Library Laptop Loans

Please ensure that you have read and understood all sections of the ‘Hallam Library Laptop Loans Policy’ before borrowing a library laptop as overdue fines are charged for late returns.

1. Hallam Library Laptop Service

1. Hallam Library offers laptop loans to Sheffield Hallam University students. Other groups are not eligible to use this service.
2. The service is operated on a first-come/first-served basis, bookings, requests and reservations are not offered.
3. Library laptops are offered on a self-service basis, with fixed loan duration options of one day and one week. These are the only loan periods offered.
4. Once borrowed library laptops can be used on or off campus but must not be taken outside of the United Kingdom.
5. Access to a library laptop loan is not guaranteed and should not be relied upon to complete University assessed work. Hallam Library offers 24 hour learning spaces that can be booked in advance for this purpose.
6. Hallam Library offers laptop loans to all students on the same basis. Where a student has additional needs and requires a guaranteed laptop, or to use a laptop for an extended period of time, this should be discussed with a Student Support Adviser to enable a referral to appropriate support services.
7. Library laptops are a shared resource and students are expected to use the service responsibly and in good faith to ensure fair access for all. Failure to do so may result in access to this service being revoked.

2. Borrowing a Library Laptop

1. If you are aware of any circumstances that will prevent you from returning a library laptop by the due date and due time at the point of borrowing, then you should not borrow a laptop. Overdue fines are charged for late returns (see section 4).
2. When borrowing a library laptop it is your responsibility to make sure that you understand how to borrow and return the laptop and laptop charger correctly before you attempt to do so, and that you have asked for help from staff if you do not understand.
3. In order to borrow a library laptop you must have your own physical valid student card. Borrowing or attempting to borrow a laptop with someone else's student card breaches the Library Code of Conduct and may result in your access to this service being revoked.
4. Borrowing a library laptop using other methods of identification is not possible, as these do not work on the library laptop lockers, this includes temporary library day passes.
5. You can have one University laptop on loan to you at a time.
6. If you have a library laptop on loan, you are responsible for the laptop and laptop charger and they should not be left unattended at any point. You should make every effort to ensure that the laptop and laptop charger are not damaged, lost, or stolen whilst on loan to you. Hallam Library reserves the right to charge a replacement cost of £600 in these circumstances, and/or to charge for any repairs required.
7. Library laptops are marked to deter theft and to assist identification and recovery, and usage is also logged.
8. Whilst a library laptop is on loan to you, you must be the only person to log in to the laptop and you must not loan the laptop to anyone else. You must also ensure that you follow the Sheffield Hallam University ‘Regulations for the use of IT facilities and learning resources’. Failure to do so is a breach of the Library Code of Conduct and may result in your access to this service being revoked.

3. Returning a Library Laptop

1. Library laptop loans do not automatically renew, cannot be extended and must be returned by the due date and due time. Where library laptops are not returned on time overdue fines are charged according to the library laptop fines policy (see section 4).
2. Before returning a laptop you must ensure that all of your files are saved to an appropriate place (see here) and that these are not saved to the laptop desktop. Hallam library accepts no responsibility for files left on library laptops, for security reasons this content is removed from devices.
3. In order to return a library laptop you must have your own physical valid student card. Returning or attempting to return a laptop with someone else's student card breaches the Library Code of Conduct and may result in your access to this service being revoked.
4. You are unable to return a library laptop using other methods of identification, as these do not work on the library laptop lockers, this includes temporary library day passes.
5. You must bring your physical valid student card to return a library laptop and the laptop and laptop charger must be returned by you to the appropriate library laptop locker. We will not accept any returns without your physical valid student card, except where there is a technical fault that prevents the device from being returned to the locker.
6. The laptop and laptop charger must be returned to the same library building, laptop locker and numbered laptop bay that you borrowed them from. Returns via other methods will not be accepted, laptops must not be returned via the postal service.
7. When returning a laptop and laptop charger you are responsible for ensuring the equipment is returned correctly and that any issues with returning the laptop or laptop charger are reported to Hallam Library immediately. If you fail to do so you may be charged overdue fines.
8. After returning a library laptop you will be unable to borrow another device of the same loan type for a fixed period of time, this is to ensure fair access to the service for all.

4. Library Laptop Fines

1. To ensure fair and equitable access to the library laptop service, overdue fines are charged for late return of library laptops.
2. In order to avoid library laptop fines you must return laptops by the due date and due time stated on My Library Account.
3. Any library laptop returned later than the due date and due time will incur fines of £5 per day, up to a maximum of £60 until the laptop is returned.
4. As per the Hallam Library borrowing policy, once overdue fines total £30 or more, your access to borrowing further library items will be blocked. To re-enable borrowing your library fines must be reduced to under £30.
5. All library laptop fines are payable and waiving will not be considered, except where they meet the library laptop extenuating circumstances criteria (see section 5) or where there is a service interruption or outage that is beyond the control of a student.
6. Library laptop fines must be paid online here.
7. If a library laptop reaches 28 days overdue you will automatically be charged the replacement cost of £600.
8. Repeated abuse of the library laptop loans service, including excessive and repeated fines may result in your access to this service being revoked.

5. Extenuating Circumstances

1. Hallam Library operates extenuating circumstances policies to support students where there is a legitimate reason for being unable to return a library laptop on time.
2. Hallam Library reserves the right to use discretion when reviewing extenuating circumstances and takes a case by case approach.
3. You must notify Hallam Library as soon as you are able within the loan period if you have extenuating circumstances which prevent you from returning the library laptop by the due date and due time.
4. Hallam Library understands that it is not always easy to disclose personal, private, and sensitive matters. If you have concerns about doing this then please discuss them with a Student Support Adviser. Anything that you tell Hallam Library or your Student Support Adviser will be treated in the strictest confidence. Information will be securely stored and only seen by those members of staff responsible for processing and considering your request.
5. Hallam Library will consider extenuating circumstances requests where Hallam Library is notified during the loan period, where the impact of the event is clearly stated, and where appropriate documentary evidence is provided.
6. Hallam Library defines legitimate extenuating circumstances to be sudden and unexpected events that occur during the period that the laptop is on loan to you, that you could not have reasonably anticipated and that prevent you from returning the laptop. Issues that are known to you before borrowing a laptop are not considered extenuating circumstances (see section 2.1).
7. Hallam Library considers sudden and unexpected events of the following types to be extenuating circumstances; a medical emergency or the sudden emergence of ill health, the bereavement of someone close to you.
8. In support of extenuating circumstances, Hallam Library requires either a dated medical note that covers the period of the specific library laptop loan in question, or supporting confirmation from your Student Support Adviser that you were unable to attend University during the period of the specific library laptop loan in question.
9. You are responsible for returning the library laptop to the library as soon as the extenuating circumstances period has ended. Outside of this period the standard library laptop loan policy applies (see above sections) and fines/replacement costs may be charged where a laptop is not returned.
10. There are some life circumstances and study related issues that do not meet Hallam Library’s definition of extenuating circumstances. Either because they can be avoided or because you can be reasonably expected to manage the impact. The following situations are not considered to be extenuating circumstances: