Hertford College Library: Borrow, renew and return books

The Library will is open 24/7 for College members only to:

• Browse shelves and borrow books using self-issue machine
• Return books
• Collect books requested via Click & Collect
• Print, copy and scan
• Use study spaces 

Free postal loans are available for students away from Oxford.

When are vacation loans starting?

All Hertford Library books borrowed from Monday 16 June 2025 will be vacation loans. Hertford books renewed after this date will also become vacation loans, unless someone has requested them. 

When are vacation loans due back?

Hertford Library vacation loans are due to be renewed or returned on Tuesday 14 October 2025 (1st Week Michaelmas Term).

Do I have do to anything special to borrow for vacation?

No, you can browse and borrow using the self-issue machine. The vacation loan due date will automatically be applied.

How do I renew my books for the vacation?

Books can be manually renewed via SOLO. Books will alternatively auto-renew for the vacation a few days before their existing due date. The vacation loan due date will automatically be applied unless someone else has requested them.

Is there a limit on how many books I can borrow?

No, as usual, there is no limit on how many books you can borrow at once.

Do other libraries in Oxford offer vacation loans?

Yes, most departmental and faculty libraries will offer vacation loans from Monday in 8th Week of term, with books due back in 1st Week of the following term. For details in specific libraries check the library's website.  

Books can be borrowed during open hours by Hertford College members only using our self-issue machine in the ground floor reading room:

1) Wake up the PC by clicking the mouse

2) Scan the barcode on your Bod card

3) Scan the barcode inside the front of the book

4) The screen will show your name, the borrowed books and the due date

5) Click finish

Things didn't go to plan?

Email library@hertford.ox.ac.uk with the details of what you have borrowed if you can't get the machine to work and library staff will add the books to your library account.

Return your books by placing them inside the return box in the Library entrance.

Books may remain on library accounts until the following day (or over the weekend), but no overdue fines will be charged.

Library staff will remove books from your account and make them available to borrow again.

• Sign into the SOLO Library catalogue using your Single Sign On login.
• Search for the book you want (tip: you can limit your search to Hertford College Library).

• Click on Find & Request and select the location Hertford College Library from the list of libraries and choose the item you want to request. 

• Click on the green 'Request' button.  A new box will open to allow you to 'Send Request'.

• Books marked as in place in the 'Temporary Library' are available to request from Holywell Library or can be taken by readers from the shelves and borrowed using the self-issue machine 24/7. Books available in the temporary library collection will be fetched from the shelves by library staff Monday - Friday. Books requested by 10am will be ready to collect on the same day. Books that are out on loan will be made available to the person who requested them when they are returned.

• Books marked as 'Offsite Storage - Please Request' are in storage in a nuclear bunker! If you request these items then library staff will check the quickest options for access and contact you by email. If a copy is available to borrow from a faculty library or available as an ebook we may ask you to use this option instead. Books can take up to 1 week to come back from storage.

• You will be alerted by email when your request is available to collect from the Library. The requests will be held in a bag with your name on in the left hand room in the Library for 1 week for you to collect. 

If a book you want to use is out on loan then you can request to be the next person to use it by placing a request via the SOLO library catalogue.

You can also suggest the library purchase additional copies of key texts using the book request form.

This Library is not open to members of other Oxford colleges and other Bodleian Libraries readers. If you have an enquiry about a resources that is only available at Hertford Library please contact the Librarian by email library@hertford.ox.ac.uk or by calling 01865 279409.  

Hertford College undergraduates and visiting students have the following membership:

• Term time loans 2 week loans, renewable.
• Vacation loans for all of vacation, renewable.
• Overdue fines will not be charged.
• Book allowance as many as you like at once.
• Renewals are automatic, unless someone else requests to use the book.
• Books requested by another reader must be returned by their due date. You will receive an email alert about this.

Graduate students have the following membership:

• Term time loans 4 week loans, renewable.
• Vacation loans for all of vacation, renewable.
• Overdue fines will not be charged. 
• Book allowance as many as you like at once.
• Renewals are automatic, unless someone else requests to use the book.
• Books requested by another reader must be returned by their due date. You will receive an email alert about this.

Hertford College members with disabilities or learning difficulties are offered the following membership:

• Term time loans 4 week loans, renewable.
• Vacation loans for all of vacation, renewable.
• Overdue fines are not charged
• Book allowance as many as you like at once
• Renewals are automatic, unless someone else requests to use the book.
• Books requested by another reader must be returned by their due date. You will receive an email alert about this.

Readers with a student support plan from the Disability Advisory Service will be given this membership. Readers without a support plan or who are waiting for one to be created can contact the Librarian directly to update their membership.

When are vacation loans available?

All Hertford Library books borrowed or renewed in Hertford Library from Monday 8th week of term will be vacation loans.

When are vacation loans due back?

Hertford Library vacation loans are due to be renewed or returned on Tuesday 1st Week of the following term.

Do I have do to anything special to borrow for vacation?

No, you can order via click and collect, browse and borrow using the self-issue machine. Existing loans will automatically renew if not requested by another reader. The vacation loan due date will automatically be applied.

Is there a limit on how many books I can borrow?

No, as usual, there is no limit on how many books you can borrow at once.

Do other libraries in Oxford offer vacation loans?

Yes, most departmental and faculty libraries will offer vacation loans from 8th Week of term, with books due back in 1st Week of the following term. For details in specific libraries check the library's website.