I think I lost a library book, what can I do?

First thing, don't panic! Books get misplaced all the time, and it's easy to lose track of one, especially if you have borrowed multiple books from the library.

Our first bit of advice is to think through where you last remember using it or seeing it, and retrace your steps. We often find that books can end up 'hidden' in plain sight, with items stacked on top of them, or slipping under the edge of a bed or a seat in a car.

It can also be worth checking with your colleagues or tutor, if you've been studying together there's a chance you got a few books mixed up, or left a book with someone by accident.

If you have visited another library, we advise contacting them to check if you returned the book or left it with them by mistake.

Still can't find it?

If you've had a look and can't find the library resource, contact us and we'll have a thorough search for it. Email us at libraryhelp@northampton.ac.uk and include your University ID (student number or staff ID), along with details of the book you are missing. We'll have a very thorough search on our shelves and in our collections to see if we can find it. We aren't angry at you, please don't worry about contacting us.

What happens next?

Once you've given us the details of the missing library resource we'll perform some very thorough searches. Whatever the outcome, we will get back in touch with you to let you know what has happened. If we can't find the item then we will need to consider replacing it, and we'll pass the information of the book onto our library resources team. There is likely to be a replacement charge to cover the cost of replacing the book at this stage. However, we know that nobody loses books on purpose, so you will have a little more time to try and find the missing book. If you can find it at any stage, just let us know and we can cancel the invoice or give you your money back if you've paid for it.

I want to talk to someone about this

We are happy to help you with this and you can contact library staff through:

• email at libraryhelp@northampton.ac.uk
• our Chat service by clicking on the blue speech bubble at the bottom right of every page
• speaking with a member of library staff at the Library Help Desk, located on the second floor of the Learning Hub during staffed hours
• ask us a question using our 'Submit a Question' form
• call us on 01604 89 3089