Postal Loans Service

Not in Exeter but still want to use Library resources? You may find what you need among our constantly growing collection of e-resources, but if we only have it in hard copy don’t despair, we can also supply items to you by post.

Here’s the lowdown on Postal Loans:

Which items can I order?

Did you know you can request and return Library items by post?

If you are within the UK, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Eire, Channel Islands or  British Forces Post Office then we can post out Normal Loan (28 day loan) books to you. You will be responsible for renewing and/or returning these items to us. You are welcome to return them by post if necessary. We  can also send out photocopies of journal articles or chapters from books, these will be copies for you to keep and will not need to be returned.

If you are overseas we regret it is not possible to post books but we can still send you photocopies of articles or chapters from books.

What does it cost?

The service costs £2.50 per book request or for every 20 pages of a photocopy, which includes postage and packing.

Return postage for books will need to be paid by the requester.

If you request books by post then you are welcome to send a cheque to cover the total cost of your request. Or you may prefer us to can add the £2.50 charge(s) to your  library account, to be paid over the phone  or using our online payment system via a credit or debit card. Please note if the total charges on your Library account exceed £10.00, you will need to reduce these to under £10 before you can borrow or renew any further items.

How do I make a request?

First check the Library catalogue to make sure we have the item you are looking for and that it isn’t available electronically (we don’t send out items that you can readily access as e-books or e-journals).

To make the request complete a Postal Loans Book Request or Photocopy Request  form.  Please use a separate form for each request and indicate on the form whether you have enclosed a cheque for payment, or whether you would like the charge added to your Library record as detailed above. You can then either post your forms to the Library at the address shown on the form or you can email your request form to .  Please give as much bibliographic information about the items you require as possible and include page numbers if you are requesting journal articles or chapters from books.

How long does it take?

We try to dispatch items as quickly as we can but please allow 10 working days turnaround time, including posting time. 

Can I renew postal loans?

Yes! Postal loan items will be issued to your library record and our normal rules apply. You can renew using the online renewal system up to and including the date it is due so long as the book has not been requested by another user and so long as your total fines do not exceed £10.

For more information on postal loans please see our webpages or ask Library staff.

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