Borrow and request

The library primarily serves students and staff members at VID Specialized University. If you're a student at another institution and have a valid student ID, you can also borrow from us.

At the campus libraries in Bergen and Stavanger, external users can borrow from some parts of the collections as well.

The library's services are free and available to anyone registered as a borrower with us. Some services and resources are reserved for staff and students at VID.

Lost or damaged material

If you lose or damage any material, you will be charged for a replacement. This is currently NOK 750 per document. For recording equipment and transcription pedals, the charge is NOK 1200. For books, we recommend that you purchase a replacement copy and bring it to the library. Feel free to contact us beforehand, aso we can work out a solution.

• If you're a student at VID, use your student card as your library card. Your loan number and barcode are on the card. At all campuses, you can also use the student ID app as your library card at the self-service loan machines.
• If you're a staff member at VID, use your staff card as your library card.
• If you're an external user wanting to borrow, you need to contact library staff to activate your own library card or to obtain a library card from VID.

You're expected to manage most of your library activites yourself. You search for books, journals, articles, and other materials using the Oria search portal. Then, you locate the books on the shelf and register your loans at the self-service loan machine. You can't borrow special loan items at the loan machine; you need to get assistance at the desk to register these.

On the Find resources and literature page, you can find information on how to locate different types of materials in Oria and other sources. You'll get an introduction to the key features of Oria on the How to use Oria page.

Feel free to ask for help if you're unfamiliar with the library or need assistance with searching, finding, or registering loans.

Borrowing technical equipment

The library loans out audio recording equipment. This is reserved for you if you are a master student or staff member, including PhD students. You should first consider whether you can use the Nettskjema dictaphone (mobile app) instead.

The campus libraries in Oslo and Stavanger also loan out foot pedals to assist with transcription (Olympus Fotpedal RS-31H USB with 4 pedals). Borrowing a pedal is restricted to PhD students and staff members. However, if you're a master student/research assistant, you can also borrow a pedal with a referral from your project leader.

Contact your campus library to borrow technical equipment. Please do this ahead of when you want to borrow it, so we can prepare it for you. You must return the equipment to the same campus where you borrowed it.

The standard loan period is 4 weeks, but it can be extended as long as there is no waiting list. If the equipment is damaged or lost, you will be charged for a replacement of NOK 1200.

NB! When you borrow recording equipment, you are responsible for deleting audio files before returning it.

• Books: 4 weeks
• Course literature: usually 2 weeks
• Journals and films: 1 week
• Day loans: for the day

You can return books in the return lockers, self-service machines (applicable to the campus libraries in Bergen and Stavanger), or at the desk. All campus libraries have return lockers both inside and outside the library. You can also return books to other VID libraries besides your own. Check the Library and opening hours page for information on access to library buildings.

If you don't live near a VID campus, you can send the books back to us by post. You can also contact a public library or another university/college library. They can usually help you return books. Keep in mind that it may take some time for the books to arrive. They will still be registered as borrowed to you until they are returned to us.

When you're prompted to sign in for one of VID's e-resources, you'll be asked to sign in with your Microsoft account. As a staff member or student, you have a specific school/work account from Microsoft linked to your VID user account. Use your VID username and password to sign in to the e-resources. External users do not have access to VID's e-resources. For more information, see the Access to e-resources page.

Sign in to Oria to see an overview of your loans and holds. When you're signed in, you can request materials, place holds on books, renew loans, view saved searches, and more.

You can update your personal details in Studentweb, such as your choice of campus/pick-up library, address, email address, and similar details. Changes will take effect the following day.

• User guides for signing in to Oria and My account.

You can renew your loans by signing in to My account in Oria. Remember that loans must be renewed before they expire. You cannot renew loans that others have placed holds on, and you cannot renew day loans.

• User guide for renewing loans.

Is the book you need currently on loan? Sign in to My account and place a hold on the book in Oria. You can't place holds on day loans and books that are available on the shelf.

• User guide for reserving books.

Don't see the book you want to borrow? Or can't find the article you need? Sign in to Oria, and you can request books and journal articles from other libraries.

• User guide for requesting books and journal articles the library doesn't have

You'll receive a pick-up notice with a pick-up code sent to you via SMS or email when the material is ready for pick-up at the library. Use the pick-up code to find your material on the hold shelf in the library. Ask at the desk if you can't find your items.

Books

You must pick up requested books within one week. Please let us know if you no longer need what you've requested, as others may be on the waiting list.

Articles and book chapters

There is no deadline for collecting printed copies of articles and book chapters, but copies that you haven't picked up within a reasonable time will eventually be removed from the hold shelf. In cases where licensing terms allow it, the library will send you digital copies (PDF) of requested articles via email.

We do not send books to your home. If you live far from VID's campuses, you can request the books you need by using Biblioteksøk. You can also contact a nearby public library to ask if they can request books for you that you can pick-up there.