Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of our most frequently asked questions (FAQs). If you are unsure of anything or have anything you'd like to ask, please use our contact details on the contact page in the main menu.
1.What are the Library opening hours?
Our current opening hours can be found here on our contacts page. If there are any changes to opening, we will alert via a website news item on our news and events page and via social media (links at the foot of page). We also have out of hours access, more details of this can be found in FAQ 15.
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2.Do I need my ID card to access the Library?
It is always useful to have your ID badge with you when visiting the library. When you first join, you will need to show it in order to collect your library membership barcode, and in some cases (University of Nottingham users), we use the barcode on your ID as your library card.
If you forget your library barcode and wish to borrow, we may also ask to see your ID to confirm your identity to issue items, and also as proof of staff/student status. Your Trust ID can sometimes also act as a door swipe pass for out of hours access, so you will need it then!
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3.Do I need to come into the Library to register?
We have a self-registration form online, which we encourage people to use before coming into the library to borrow, this saves time at the library counter, so you won't have to queue. Our online registration can be found here.
Once registered, you only need to come in to collect your barcode, you have a month from the online registration date to do this. If you are a DCHS member of staff wishing to join, your home library (for example Chesterfield/Kingsway) will have a barcode allocation to give to you, so you won't have to collect this from us.
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4.How do I search for a book?
We have an online catalogue that can be found here, and we also have OPAC (online public access catalogue) machines in the library itself. They work in the same way other search engines do, you can search by title, keyword or author name for example, and results will display with a classmark which identifies where the book is in the library, whether it is on loan or whether it might be an E-book.
There are labels on the edges of the shelves which tell you the classmark section, but if you need help locating a book, please ask a member of staff for assistance.
For more info on how to use the online catalogue, click here.
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5.How many books can I take out?
This depends on your membership status. We have a table that tells you borrowing rights located on the collections page here.
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6.How long is the loan period?
Our standard loan books have a 8 week loan period. In this time you may receive a recall e-mail if your book has been reserved by another user and a new date will be given to you for return. There are certain other borrowable items that have different loan periods. Our distraction collection has items with a 3 week loan period, and the laptops from the Lapsafe lockers are loaned for 1 week. You will be informed when you issue an item, what the return date will be if not indicated on the item itself. Books can be renewed up to 5 times before we need to see them physically.
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7.Are there fines for late books?
We don't fine for late books, however, you will still have to pay the replacement cost for lost books.
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8.How do I return books?
Books can be returned to either Derby and Burton Libraries at the counter, and also can be put into the book return boxes in the library after returning on the self issue, with another drop off box also on the main corridor of the Royal Derby Hospital. You can't return books for us at the University of Nottingham sites.
If you are unable to come into either libraries/hospital, you can also return the books by post at your own cost. Our address details are on the contacts page.
If you can't return the book by the date due, you can either renew the book, or contact us to let us know.
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9.Can I return University of Nottingham books here?
You can return University of Nottingham books at the Derby library, and these will be returned via the van collection which comes twice a week. Please make sure you have plenty of time before the due date to allow for the collection time. The University will not return our books to us if you try to return them there, so please make sure that you have returned all of our books before you leave or finish a placement.
10.How do I search for an e-book?
If you use our online catalogue to search for books, you can add in a filter to look at the e-books we have listed on there. Our catalogue can be found here.
If you select Advanced Search and filter to e-books, then press the green search button, the e-book listings will display:
11.How do I access e-books and resources?
To access the e-books from the catalogue, you can click on the link in the library catalogue. Alternatively you can visit e-book central vie our e-resources page and browse the collection there using an OpenAthens login.
You can also request e-books that we don't own from the site.
Many of our e-resources require an OpenAthens account to login, and more about these accounts can be found on our OpenAthens page here.
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Our e-resources page contain links to our e-resources and there is also a help button which has guides to using and accessing the resources. The link to the Journals A-Z listings can be found on our "Collections" page.
12.How do I get a journal article?
The journals listings can be accessed on our collections page of the website. When using the NICE A-Z, if you login using your OpenAthens details, you will be able to see the journal titles we have access to. If you are searching using a healthcare database and you are logged in to OpenAthens, there will be links to articles that we have access to. Browzine can also show what journals we subscribe to and you can follow the links through to the articles (OpenAthens will also be required)
If there is a journal article that we don't have, we can order it for you via "inter-library loan" where we apply to other libraries for a copy. We use Koha to do this, and you need to be a library member to use it. More information on inter-library loans can be found here.
13.Can you do a literature search for me?
In a lot of cases we can, although we can't do this if it is a part of a course that you are doing. However, we can provide training on how to do literature searches if it is something you are required to do by yourself!
Literature searches can be used for a variety of reasons such as, continuing professional development e.g. updating oneself in a particular area or for in-service training, to collect information on the effectiveness of health care for evidence based practice, to gather information for a presentation or lecture, to retrieve information on outcome measures or audits and so on. You can fill in an online form to request a literature search here.
14.Do you offer training?
We offer a number of information skills and resource training. Full details of what is on offer and contact information can be found on our training pages.
15.Can I get out of hours access?
Out of hours access in is available to certain library members so it is worth checking with us if you are eligible. If you are a member of Trust staff, your existing security card may grant you access, otherwise the security team may be able to authorise this for you. All Burton staff can access the Burton site Library using their Trust ID card. In Derby, staff from other sites and other eligible users such as students may obtain a security swipe card from us at the counter.
16.Can I eat and drink in the Library?
You can eat and drink in the Library but a common sense approach is needed. If you wanted to eat your sandwich for lunch while you are studying that is fine and we also offer hot drinks and biscuits , whole you are working in the library. Nothing that might cause a big mess or cause offense to other users. We ask that you keep the Library clean, dispose of rubbish in the appropriate bins and to take care with liquids around electrical equipment. (Pro-tip - most librarians like cake ;) )
17.Can I book a room?
There are bookable rooms in the Derby Library which include an IT training room for large group sessions ( and are used for our own training sessions) and also 2 seminar rooms for meetings and private study. The rooms are booked via a member of Library staff and are very popular. You can ask at the counter/office or request via e-mail/phone. Block bookings have to be authorised by a senior member of staff and may not always be available. Please also tell us if you wish to cancel a booking as this will free up the space for others to use. Room bookings may not be in operation due to COVID restrictions, please check with us first.
18.How do I access the WiFi?
There is free WiFi available at both sites so please ask a member of staff if you need help to set this up. There is the Trust WiFi available as well as Eduroam and the University of Nottingham network available at the Derby site.
19.How do I print my work?
If you are using a Trust networked computer at either site, these are linked to a networked printer on site. You will need to obtain a user code and pin from the Burton Print Centre. (staff intranet) It can take up to 24 hours to receive the details and you will need to know your budget code.
If you are using a University of Nottingham networked PC (Derby only), the print job can be sent and then retrieved at any University of Nottingham networked printer. We have one in the Library and there is another in the Medical School and School of Health Sciences. There are instructions in the Library and the University credit must be topped up by the University, either at one of their libraries or in Student Services or by phone.
20.How do I access my Library account online?
Shortly after you confirm registration with us, you will be e-mailed account details to manage your own account on Koha, our library management system. If you have lost this e-mail or have forgotten the details, we can reset these for you.
Information on Koha online and what you are able to do with your account are in this help page here.