Loaning

Who can borrow?

All Hungarian and foreign citizens over the age of 14 can borrow.
You can only rent in person with a valid library card.
Persons with disabilities can borrow with somebody acting as an intermediary authorized in writing beforehand.

Authorization form

What can I borrow?

All documents with a rentable status in the online catalogue can be borrowed.

Non-loanable documents:

  • periodicals;
  • the special collection stock;
  • the reading room stock;
  • stock documents in the catalogue with non-loanable status.

You can borrow documents in the digitized Card Catalogue only if the document is determined to be on loan by the library, and the volume data is recorded in the online catalogue which takes a maximum of 2 working days. In this case, you can report your rental request to the reader’s service staff.

For file protection reasons, the library may refuse to rent or use any document locally.

How much can I borrow?

The number of documents that can be borrowed varies depending on the type of library membership.

The picture illustrates the number of documents that can be borrowed: students and readers can borrow 10, ELTE lecturers can borrow 20, library staff can borrow 15 documents.

How long can I borrow?

The rental period is 3 weeks which can be extended twice by 3 weeks each. The following options are available to extend your rentals:

​The picture lists the ways to extend the rentals: ELTEfind, ELTE Library WebApp, the address kolcsonzo@lib.elte.hu, the phone number +3614116500/3411, the reader’s service desks.​

If the borrowed document meanwhile has been booked by another reader, you cannot extend your rental.

Where can I check the expiration date of my lendings?

You can check the expiration date of your rentals:

  • in ELTEfind, after logging in in the Holds and Recalls / Checked Out Items menu item;
  • in the ELTE Library WebApp web application.

You have to return the document(s) to the library at the latest when the maximum number of extensions is reached.

How can I return my borrowed books?

You can return the borrowed documents to us in the following ways:

  • delivering them in person at the reader’s service counters;
  • put them in the bookcase (Bibliobox);
  • you can mail it to the following address:
    ELTE Egyetemi Könyvtár és Levéltár, 1053 Budapest, Ferenciek tere 6.

The picture illustrates three ways of returning borrowed books: in person at the reader’s service desks, placed in the Bibliobox bookcase, and mailed to the address of the ELTE University Library and Archives: 1053 Budapest, Ferenciek tere 6.

What happens if the loan expires?

If you have provided us with your email address, we will send you a reminder email two working days before the rental deadline and then another notification on the expiration date. Then you have a grace period of 3 days to return the borrowed books without incurring a late fee or extend the loan period, if possible.

You can also request additional notifications via the ELTE Library WebApp web application which is received 5 calendar days before the expiration date, or on the expiration date by email and / or in the form of an application notification.

The picture illustrates a series of reminders, grace periods, and notices: a web application notification can be set 5 days before the expiration date, a reminder email arrives 2 days before the expiration date, and a web application notification and a notification email arrive on the expiration date. There is a grace period of 3 days, then the notices arrive: the first notification in email on the 5th day after the expiration, the second notification in email on the 20th day, then the third notification in email and by return receipt on the 50th day.

A late fee will be charged for documents returned after the rental period. The calculation of the late fee is based on calendar days. For books returned after the grace period, a late fee will be charged retrospectively for the grace period.

Until you settle your debts, you cannot use the services or the renting possibilities in any of the member libraries of the ELTE Library University Library Service.

  • Late fee: HUF 60 / calendar day / book
  • Cost of sending a letter of formal notice: HUF 200 administration fee + postage
  • Administration fee of debt collection: HUF 3000
  • Administration fee for book replacement: HUF 2000
  • Replacement of a lost valid library card: HUF 500

Regulation of use

Source/author of illustration:
cottonbro fotója a Pexels oldaláról