We’re making changes to our postal loans and postal returns services

Due to ongoing budgetary constraints at the university we have taken the difficult decision to pause our free Royal Mail tracked return service and our free postal loan service (also known as the Book Takeaway). These changes will come into effect after Friday 13 September 2024.

These services were initially offered as part of our pandemic response in 2020 and we now need to adapt these services as follows:

• From Friday 26th July, we will no longer be able to post items internationally. Additionally, we will no longer be able to refund the cost of items returned to us in the post from international destinations
• From Friday 13th September, we will be changing our postal loans service. Requests received after this date will only be supplied to users with accessibility or identified support criteria (users registered with disability services, carers, or students with children), and students who are registered on an Online and Distance Learning course
• From Friday 13th September, our Royal Mail Tracked returns (free postal returns) service will be paused. If you are still eligible for free postal loans or you take books away with you, when the time comes to return them you will either need to bring them back in person or arrange to have them posted back to us at your own expense using a service of your own choosing.
• Any books supplied via Interlending are also subject to the same criteria, with the additional exception that the owning Library may place additional stipulations on items which prevent posting

We understand that this is a significant change but we are providing you with this information now so that you can plan any returns or loans accordingly ahead of the new academic year. Our Services will continue to run, as now, until Friday 13th September.

You can still access eResources online through YorSearch, including Ebooks, which you may find a useful alternative when studying away from Campus – see our Ebooks guide for more information. Additionally, you may be able to access resources via the SCONUL Access Scheme.

Please contact us if you have any questions or feedback about this change.