Using Our Services

Plan your visit

  • Opening Times – Catalyst is open 24/7. You can check our opening times for any changes here
  • Swipe access – You will need your UniCard to swipe in and out of Catalyst in the evenings, between 8pm and 8am.
  • Individual study – Group rooms are available on the ground, first and second floors and you can book a study space on the 3rd floor silent study area. You can book here: https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/services/study-room-bookings/
  • Our colleagues in Student Services and Careers are available in Catalyst and are offering a blended approach with face to face services and virtual help and support appointments.  Please visit their relevant webpages in the first instance or contact the helpdesk for key information.

Help & Support

There are lots of ways you can access help and support. If you have any questions about our services, facilities or resources simply search our knowledge base Ask Us which contains the most commonly asked questions.

You can get in touch with us either in person at the Catalyst building, or via:

Phone: 01695 650800

Email: [email protected]

The Helpdesk is situated on the ground floor of Catalyst (Ormskirk). You can access specialist help and support for IT assistance, SpLD (Specific Learning Difficulties), subject specific and academic skills along with general library, Student Services and Careers queries at our helpdesk.

We also have a range of online guides and tutorials.

Borrowing

Learning Services provide access to a wide range of electronic resources via Discover More which includes over 130,000 electronic books. Please see the e-resources page for further support.

To borrow items from any of our libraries you will need your UniCard. Items can be loaned from the self-issue machines at Catalyst or at St James’s.

Loan Allocations
Student including PGCEs + Masters 25 items
Research / Staff 35 items
External including Alumni 5 items

Standard loans are a rolling 2 week loan, you can view your current loans by signing in to your account at Discover More

Reservations & Renewals

You can reserve items currently out on loan. You will not be able to reserve items which are showing as available. If you require an item from another site, please get in touch.

You will be emailed when your item is ready to collect, and you will have 7 days to collect it.

All loans will automatically renew on their due date unless they have been reserved,  this process will continue up to 99 renewals.

You can manually renew items, without reservations, via the My Account function in Discover More or by contacting us.

If any item(s) are reserved, you will be notified by email, and the reserved item(s) should be returned as soon as possible. Fines will start to accrue after a grace period of 3 days after the due date, but please get in touch if you have any difficulties returning items.

Returns

Items can be returned through the self check machines.  If you are unable to return reserved items please get in touch so we can advise further.

If you are unable to visit and require access to library stock or have any further questions about borrowing library items, please contact us at [email protected].

You want it, We get it

Is there a book or a journal article/book chapter you need for your academic studies which you can’t find through the library catalogue?

Books

We will either purchase the item for our stock or borrow it from another library.

Journal articles

If there is an article that you need which is not on Discover More, or a chapter from a book that we don’t have, then we will try and get it for you from another institution.

Make a Book Request

To make a request:

  • Check Discover More to make sure we don’t have the item you require
  • You will be asked to widen your search to Libraries Worldwide, then you will get a YWIWGI button to click – this auto populates the title/request information and sends the request to the Collections and Archive Team for review
  • You will be required to log in using your EHU username and password
  • We’ll contact you once your request has been satisfied

Make a Journal Article/Book Chapter Request

Journal Articles:

  • Check Discover More using the article title to make sure it is not available there
  • It is also worth checking the A-Z Journal List using the journal title, to make sure the article isn’t accessible through that avenue
  • You will be asked to widen your search to Libraries Worldwide, then you will get a YWIWGI button to click – this auto populates the title/request information and sends the request to the Collections and Archive Team for review
  • You will be required to log in using your EHU username and password
  • We’ll contact you once your request has been satisfied

Book Chapters:

  • Check  Discover More to make sure we don’t have the item you require
  • You will be asked to widen your search to Libraries Worldwide, then you will get a YWIWGI button to click – this auto populates the title/request information and sends the request to the Collections and Archive Team for review
  • You will be required to log in using your EHU username and password
  • We’ll contact you once your request has been satisfied

Reading Lists

Academics wanting to request items for their reading lists should only use Reading Lists Online and not YWIWGI.

