Borrowing from the Library
Anyone who has a permanent residence in Sweden and is at least 15 years of age can borrow from the University Library.
Get a library card
There are two cards that can be used for borrowing books and other materials that can be borrowed from the University Library. As a student or staff at University of Gothenburg you can use your GU card. Everyone else need a library card.
Find and borrow
Many of the items are placed on shelves that you can access yourself. Search for the item in Supersearch to find out its location and at what library it is available. Then simply pick up the book on the shelf and borrow it with your GU card or library card together with your PIN code in the lending machine.
You can also request and reserve books and other materials in Supersearch. When your requested item is available for you, you will get a message from the Library. The message contains a code for pick-up that you need to find the material at the library’s shelves for requested books, close to the information desk.
Tip! In case you have forgotten your library card or GU card, you can get help to borrow at the information desk. Please bring valid id. You can also log in to My loans to see a barcode that you can use in the lending machines.
You can also find e-books in Supersök, and you can read these by logging in. Read more about how to borrow and use e-books.
Home loans for distance students
As a distance student at the University of Gothenburg, you can have library books sent home to you. Please note that this service only applies to distance students who live outside of the Gothenburg municipality.
How to contact us about home loans
Renew your loans and pay fines in My Loans
Log in to the service My loans to keep track of your loans. Log in with your GU account or library card. Use My loans to:
- check when your loans are due for return
- renew your loans
- check if someone has made a request for your loans
- see what books you have reserved, and your place on the waiting list
- find out whether you have any overdue fines to pay
- pay any overdue fines and replacement fees
- update your PIN code
- update your contact details.
Loan periods and rules for renewals
The loan period for textbooks and journals is 14 days. The loan period for other books is 30 days. The library will send a message (e-mail, SMS or letter) when it is time to return the material.
Rules for renewals
The rules for renewing loans differ depending on what kind of library user you are.
As a student or a member of the general public you can renew your loans yourself, if no one else has placed a reservation. You can renew a loan a maximum of 4 times.
As an employee at the University of Gothenburg you can renew your textbooks yourself a maximum of 4 times. Other books and journals are renewed automatically, if no one else has placed a reservation. Books are renewed up to 3 years and journals up to 2 years.
Return loans
When the libraries are closed you can return books in book drops located at Biomedical Library and Humanities Library.
Overdue returns
It is your responsibility as a patron to keep track of when your loans expire. Make sure that we have your correct contact information to get our reminders. You can update your contact information in My loans. If you for some reason have not received any of our reminders, you still have to pay any overdue fines.
Replacement fees and overdue fines
If you return borrowed textbooks after the due date, you will have to pay an overdue fine. If you do not return your overdue loans at all, you will have to pay a replacement fee for the material.
The overdue fine for textbooks is SEK 10 per day and textbook, a maximum of SEK 140 per book.
The replacement fee for lost materials is a fixed amount of SEK 600. The replacement fee is added when your loan is overdue more than 14 days. If you return the book, the replacement fee will be removeed. Please note that a paid replacement fee will not be refunded, even if you return the material later.
If the total of your fines exceed SEK 70, you will not be allowed to borrow more items from the library. You will be allowed to borrow again when the fine is paid. Both overdue fines and replacement fees can be paid both in My Loans or at one of our libraries.
Borrowing rules
The information on this page is an excerpt of the rules that apply when borrowing material from the University Library. The complete regulations are available in our rules for the use of Gothenburg University Library.
Contact us about borrowing
Contact any of our libraries if you need help with your loans.