Borrowing at the K B Chen China Centre Library

People sitting at desks and grey chairs in a large room next to full height windows

Who may borrow?

  • Current staff and students of the University of Oxford may borrow books.
  • Bodleian Reader card holders have reference-only access, and may not borrow.

What can be borrowed?

  • Most of the library's collections can be borrowed.
  • Special restrictions apply to books in the KB Chen Library Reserve collection.  
  • Periodicals, reference books, material stored offsite at the Book Storage Facility and other material marked 'Confined' may not be borrowed.

Borrowing allowances and loan periods

Our borrowing policy applies across all Bodleian Libraries that offer lending, including the KB Chen Library. Find out more about borrowing from the Bodleian Libraries, including how many items you can borrow, loan periods and automatic renewals. 

Vacation borrowing for most items begins on Monday of 8th Week each term.

  • Most books from lending collections can be checked out using the self-service machine, with some exceptions which may be checked out manually at the library service desk.
  • You are responsible for any books you have borrowed until they are returned to the library desk. You may not hand them on to another person nor leave them in the Reading Room.
  • Books may only be taken out of the UK with prior permission of the Librarian.

 

Books are placed in the Reserve Collection at the request of tutors. This does not mean that all books on reading lists are in the Reserve Collection. Some of these books appear on reading lists for more than one course and are in high demand.

The books have the status 'Reserve Collection/Apply Staff' on SOLO. They are arranged by their shelfmark (the numbers and letters on their spine labels). You must request these items at the library desk.  

Borrowing

You may consult books in the Reserve Collection for up to 3 hours from the time of borrowing in the reading room only. After 4pm books can be taken out of the library and must be returned by 10am the next day (11am on Saturday if borrowed after 4pm on Friday). If you wish to borrow Reserve Collection books over the weekend, they can only be taken out after 12pm (noon) on Saturday and are due back strictly by 10am the following Monday. Library staff will give you the due back time when issuing the book.  

Returns and fines

If these books are returned late, the fine rate is 50p per book per hour overdue. These books cannot be renewed, and you cannot reserve (place a hold) on them. This collection is operated on a first come, first served basis.

Renew and return

  • Books can be renewed via SOLO or at the library desk. 

  • Library staff will send you regular email reminders if an item becomes overdue.