For further support with your reading lists contact the Academic Engagement Team Academic Engagement Specialist or [email protected]

Receive, Renew, Return

Receiving items

Books purchased for library stock:
A reservation will be placed on your behalf. When the book is received in the library, you will receive an email to your Edge Hill university email account, advising you that the book has been reserved for you and it will be held on the Reservation Shelf, at the site you specified on your request form, for 4 days from the date of that email.

Books received as an Inter Library Loan:

  • You will receive an email asking you to collect your item for loan from the Help Desk in the Library.
  • Items will be issued to you by a member of staff – it is not possible to self-issue inter-library loans.
  • The bookmark that accompanies the loan contains important information and should be kept with the item whilst in your care.
  • Loan lengths are determined by the lending library. If you need the book for a longer period of time, you can request a renewal (see below).
  • Items borrowed via Inter-library Loan are subject to recall at any time by the lender. You will be notified of recalls via a courtesy email, but you are ultimately responsible for keeping track of the due dates and statuses of your books.
  • Items not returned by their due dates may also be billed for replacement by the lender and the full cost will be passed on to you as the borrower.
  • Occasionally, we can only obtain an item on reference use only basis, which means you will not be able to take them out of the library. If the book you request is only available on that basis, we will check with you beforehand that it is suitable for your requirements.

Journal article

You will either be sent a photocopy to keep or a Secure Electronic Delivery document will be sent via email with a link to the article.

Renewing your Inter Library Loan items

  • As Inter-Library Loan items are not part of our own library stock, they will not renew automatically in your library account.
  • If you find you need your Inter Library Loan book for a longer period, you must contact the Collections and Archives team by email [email protected] to request a renewal.
  • Please note that renewals are not guaranteed and are up to the lender’s discretion.

Returning items

  • Our own library stock can be returned via the self-service machines.
  • Inter Library Loans must be returned to the Help Desk in the Catalyst.  You cannot return them via the self-service points as the item won’t be recognised and will not be removed from your account

Lost/damaged/unreturned inter library loans

  • Fines will be charged for late returns, loss or damage of inter library loans – please see the Fines page for details of charges.

When completing the request form you must tick the acknowledgement box to confirm that you have read and agreed to the copyright terms and conditions.

  • This is a legal requirement. Under copyright law you can only request a photocopy or electronic copy of an article, book chapter or similar once, for the purpose of private study or non-commercial purposes, and ticking the box is equivalent to an electronic signature.

Copyright Declaration

When completing the request form you must tick the box to confirm that you have read and agreed to the copyright terms and conditions. This is a legal requirement. Under copyright law you can only request a photocopy or electronic copy of an article, book chapter or similar once, for the purpose of private study or non-commercial purposes, and ticking the box is equivalent to an electronic signature.

FAQs

Commonly asked questions:

Is there a limit to the number of requests I can make?

Yes, there is a limit, depending on which group you belong to:

  • Staff 100
  • Postgraduate – Research 100
  • Postgraduate – Taught 30
  • Undergraduate 30

Can I use this service if I am a distance learner?

We will attempt to satisfy any requests that are made by Distance Learning students who are registered to use the postal loans service, by purchasing the item for our own stock. A reservation will be placed on your behalf and will be posted out to you in the usual way, once the item is received by the library. However, due to the requirements of supplying libraries, Distance Learning students should note that print books must be collected from one of our sites. Journal articles can be ordered and will be delivered either electronically to your Edge Hill email address or posted directly to your home address.

Can I request a Thesis through this service?

If you wish to request a thesis from another UK Higher Education Institution, please check the British Library’s EThOS service to see if it is available. EThOS is a national thesis service run by the British Library, and from here you can access records relating to theses awarded by over 120 UK institutions. Many UK theses have already been digitised and are available to download free of charge. If the thesis hasn’t already been digitised British Library will try to obtain a copy for you, but please be aware that this may incur a charge if they have to make an electronic copy.

