Borrowing

Books

Across its three sites, the library service holds over 7000 books and documents on medicine and related subjects, including a specialist mental health historical collection in the Warneford Library. Books held at other libraries though our national library networks.

SWIMS catalogue

To find all our holdings, search the SWIMS catalogue

For information on loans, reservations and renewals see the library services borrowing page.

How do I obtain books not held by OHFT libraries? If the library does not hold the item you require, we may be able to borrow it for you from another library through our document supply service.

Book suggestions: We are always happy to consider requests for new books. Please use the suggestions form form or  contact library staff.

Journals

The library service subscribes to hundreds of print and electronic journal titles. NHS staff also have access to numerous electronic journals through national library funded subscriptions. You can search for full text journals titles available via SWIMS

PubMed: Also use Pubmed to find full-text articles available to OHFT staff. You will first need to create a My NCBI account in PubMed. You can set filters to search for full text articles available to you – see the tutorial at PubMed Tutorial My NCBI

Loans

Registered library users may borrow a maximum of 8 items. Books and dvds are loaned for either 28 or 14 days.

Reference books and journal issues may not usually be borrowed.

Items can be borrowed during or outside staffed hours. A paper form must be completed for each item borrowed outside staffed hours (available in each library).

Search the SWIMS Library Catalogue

Renewals

You may renew books and dvds up to 3 times via SWIMS online or by phone, email or in person. Items reserved by another reader cannot be renewed.

Returns

Please either hand returned items to a member of library staff or leave them in the “returned books box” near the door of each library. Items can be returned to any of the OHFT libraries.

Items may be returned through internal or external mail, but borrowers are held responsible for items on loan to them until the loan has been discharged by library staff.

Reservations and recalls

Reservations can be placed on any item that is on loan to another borrower. Please ask library staff to do this for you.

Items are subject to immediate recall if needed for patient care.

Overdue items

Reminders of overdue items will be sent to borrowers. After three reminders, the borrower will be invoiced for the full replacement cost of the item.