Borrowing from the Library
Anyone who has a permanent residence in Sweden and is at least 15 years of age can borrow from the University Library.
Get a library card
There are two cards that can be used for borrowing books and other materials that can be borrowed from the University Library. As a student or staff at University of Gothenburg you can use your GU card. Everyone else need a library card. From May 2026, physical library cards will no longer be issued. A digital library card is available in My Loans.
Find and borrow
Many of the items are placed on shelves that you can access yourself. Search for the item in Supersearch to find out its location and at what library it is available. Collect the book from the shelf and borrow it using the lending machine.
You can borrow using your GU card or library card and PIN code. You can also use your twelve-digit personal identity number and PIN code.
You can also request and reserve books and other materials in Supersearch. When your requested item is available for you, you will get a message from the library. The message contains a code for pick-up that you need to find the material at the library’s shelves for requested books, close to the information desk.
You can also find e-books in Supersearch, and you can read these by logging in. Read more about how to borrow and use e-books.
Renew your loans and pay fines in My Loans
Log in to the service My loans to keep track of your loans. Log in with your GU account, library card or personal identity number. Use My loans to:
- see your library card
- check when your loans are due for return
- renew your loans
- check if someone has made a request for your loans
- see what books you have reserved, and your place on the waiting list
- find out whether you have any overdue fines to pay
- pay any overdue fines and replacement fees
- update your PIN code
- update your contact details.
Loan periods and rules for renewals
The loan period for textbooks and journals is 14 days. The loan period for other books is 30 days. The library will send a message (e-mail, SMS or letter) when it is time to return the material.
Return loans
When the libraries are closed you can return books in book drops located at Biomedical Library and Humanities Library.
Replacement fees and overdue fines
If you return borrowed textbooks after the due date, you will have to pay an overdue fine. If you do not return your overdue loans at all, you will have to pay a replacement fee for the material. Special provisions for replacement fees apply for employees at the University of Gothenburg.
The overdue fine for textbooks is SEK 10 per day and textbook, a maximum of SEK 140 per book.
The replacement fee for lost materials is a fixed amount of SEK 600. The replacement fee is added when your loan is overdue more than 14 days. If you return the book, the replacement fee will be removeed. Please note that a paid replacement fee will not be refunded, even if you return the material later.
If the total of your fines exceed SEK 70, you will not be allowed to borrow more items from the library. You will be allowed to borrow again when the fine is paid. Both overdue fines and replacement fees can be paid both in My Loans or at one of our libraries.
Borrowing rules
The information on this page is an excerpt of the rules that apply when borrowing material from the University Library. The complete regulations are available in our rules for the use of Gothenburg University Library.
Contact us about borrowing
Contact form
Contact us if you need help with your loans.