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Borrow and renew - Library account FAQs

How can I access my library account?

Go to My Library Account. From here you can see your items on loan, reservations, interlibrary loan requests and past loans. You can also renew your loans if they are not recalled, and opt-in to receive SMS messages.

 

How many items can I borrow?

Apprenticeship students can borrow 15 items at one time.

Any interlibrary loans or documents you request from our Document Supply Service are in addition to these limits.

How long can I keep my loans?

Loans are guaranteed for an initial one week for full time students, four weeks for part time students. Reference items (with a red sticker on the spine) and journals cannot be borrowed. If you have declared disability, you may be entitled to extended book loans. See: Disability and accessibility support. 

You can see the due dates of your loans by logging into My library account. 

How do I renew my loans?

Your loans will renew automatically unless another customer has requested the book or your library account is due to expire.

If you prefer to renew your books manually, you can do so on or before the due date:

 

What happens if an item I have borrowed is recalled by another customer?

A book loan is guaranteed for the initial loan period (before any automatic renewals). After that time it can be recalled by another customer and the loan period will be shortened. If we send you an email telling you that an item you have has been recalled, please return it immediately. If you need the item again, ask us to reserve it for you when you return it.

 

What happens if my books are overdue?

If your loans are overdue, your Library account will be suspended and you will not be able to borrow any other items until your overdue loans are returned or renewed. You can renew your items online as long as another customer has not requested them. You are responsible for any items you borrow so any losses or unreturned items must be paid for in full.

 

What happens if I return a loan late?

As a courtesy to other users, please renew the loans or return any items you are not using. If you have overdue loans which are not required by other users, you will not be fined when you return them.

If you have received an email asking you to return your loans as another customer has reserved them, please do this as soon as you can.

How do I reserve an item to borrow?

Find the item in Library Search and choose Reserve a copy. If prompted, log in using your Cranfield University username and password.

We will email you when your item is ready; you can opt in to also receive a text message alert from us.

If you do not live locally we will post the item to you - see Postal and scanning services. 

Can I borrow eBooks and audiobooks?

The Library offers a wide range of eBooks and audiobooks.

  • When using Library Search, you can limit your search results to material type to Audiobook or eBook. Some suppliers may ask you to log in or download extra software before you can start listening or reading.
  • Libby is a free app that gives you access to fiction and non-fiction eBooks and audiobooks – all through your public library. Cranfield students can use it too!  Check out our blog post on Libby to learn how to get started.

If an audiobook isn’t available, many eBooks and online documents can still be listened to using text-to-speech tools. These tools read the text aloud and are especially helpful for users with print disabilities.

  • HTML format eBooks work best with these tools – PDFs can be more difficult.
  • Try tools like Microsoft Immersive Reader or browser plugins such as Natural Reader or Read Aloud.

Check out our guide to Free accessibility tools for more information.