Your Library account, borrowing and renewals

There is a self-service kiosk in the entrance area on the ground floor. Follow the instructions on the touch screen, and remember to take your receipt when you have finished.

Our automated loans return machine in the entrance area uses RFID technology to make returning your loans quicker and easier than ever before. Simply feed them in to either of the two slots, wait for the machine to recognise the item and print out a receipt. If you have library charges to pay, you can do this in person at the library, online from your library account or by telephone.

You may return loans to the Paul Hamlyn Library using the postal service. However, you remain responsible for loaned items until they are properly received and discharged by our staff, so we recommend you use recorded delivery.

There is a self-service kiosk on the 9th floor at Fountain House. Follow the instructions on the touch screen and place returned books in the specified bin as instructed on screen.

You may return loans to the Reading Campus Library using the postal service. However, you remain responsible for loaned items until they are properly received and discharged by our staff, so we recommend you use recorded delivery.

There is no library facility at Paragon House. However, in the Social Learning Space on the second floor, the library and student services provide a book collection service and there is a self-service kiosk to enable the return of books and other items borrowed from the Paul Hamlyn and Fountain House libraries.

Follow the instructions on the touch screen and remember to place any returned items in the returns bin next to the machine. The bin is emptied daily on weekdays.

Please note that you must use the machine to return your loans before placing them in the bin or the item will not be removed from your record until it is received at the Paul Hamlyn Library.

Find the book(s) you would like to borrow using LibSearch on the Library website homepage. Make a note of Author(s), title(s), edition(s) and publication year(s) of the book(s) that you wish us to post to you.

Email the library at library@uwl.ac.uk with the details listed above plus your name, postal address and student number.

The Library will aim to post out the book(s) to you within three days (Monday to Thursday) of receiving your email.

The book(s) will automatically renew if no other student or staff request the book(s). This information will be sent to you via your UWL email account so please look out for these emails. The information will also be available via your online library account.

If you receive an email informing you that any of your loans have been requested, you must return them within seven days. Please contact library@uwl.ac.uk if you are unable to return your books within the seven days.

All loans automatically renew on a continual basis so there is no need to return your books unless they are recalled.

If you need to return your books and are unable to come to campus, please email library@uwl.ac.uk with your full name, student number, address and your mobile number and we will arrange for the Royal Mail/ Parcel Force Collection Service.

You will need to package your books securely and put the UWL Library address on the package:

• University of West London Library
• St Mary's Road, Ealing
• London W5 5RF

Please speak to one of our Customer Experience Supervisors. Our Library Management System and procedures are robust and errors are extremely rare. However, we will carry out a series of shelf checks over a period of three weeks to try to locate the book and if there is evidence of an error, we will acknowledge this and waive any charges.

In the first instance, you must report this to one of our Customer Experience Supervisors.

If you have made every effort to locate an item and have been unable to, you are liable for the replacement of the item. Normally there is a standard charge of £60 per item or the cost of the replacement, whichever is the greater.

We will accept a replacement bought by yourself under the following conditions:

• That we have given you approval to do this
• The replacement copy has exactly the same title as that on your loan record
• It is a new copy
• It is the latest edition
• If the title is out of print, we may accept a second hand copy but only after we have given you approval to buy this
• If you subsequently find a lost item and you have paid the replacement charge, we can refund this payment less an administrative charge up to three months after. However, no refund will be issued if you provided a replacement copy

You need to provide evidence in the form of a Crime Reference Number. If an item has been confirmed as stolen we will amend our records and waive any charges.

As with Lost Items, if an item has been destroyed in your care, you are liable for the replacement of the item. Normally there is a standard charge of £60 per item or the cost of the replacement, whichever is the greater.

We will accept a replacement bought by yourself under the following conditions:

• That we have given you approval to do this
• The replacement copy has exactly the same title as that on your loan record
• It is a new copy
• It is the latest edition
• If the title is out of print, we may accept a second hand copy but only after we have given you approval to buy this

Library policy is that all books returned by 5pm Monday - Thursday or 2pm Friday - Sunday will be re-shelved by 10am the following day. 

If the book you are looking for is indicated as “Available” on LibSearch but is not on the shelf, it may have been misshelved or be around the Library.
You can report this to library staff who will carry out a series of random checks over a three week period. In the event that we are unable to locate a book, it will be recorded as lost and a decision on whether to replace will be referred to the relevant Subject Librarian.