Please visit the website https://ethos.bl.uk for more information.

The item I want is only available in microfilm/microfiche format, can I still get it?

Occasionally items may be supplied on microfilm or microfiche. Our Ormskirk site provides microfilm/microfiche reading equipment. This can be used by appointment only. Contact [email protected] for more details.

How do I request an Inter Library Loan?

  • In January 2020, our Inter Library Loan and Add a Book services combined into one new You Want It We Get it service.  All you will need to do is search Discovery via the library catalogue and select the YWIWGI button and we will do our best to get the item for you, either by purchasing it for our own stock, or by requesting it from British Library or another institution

How long will it take for the item to arrive?

  • Print items purchased for stock will normally take approximately 3 weeks to arrive from the date of the order, but this can vary depending on the availability of the item and supplier.
  • Ebooks will usually be available for use within 5-7 working days from the date of order.
  • Inter Library Loans will usually be available for collection within 10 days from the date of request, but again, this can vary, depending on the availability of the item and the lending institute.

Requests from other universities

Institutions within the UK

We supply loans, articles and chapters from both print and electronic material within our collections.  Please provide your British Library Billing Account number, British Library code and a reference number for each request you make. We charge at the current standard BL rate.

Institutions outside the UK

We are not currently able to supply any materials to institutions outside the UK.

Laptop Loans

Catalyst has over 100 laptops that you can borrow, as well as over 350 fixed PCs that are accessible 24/7 during term time. All have access to the University network and online file storage, including most software available from the University.

Laptops are self issued using your library account and can be found in the lockers on the ground floor of the Catalyst building. You will need your Unicard to issue or return a laptop.

 types of loan available:
Overnight loans: For use on campus only. These machines are not issued with a charger and will not work off campus.
Two week loans: For use on and off campus. You will need to pick up a charger and bag from the Catalyst Helpdesk.

Please note: Laptops will not renew and must be returned on, or before, their due date. Once you return a laptop you can pick another up straight away, subject to availability.

 

Longer Laptop Loans

We understand that there are lots of circumstances where the overnight and two week loans will not be sufficient. In these cases you can apply for a long term loan from the University. This is normally issued for a semester, but could potentially be renewed dependant on availability and maintenance schedules.

You must have completed Stage 1 Enrolment to request a long loan.

Due to demand we cannot guarantee availability of a long loan laptop if your request is urgent or temporary (e.g. while your own laptop is repaired, or if you are waiting for student funding) In these circumstances you should use the two week or overnight loans available in Catalyst.

 

If you do not have access to your own equipment and would benefit from a long loan laptop, please complete the form below and we will be in touch.

    Laptop Loans Form

    Your name (required)

    Your EHU email (required)

    Your EHU ID number (required)

    I can confirm I have completed Stage 1 enrolment and set up my University email account (We will use this to contact you).

    I understand that the two week loans are available if my need is urgent or temporary.

    Postal Loans

    Students who do not study at our main site Ormskirk may be entitled to have items from our print collection posted out free of charge.

    You can register for this service using the form below. We will send you instructions on how to request items to be posted. When you are ready to return your item, you can visit one of our libraries, return via post or use the free parcel force return option – details will be sent to you in each parcel. Fines are charged on overdue items that cannot be renewed.

    You will need a Unicard if you want to visit one of our libraries and borrow items in person.

    Postal Loan Registration Form

    Only students who are classed as distance learners, or who study at one of our outreach centres can register for the postal loans service. 

      Choose a centre/course from drop down list

      Module Number or Course title (optional)

      Your Name (required)

      Address (required)


      Postcode

      Edge Hill username and email

      Edge Hill username (e.g: 20012345) (required)

      Your Edge Hill Email (required)

      How we will use the information you provide
      Any information that you provide will be used to help support or fulfil your request.
      The information provided/recorded will be visible to colleagues in Learning Services.
      On some occasions we may need to share some, or all of, the information provided with other Edge Hill University colleagues.

