Returning Books

Returning Books

Procedure

You can return books in person or ask someone else to return them for you.

Should you have any questions regarding other loans at this time, please have your library card or student card ready.

Three days before a loan period expires, you will receive an automatic email reminder; however, we recommend that you also check the status of our items yourself on a regular basis.


Return locations

Books that are part of Rostock University Library's holdings may be returned to any Campus or subject library.

Exceptions:

All interlibrary loans must be returned to Campus Library Südstadt.

All items borrowed from the Hochschule for Musik und Theater must be returned to that library.


Return shelves

Books can now be returned in "intelligent" return shelves at all locations of Rostock University Library. These shelves recognise the RFID tags contained in the books and return them automatically.

What do you need to know to use the return shelves?

  • Place the books upright in any shelf compartment. You can return several books at the same time. Books lying flat will not be recognised.
  • The screen display confirms successfully returned titles with a green bar. A short error message will appear if a book cannot be returned. In this case, please contact our staff at the service counter.
  • The shelves can be used by several people at the same time.
  • No return receipts will be issued. But you could check your user account to ensure that all titles have been successfully returned. A simple way to do this is to use the account function at one of our self-checkout terminals.
  • Please continue to return interlibrary loans and non-book materials at the service desk.
Return shelves

Return boxes

Outside opening hours, you can also return borrowed items to our return boxes. You will find the boxes at the entrances of the Campus Library Südstadt and the Linguistics and Literary Studies Library.

As a library user, you are responsible for returning borrowed items on time. Returns are processed on the next working day once the library has opened. Please note that the day of deposit is not automatically the day of return and that overdue fines may be incurred. When returning items via the book return box, you will not receive a return receipt.

The flap can no longer be opened when the box is full. Please handle the items with care to avoid damage:

  • put books spine first into the box
  • make sure that loose inserts cannot fall out
  • do not place books on top of the box when the box is full
  • do not throw non-book materials (e.g. CDs) into the boxes

Interlibrary loans cannot be returned via the return boxes. Please hand them in to the library staff during opening hours.

Return boxes

Return by mail

If you are unable to return an item in person, you can also return it by mail. Please bear in mind that the mail takes time, and subtract that time from the end of your loan period in order to avoid late fees.

You are liable for any damage or loss incurred during delivery.

Library mailing addresses