Request items to a library

Our final delivery from offsite storage will be on Friday 20 December. To receive an order before Christmas, you must place your order on SOLO before 10.15am on Friday 20 December. Please check with individual libraries for closure dates in case they have an earlier cutoff time.
 

Order items held in our storage facilities and consult them in one of our libraries.

Items not on the open shelves

Most of our items are stored offsite (sometimes called 'closed stack items') and need to be ordered in advance for delivery to a library. Our main storage area is called Bodleian Offsite Storage.

This material is generally for use only in a library, and not available for borrowing. Please check with your individual library for exceptions.

Check delivery locations and collection times

All University and Bodleian Reader card holders can order material stored offsite.

Checking the status of your material in SOLO

The status of an item will be displayed in its record on SOLO, the main catalogue.

If the item is not immediately accessible, it may be on loan to another reader, stored offsite or held in 'closed stacks'. You can use SOLO to request or reserve an item that is not currently available on open shelves. If the item is from Bodleian Offsite Storage, you can have it delivered to a library.

Placing a request

To reserve or request an item, sign into SOLO using your Single Sign On (current members of the University) or your Bodleian Libraries account (non-members of the University).

  1. Locate the SOLO record of the item you wish to access.
  2. Click ‘Find & Request’ and select ‘Request’.
  3. Choose a delivery location from the dropdown list of delivery / pick up locations. Most items can be requested to any library that receives stack requests. However, exceptions apply for special categories of materials such as very large items or rare books.
  4. Once you have chosen a location, click ‘Send Request’.

In some locations, items may be eligible for Self Collect. This allows you to collect items directly from shelves in the library without needing to consult a member of staff at the desk.

The maximum number of items you may have awaiting collection at any one delivery location is usually 10.

Track your request

You will be able to see the progress of your requests on the ‘Requests’ tab of My SOLO. You will receive an email notification when your item has been delivered to your chosen library.

Delivery

Delivery times vary, depending on the distance the item must travel. Most items will arrive within 24 hours. Items requested on a Saturday or Sunday, or during closed periods, will take longer to arrive.

 

Request placed on SOLO and available by Delivery location or library

Request placed before 10.30am

Available by 4pm the same day

Bodleian Old Library

Radcliffe Camera

Weston Library 

Request placed before 10.30am

Available by 3.30pm the same day

Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library 

Education Library 

English Faculty Library

Japanese Library

Latin American Centre Library

Law Library 

Nizami Ganjavi Library

Philosophy and Theology Faculties Library 

Radcliffe Science Library

Social Science Library 

Taylor Institution Library 

Vere Harmsworth Library 

Request placed before 7.30pm

Available by 11am the following day on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and by 4pm on Tuesday & Thursday

Bodleian Old Library 

Radcliffe Camera

Weston Library

Request placed before 7.30pm

Available 3.30pm the following day

Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library 

Education Library

English Faculty Library

Cairns Library, John Radcliffe Hospital

Knowledge Centre

Girdlestone Memorial Library, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre

Japanese Library

Law Library

Latin American Centre Library

Leopold Muller Memorial Library

Nizami Ganjavi Library

Sainsbury Library

Social Science Library

Taylor Institution Library

Vere Harmsworth Library

 

 

Last delivery date Delivery location or library

18 December 2023

K B Chen China Centre Library

20 December 2023

Education Library 

Japanese Library

Latin American Centre Library

Leopold Muller Memorial Library

Law Library 

Nizami Ganjavi Library

Rewley House Continuing Education Library

Vere Harmsworth Library 

21 December 2023

Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library 

Bodleian Old Library 

English Faculty Library

Philosophy and Theology Faculties Library

Radcliffe Camera

Radcliffe Science Library

Social Science Library 

Taylor Institution Library 

22 December 2023

 Weston Library

 

Collection and loan period

You will receive an email when your item is ready for collection from your chosen delivery point.

The loan period for an item from offsite storage is 7 days from delivery at the collection point. Remember that most items cannot be taken away from the library – you must use them within the library.

You can renew items through My SOLO: this will extend the loan period for a further 7 days from the date of renewal. These items may be renewed indefinitely unless another reader requests the item.

Guide to using My SOLO account

Related links