How Do I… Borrow a Book?

We have both academic textbooks and fiction available to browse and borrow. They are organised in clearly labelled sections, and you can visit the library and browse the shelves 24 hours a day.

Self-issue machine at GEH
Self-issue machine at GEH

Once you’ve registered with us, either in the library or online, you can borrow books at any time using the self-issue machine. Don’t forget your membership card or barcode!

During staffed hours, we will be more than happy to guide you to the right section and issue books at the enquiry desk.

Self-issue machine at SWFT

Health Libraries Midlands (HeLM)

Staff can also browse all of our books online here. This includes books in the Health Libraries Midlands (HeLM) network of health libraries across the region, which you can reserve online. We’ll let you know when they’re ready for you to pick up at George Eliot or Warwick Hospital. If you only want to see books that are available immediately, you can restrict your search results to your “home” library. If you are based at another Trust location, we can post books to you.

As a library member you can borrow up to 16 books at a time for a period of 6 weeks. As long as they are not reserved by another user, and your library membership does not expire, they will then automatically renew up to 5 times. We will let you know whether or not your books have been renewed.

We do not charge fines for books that are a few days overdue. Please note, however, that we will try to contact you, and you will be charged the replacement cost of any books that are not returned at all.

Books can be returned to any library in the HeLM network (see map).

Recommending a book

Can’t find the book you need? We welcome recommendations for titles to add to our stock. If you’d like to recommend a book for us to buy, you can do so here.