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Dorset County Hospital Library

Borrowing - Hospital Library

As a current Bournemouth University HSS student, you may borrow up to eight books from the Dorset County Hospital Library at any one time. The normal loan period is four weeks, but this may be lowered to one or two weeks for books in heavy demand. You may renew each book in person, online or by phone, provided your book is not overdue, no one else has requested it and you have not renewed the same book excessively. If the books are not returned you will be charged replacement costs plus administrative fees.

Please do not pass on material you have borrowed to someone else. You are responsible for it until it is returned to the library.

Library IT facilities

There are twelve computers which provide MS Office and Internet access.

Please note: Hospital security policies prevent you from saving work onto memory sticks.

Finding help

You will receive an induction from hospital library staff and you can ask them for assistance during staffed hours.

It is important to attend the Library and IT sessions timetabled by Bournemouth University staff, as they are designed to give you the skills to carry out research for your assignments. To complement these sessions, one-to-one Subject Advice appointments can be arranged with your University Faculty Librarian when you visit the Bournemouth campus. Contact the HSS subject support library team. in advance if you wish to make an appointment for a specific date/time.

Details of the books and journals in the Hospital Library can be found in the SWIMS catalogue. This catalogue covers NHS libraries in the South and West region; with information about your library available by looking at the library's code (D08). Library staff can help with use of the catalogue.

In addition to the above information you can get help from the Bournemouth University Library's web pages. Alternatively, you can ring Bournemouth University Library Enquiries on (01202) 965959.

Student feedback

At the Dorset County Hospital Library we welcome constructive comments from our users. This is possible through using our library comments/suggestions book that is available in the library. You may also offer feedback to library.office@dchft.nhs.uk

Returning BU Library books via Dorset County Hospital Library

If you are on placement at the Hospital and cannot get to a Bournemouth University Library to return your books, you can return them via the Dorset County Hospital Library. Please note: The Library cannot obtain books from the University for you.

All you have to do is:

  1. Take your books to the Dorset County Hospital. Complete a form indicating when the books were returned. Library staff will date stamp the form and return it with the books to the University. Keep a record of the barcodes of the books you have returned.
  2. Telephone Bournemouth House Library on (01202) 967352, giving your ID number and the barcodes of the books to be returned.

Remember that:

  • Fines will not be charged if the date of your phone call and the date on the form from the Hospital Library are the same
  • Fines will be charged on books already overdue when handed in at Dorset County Hospital Library
  • You need to check the return date on the books, and ensure that they are returned or renewed by that date
  • You are responsible for your books until discharged by Bournemouth University.

Book returns to Bournemouth University Library are subject to NHS courier networks and are not available from all NHS locations.