How we can support you
As part of a phased recovery of our Library service, from Tuesday 4th August we will be offering some limited, zero contact services to current Magdalene students, Fellows and staff that are resident in, or working in, College.
- A ‘Request and Collect’ service, enabling you to request to borrow Magdalene College Library books via e-mail and to collect in person at set times in the week.
- Book Returns – you will be able to return books directly to the College Library at set times in the week.
In response to the Coronavirus outbreak, we closed the College library to users and we remain unable at present to open up for studying or browsing. As we begin to open up our services as detailed on this page, we will still be available to support your remote enquires from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday.
Please email library@magd.cam.ac.uk or ring +44 (0) 1223 332125 if you need help finding resources for your studies or would like any other library or reading-related advice.
We would also like to strongly encourage you to make book recommendations ahead of the start of term, whether for books we currently don’t hold, new editions or second copies of key texts . This can be done by e-mail or our book recommendation form.
The University Library has an up-to-date guide to accessing electronic resources remotely. A guide to the increasing number of non-contact services at the University Library can also be found on this webpage.
Request and Collect
Who is it for?
The ‘Request and Collect’ service is for current Magdalene students, Fellows and staff that are resident in, or working in, College, or in student accommodation in Cambridge. Please do not request books unless you are currently resident.
How does the service work?
This service will enable you to request to borrow Magdalene College Library book(s) via e-mail library@magd.cam.ac.uk . Please see instruction below on what information to provide when e-mailing your request(s).
The books will be fetched by staff and issued to your account. Once the books are retrieved, you will receive a confirmation email which includes information about when you can collect your books.
Collection will be from the entrance in Right Cloister of the College Library on a Tuesday and Thursday at the following times:
11am to 1pm
2pm to 4pm
When you arrive at the College Library please follow the instructions on the signs. While waiting to collect books, please observe social distancing at all points by maintaining a 2 metre distance from others. On entry, please show your ID. You will be required to use hand sanitizer before collecting your books.
We ask that you wear face coverings when waiting to enter the library and as you collect your items, in line with College policy.
Your books will be waiting for you to collect on the Parnell room table.
What can I request?
You can have up to 10 items on your account, so may request up to your limit via this service at one time. To check how many items you already have on loan from the College Library log on to your iDiscover account.
You can only request borrowable items (books, DVDs, flash cards) from Magdalene College Library. You cannot borrow reference items.
Loans will be for initial 7 days but will auto-renew until recalled. Books cannot currently be recalled until term time.
Short Loans can be borrowed, but will still be for the usual short loan period (3 days, excluding weekend).
What information should I include in my e-mail?
You can request multiple books at once.
You will need to provide the Barcode, the Classmark (as it appears on iDiscover), the title and author.
Can I request via iDiscover?
No, the University Library ‘Click and Collect’ service is a different service and is currently only available for University Library books. Currently our Magdalene College ‘Request and Collect’ service will operate via e-mail requests.
How are you ensuring my safety and the safety of library staff?
The safety of our users and staff is paramount. All books returned to the Library are quarantined for 72 hours before being made available for collection. We have undertaken risk assessments and have put together handling procedures that all Library staff have agreed to follow. We are minimising the handling of books and all other materials and will be following strict hygiene rules when preparing books for collection. Staff will not touch your ID or any other documentation. Items will be waiting, labelled with your name for collection.
While waiting to collect books, please observe social distancing at all points by maintaining a 2 metre distance from others.
We request that you do not use anti-bacterial wipes on any library books as this may cause damage.
Can I borrow books from other libraries?
No, this service is for collecting Magdalene College Library books only.
Instructions for requesting an item
- Check that the book is available at Magdalene:
Filter your search in iDiscover https://idiscover.lib.cam.ac.uk/ to restrict only to Magdalene College books and only ‘Available in the Library’.
- Check if the item is on loan by selecting the title or the ‘Available at…’ text and then selecting the Magdalene Record.
- If the item(s) are not on loan then copy the following for each record into your e-mail request:
- Classmark (as it appears on iDiscover)
- Barcode
- Title
- Author
- Send your e-mail to library@magd.cam.ac.uk . Multiple books can be requested in one e-mail.
- Your e-mail should be acknowledged within 48 hours.
Returning books
Resident in College
If you are resident in College you can return books directly to the College Library on a Tuesday and Thursday at the following times:
11am to 1pm
2pm to 4pm
When you arrive at the College Library please follow the instructions on the signs. While waiting to collect books, please observe social distancing at all points by maintaining a 2 metre distance from others.
We ask that you wear face coverings when waiting to enter the library and as you return your items.
Otherwise books can be returned to the returns box in the Porters Lodge.
Not currently resident in College
If you do not have currently have permission to return to the College please follow the UL instructions and drop off your books (including Magdalene College books) either at the UL or the drop box sites (i.e. Sidgebox outside English Faculty on Sedgwick site).
Please refer to the instruction on the UL website: https://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/search-and-find/zero-contact-services/book-returns
Posting books
If you are a graduand, or are not returning to College in Michaelmas, and are unable to drop-off the books in person please either mail them directly to College or via the UL:
College postal address:
Magdalene College Library
Magdalene College
Magdalene Street
Cambridge
CB3 0AG
UL Postal Address:
Cambridge University Library
West Road
Cambridge
CB3 9DR
Books will then be transferred to their home library. Please note that books may not be removed from your library account for some time.