Borrowing Limits, Lost Books & Fines

Automatic Renewals

All standard loan and 3-day loan items will automatically renew except in cases where:

• You have fines of more than €5 on your account.
• Another user has requested the item. In this case you will receive a text and email to let you know the item has to be returned in 3 days or fines will be added to your account.
• You have another overdue item on your account.

The automatic renewal will take place two days before the due date of the loan. You will not be notified that a loan has been automatically renewed. You will be notified before it is due by an email to your @universityofgalway.ie email address so watch out for those notifications.

Borrowing Books

Borrowing Books

When borrowing books, use the Self Issue machines. There are machines on all floors of the Library. You must always have your ID card with you to use the machines. There are easy to follow instructions on the screen.

If the book you require is already checked out, you can place a hold on the book.

If you are unable to perform a loan using the self-issue machine, please check your account to ensure:

• You do not have a fine that you need to pay
• You do not have overdue books that must be returned
• You do not have your full quota of books already

If none of the above apply, there may be an issue with the book. Bring it to the staff at the Library & IT Service Desk to resolve the issue.

How Many Books Can I Borrow?

The number of standard loan books that can be borrowed depends on the category of borrower. A standard loan book is one that does not have a 1 Day or 3 Day loan sticker on the spine of the book.

The loan period also varies according to the type of borrower:

Loan Periods for Non-Standard Items

• 1-Day: 1-Day loan
• 3-Day: 3-Day loan
• DVD’s, AV: 2-Day loan
• Theses: 3-Hour loan, consulted in the Library only
• Journals: Consulted in the Library only
• Newspapers, Microfilm, Microfiche: Consulted in the Library only

E-Resource Enquiries

To submit a ticket:

• Log into Service Desk
• In Service Desk, go to 02. Library Services - Journals/Databases/Resource Issues
• After that, the form will appear, and you can enter the relevant information

Fines

Fines

If you return books late you will be fined, the following charges are applied for late returns:

• 50 cent (50c) per day for books from the main Library
• Two euro (€2) per day for three-day loan books
• Two euro per (€2) day for DVDs, videos and audiotapes
• Four euro (€4) per day or part thereof for one-day loan books

You will not be able to borrow if you have fines totaling five euro (€5) or more on your account.

Paying your Fines

Fines are paid through your Print Credit Account.

To pay your library fines:

• Login to your Print Credit Account
• Select the ‘Library Fines’ link on the left-hand side menu
• Select the fines to pay
• Click 'Pay Now'

The amount will be deducted from your print credit and the fines marked as paid on your library account

Online Access to Results

If online access to your results was blocked due to an unpaid fine which you have now paid, it will be up to 48 hours before you can access your results after payment of the fine. This 48 hour excludes weekends.

Lost Books

If you lose a Library book, or if a book is stolen from you, please report it to staff at the Library & IT Service Desk.

You will need to pay for or replace all lost or stolen books. We will accept a replacement copy of the same edition, if it is in good condition. Sometimes, it is possible to buy cheaper copies from one of the secondhand bookshops in Galway, e.g., Charlie Byrne’s or Kenny's.

We will extend the loan to give you time to replace the book without incurring late fees.