Library FAQs

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/borrowing/borrowing/how-do-i-borrow-books

The renewing your items page on our website will help you with:

• How to renew your item(s) via your Borrowing Record
• When you can renew your items
• The limits for renewing your items

If you are having difficulty renewing your items (online or on campus), please speak with a librarian using Library Chat or see a library staff member at one of our service desks.

You can renew your items online via your borrowing record on the library homepage, or at any of our branches on campus:

• Renew items using a self-service machine
• See a library staff member at the service desk
• Speak with a library staff member using Library Chat

You may be unable to renew your items if:

• Someone has reserved the item you have on loan
• It has reached the maximum renewal limit
• It is too soon to renew the item

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/borrowing/borrowing/how-can-i-renew-my-items

For University of Melbourne Staff and Students, if we do not have the item you need, you may be able to borrow it using one of the following borrowing schemes:

• BONUS+ allows you to request items from other participating Universities via our library catalogue, with pick-up available at our campus branches. For more information, please see the Bonus+ Books webpage.


• CAVAL lets you borrow in person at participating libraries and institutions in Victoria. For more information, please see the Reciprocal borrowing from Victorian universities (CAVAL) webpage.


• ULANZ allows you to borrow in person at participating libraries around Australia and New Zealand. For more information, please see the University Libraries of Australia and New Zealand (ULANZ) webpage.


• You can place a request for items via our Inter-Library loans service. To check your eligibility and to find out more, please see the Inter-Library Loan website.

Learn more about how you can request to borrow books from other libraries or institutions on the borrowing page on our website.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/borrowing/borrowing/the-library-doesnt-have-the-book-i-need-what-are-my-options

You can return books to any of our libraries at any time with one of the following options:

• Using the automated or manual return chute inside the library
• At the service desk, please see a librarian
• Using the after-hours chute if we’re closed

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/borrowing/borrowing/how-do-i-return-books

Please contact the library as soon as possible so we can freeze your library account. You can speak to staff at one of our branches or chat to us online using Library Chat. This prevents others from using your card to borrow.

For more information, see the replacing a lost card page on our website.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/borrowing/borrowing/ive-lost-my-student-card-what-do-i-do-now

You may be able to place a reservation or ‘hold’ for the item.

Which items can I reserve?

You can place a reservation on items in the catalogue which are:

• Out on loan
• In off-site storage
• At another campus (but not different branches on the same campus)

Not all items are available. Please visit the requests page for details

How do I place a reservation?

Click on the blue request button at the top of the catalogue page.

How do I collect my item?

We will send you an email when your item is ready for collection. Pick up locations for all our branches are on the requests page.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/borrowing/borrowing/the-library-item-i-want-is-not-on-the-shelf-how-can-i-get-it

Searching

Each collection has its own catalogue and way of identifying material that you can request.

Visit the searching page for links to each collection website.

Requesting

To place requests, use the Aeon request system.

There is also a request button on the right-hand side of items which are in the library catalogue.

Viewing

Items can be viewed in the Reading Room by appointment.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/borrowing/borrowing/how-do-i-request-and-view-something-from-the-archives-or-special-collections

After you have returned your overdue item, charges will be applied to your account. When the charges for your overdue library items exceed $25 you will be required to pay the late fees.

Our payment options include:

• Online payment via the library catalogue. Login to your borrowing account on the library homepage, under Quick Links.


• Card payment at the library service desk in one of these branches:  Baillieu, Law, Giblin Eunson, ERC and Southbank libraries

You are not required (or able) to pay if your late fees are under $25. To learn more, please see the fines and suspensions page on our website.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/fines/fines/how-can-i-pay-my-fines

Lost items

Please see a library staff member at one of our service desks or contact us via Library Chat to report a lost item.

A standard charge plus a processing fee will be applied to your borrowing account for each missing item.

Lost items can be replaced with an identical copy of the item. A processing fee of $15 will be applied to your borrowing account for replacement of the missing item. For further advice about replacement items, please speak with a library staff member.

Damaged items

Please report damaged items to a library staff member for assessment.

For more information please see the replacing a lost or damaged item page on our website.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/fines/fines/what-happens-if-i-lose-or-damage-an-item

The library opening hours for all branches are on the library website.

Selected libraries are available as a study space outside of library opening hours.

When operating as an after hours study zone, the information desk is closed, library collections are not available for browsing or borrowing.

For libraries and times available visit the library opening hours page.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/library-spaces/library-spaces/what-is-the-after-hours-study-zone-and-what-hours-is-it-available

You CAN take in and consume

• Hot and cold drinks with a lid
• Food that is not smelly or messy such as cold snack food, fruit, nuts and chocolate

You CANNOT take in

• Drinks without a lid
• Food that smells or is messy such as hot food.

Many libraries have areas where no food is allowed. Please check signage or ask a librarian if you are unsure.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/library-spaces/library-spaces/can-i-eat-or-drink-in-the-library

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/library-spaces/library-spaces/i-cant-find-a-study-space,-what-are-my-options

Yes, currently the number of people in each library is capped due to COVID requirements. If you arrive at a library and it is at capacity, you may have to wait until a place becomes available or go to another library that has available capacity.

See library opening hours (live link to https://library.unimelb.edu.au/library-opening-hours) for details.

The best place to start is our referencing hub Recite. It contains a range of guides for citing and referencing, reference manager software and more.

The Library participates in several borrowing programs with many Australian and New Zealand university libraries.

You will need to have your student ID card or other photo ID plus proof of current enrolment to register for borrowing.

To find out if your university participates in these programs, and for further information, check out Borrowing from other Libraries page.

Permalink: https://library.unimelb.edu.au/contact_the_library/faqs/library-membership/library-membership/i-am-studying-at-another-university.-can-i-borrow-items-from-the-university-of-melbourne-libraries

Check out our Standards Library Guide which provides the basic information required for locating standards as well as  details on where you can locate them.

Check out our Theses Library Guide which shows you how to find Masters and PhD theses, online and in print, from:

• The University of Melbourne
• Other Australian universities, and
• Outside Australia

Check out our Images Library Guide which will help you find images and provide information on how to use images in your work.

Check out our Geospatial (GIS), Spatial Data and Map Resources Library Guide which provides information on Victorian, Australian and international resources.

Check out our News and newspapers Library Guide which will help you access news from Australia and around the world.

The Research Essentials Library Guide will help you level up your researching skills, including tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your time searching, reading, and writing.