      I have read and understood the data protection and privacy statement and agree to Edge Hill University processing my personal data.

      Alumni

      Once you have registered with the  Alumni network you can join the library free of charge. Simply register using the form below.

      Alumni members can:

      • Access the study facilities at any of our libraries and borrow up to 5 books.
      • Browse our book and print journal collections.
      • Use a number of educational and academic electronic resources as a day visitor under the terms of the walk in user licence.
      • Access a number of electronic resources off site. See resources to support Edge Hill Alumni

      For more information about our Alumni offer, please get in touch via Ask Us

      Library registration form:

        Are you a member of the Edge Hill Alumni network?

        For licensing reasons we will check the University Alumni database

        YesNo

        Name (required)

        Home address (required)

        Postcode (required)

        Date of Birth (required)

        Phone number (required)

        Email address (required)

        Year of Graduation (If known)

        I agree to abide by the University acceptable use policy and the terms of the licence for the use of electronic resources.

        I have read and agree with the data protection and privacy statement.


        Resources to support Edge Hill Alumni

        Our Alumni can now access over 1,000 eJournals, now available through Discover More, or by using the links below.  These journals are part of collections from 7 publishers.

        Discover More has changed. The first time you use the system you will need to reset your password by choosing the option at the log in screen. This will be sent to the email address you originally registered with so you will need to get in touch if this is no longer current.

         

        Visitors

        Visitors and members of the public are welcome to use the University Libraries for research and study. During help desk opening hours visitors can access the study facilities at any of our libraries and browse our print collections. A member of the team will be happy to help you find the items you need.

        During self-service hours access is for current staff and students only.

        Under 18s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian unless visiting as part of an organised school visit, event or open day. More information about events and activities for schools and colleges can be found on the student recruitment pages.

        Electronic Resources

        Licensing restrictions prevent us from giving access to electronic services. However, we can make some resources available to external users.

        • Academic Partnership Staff can access a number of electronic resources to help them support Edge Hill University students. To apply for membership please fill in the online form.
        • Alumni can access a number of electronic resources once they have registered with the library. There is an online registration form available on the alumni pages
        • Retired Staff can access a number of electronic resources once they have registered. To find out how to join the library as a retired member of staff please email [email protected].
        • Members of the public and other visitors can be provided with access to a limited number of electronic resources while they are visiting the library.  Please contact us before you visit to check we have what you need.

        Wifi

        Students and staff from other universities can bring their own phone, laptop or tablet to access the eduroam wireless network. A guest wifi network, provided by The Cloud, is also available for visitors who cannot access eduroam.

        Edge Hill Archive

        The Edge Hill Archive is located on the ground floor of the Catalyst and can be visited by appointment.  More information on the archive can be found on the archive pages

        Using Other Libraries

         

        SCONUL Access is a reciprocal service supported by most of the higher education libraries in the UK and Ireland and allows you to access other academic libraries. However, due to the continuing situation with COVID-19, SCONUL have suspended the scheme until further notice.

        Library Charges

        Fines are only charged on overdue library and media items.

        All fines have been cleared during summer 2021 but will start again in September 2021. If you have overdue books it is important to get in touch to avoid being charged for the replacement cost. 

        Charges
        2 week rolling loans 25p per day*
        6 week rolling loans 25p per day*
        general issue media items £1 per day*
        inter library loan 25p per day
        inter library loan – lost/damaged/unreturned £185.50 per item

        *only fined if item reserved

        Fines can be paid online via My Account in Discover More (minimum £1 transaction), or in person at any of our library sites. If you have lost/damaged any library or media items you will be charged the full replacement cost.

        Whilst the majority of library services are provided free of charge, some services do incur a fee:

        Printing Charges
        Black and white printing or photocopying 2p per sheet (A4) and 3p per sheet (A3)
        Colour printing or photocopying 5p per sheet (A4) and 6p per sheet (A3)

         

         

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