book, and you are a full-time user or external borrower, you will have 5 days to return it.
During vacations the time all users have to return a requested item is seven days for the Easter and Christmas breaks, and 14 days over the Summer break.
How do I renew items?
From 8 January 2024, you no longer have to renew items. These will be automatically renewed for you until you return the item or until another user requests it.
Please note: if an item has been requested and you do not return it, it will be considered lost. This is easily avoided by checking your emails, and do get in touch with us sooner rather than later if you have any problems!
We are currently reviewing our policy around locker keys to make sure all of our users have equal access
They do not currently automatically renew, though you are able to manually renew a locker key loan through your Library account if it has not been requested. If you have a locker key that you are not using, please return it so that others can use this service.
Do Interlending Loans work the same way as Flexible Loans?
Any books borrowed through the Library's Interlending service are not included in the Flexible Loans Policy and must be returned by the given due date. You can request a renewal using your Library account.
How do I return items?
You don't have to return your items to the same library you borrowed them from: for example you can return Morrell items at King's Manor Library, and you can return King's Manor Library items at the Morrell.
At the Morrell
Use the self-return machine on the ground floor of the Morrell, or the book drop outside.
At King's Manor Library
Return books to the Help Desk when the library is open, or use the book-drop beside the library entrance (open 8am - 6pm, Monday - Friday).
At the Campus East book drop
We collect books from the red box in the Ron Cooke Hub, located near the reception area, daily at approximately 2-3pm. Items are removed from your account once they arrive at the Morrell.