Self Collect

Our Self Collect service allows you to collect books, large items and periodicals that you have ordered from offsite storage without needing to consult a member of staff. 

Self Collect items can't be borrowed; you must use them within the library.

Using Self Collect

This service is available in:

When you place a request in SOLO, you'll see any available Self Collect points in the list of available delivery locations. Some items aren't eligible for Self Collect. If you're not offered a Self Collect point, the item will need to be ordered to a staffed delivery point.

To order items to the Radcliffe Camera Self Collect point, choose ‘Radcliffe Camera (Lower)’ as your delivery location. The Upper and Lower Reading Rooms of the Old Library will appear as separate locations.

Self Collect ID

All the items you order to a Self Collect point will be filed together under your Self Collect ID. This is made up of the first three letters of your surname and the last 4 numbers of your University or Bodleian Reader card barcode number, e.g. Wre4772.

If your surname has fewer than three letters it will be displayed in full, followed by the last four digits of your library barcode. Any character that is not a letter (e.g. spaces or other characters) will not form part of your ID. For example, ‘O’Brien’ will become ‘OBR’.

If your card barcode changes, your Self Collect ID will also change.

Collecting your items

Your items will be available to collect and use for 7 days. After this, they will be returned automatically to the closed stack. You can renew your items via My SOLO. You can order a maximum of 10 books at a time.

Items requested to a Self Collect point may only be used in that library.

All items requested to Self Collect points come with a hold request slip, which should stay with the item at all times. Please speak to staff before using an item ordered to a Self Collect point by another reader.

Collecting items at the Old Library or Radcliffe Camera

You can use Self Collect items in any of the Old Library or Radcliffe Camera reading rooms, and in the Gladstone Link. Please speak to staff if you wish to take items into the Upper Camera.

Items taken into the Duke Humfrey’s Library cannot be brought out again.

Radcliffe Camera

The Self Collect shelves in the Radcliffe Camera are split between the Lower Camera Reading Room and the Upper Gladstone Link. Books are shelved alphabetically according to your Self Collect ID:

  • A—K: Lower Camera central area
  • L—O: Lower Camera, opposite the enquiry desk
  • P—Z: Upper Gladstone Link

Lower Reading Room, Bodleian Library

The Self Collect shelves in the Lower Reading Room of the Bodleian Library are in the Reference Room, at the north end of the reading room near the Main Enquiry Desk.

Loan periods and how to renew

Items you have ordered from the closed stacks are considered ‘on loan’ to you. They will be available from the Self Collect point for 7 days.

If you'd like to consult an item more than once during this period, return it to the Self Collect point and shelve it in the correct place in the alphabetical sequence.

Once the loan period has expired, the item will be returned to offsite storage. You can check the end dates of your loans and renew items beyond this period in the ‘Loans’ tab of My SOLO.

You can't use the Self Collect point to reserve non-Self Collect items, such as items from the open shelves. Library staff monitor the Self Collect shelves and will remove any items that shouldn't be there.

Return items

When you've finished with the item, you can shelve it on the returns trolley in the Self Collect area or hand it in at a staffed desk.