Now that the exams are nearly over and the holidays are days away we would like to remind students that if you plan to take any library materials abroad over the winter break you will need to first get written permission from the library.
If you feel you can’t do without some of our books during your holidays away from the Scottish winter please speak with library staff on the subject floors or at the Information Centre on floor 1 of The Sir Duncan Rice Library. In the Taylor and Medical libraries speak with any staff member there.
You will be asked to sign a form which makes it clear that you are responsible, and liable, for any loss or damage to any books you choose to take abroad. By signing the form you will also be accepting that if these books are recalled by someone else while you are still away, you will have to return them to us by post.
Books recalled on or after 16th December will not be due back until January. Please be sure to check your email to see if any books have been requested for early return.
To find out more about this please come and speak with a member of library staff, before you rush away for the winter, and they will be happy to help.
Alison Klaase, Senior Information Assistant
InfoLinks 
In my view, recalls are a major flaw in the library system. They hamper research and prevent students and staff from planning their work effectively. This story highlights some of the worst excesses of the system. Reservations would be sufficient where people could put their name down to be next to receive a book. Ultra-long loan could be got rid of as well.
Thanks for your comments on the borrowing system here at the University of Aberdeen Library. They are very valid points, and I am sorry that you feel the system to be majorly flawed. I agree that there will be occassions where some library users may feel the system is not helping their own study and research plans, but that downside, unfortunately, is inherent in libraries where other users should have the right to also access materials which people currently have out on loan. That right to recall items is a positive feature, we like to think, for the majority. Your point concerning the ability to reserve items rather than recall them is excellent, and is something I will be sure to pass on to colleagues in the Library who oversee the borrowing of our physical collections, alongside the other points you make. Thanks again for your thoughts. If you have any other points you would like to make please feel free to email them to library@abdn.ac.uk