Request an article or a book

Library members may request items not held by the OHFT libraries from another library. Full details of this service are available in our Document Supply Guide:

To make a request, complete the online form below

Copyright: Please note that all items are supplied in line with the NHS copyright license, library privilege/fair dealing where applicable. If items are required for private study or non-commercial research a signature will be requested.

Eligibility: OHFT Libraries offer document supply/loan services for

All OHFT employees: Funding from the HETV and OHFT covers the cost of up to 30 inter-library loan requests for each OHFT staff member each year (April – March). Requests in excess of these limits are charged at £5 or £10 per item.

Staff of the following organisations in accordance with terms of SLAs:  South, West and Central CSU, Clinical Effectiveness Team,  NHS England South Central Medical Directorate, Oxford CCG, Public Health staff at Bucks CC and Oxford CC.

All other requests, including those from staff for a personal or non-work related purpose, other NHS staff and members of the public, are charged at £15.00 per item, payable at the time you place the request. Photocopies supplied from library stock or downloads (if allowed under licence) may be charged at £5 per item. For more information see our Service charges. VAT is also payable on requests from non NHS staff.

Students are advised to make requests for books or articles via their university.

How long will it take?

Please allow eight working days for your request to be fulfilled. We rely on other libraries to supply your requests and are unable to guarantee delivery by a certain date. Most items arrive within a few days of ordering. If you need your requests by a certain date, please tell us this when you make the request. We will do our best to ensure that your requests arrive by the required date but this cannot be guaranteed.

If you need an item urgently for patient care, the library will endeavour to supply the item within 24 hours.

If we are unable to obtain the item you need, we will inform you as soon as possible.

How long can I keep the item?

Photocopies of journal articles are yours to keep.

Books borrowed from other libraries are loaned to you under the lending library’s loans policy. The length of the loan and the number of permitted renewals will vary. The British Library has particularly strict lending criteria. Any charges the lending libraries make to us for late or non-return of an item will be passed on to the borrower.

Request for interlibrary loan or photocopy

Page last reviewed: 8 April, 2024