Borrowing laptops FAQ

Initially, laptops can be borrowed by University of Stirling students only.

No, there is no charge to borrow.

You just need to scan your student card and then follow the on-screen instructions to take out the laptop. Print your receipt, so you know when your laptop is due back.

Laptops are available on two loan periods: 48 hours or 4 weeks. After this period, you can return the laptop and borrow another one if available.

No, you are not able to reserve laptops for future use.

Not yet – we are working on this and, we will send out further communications when this is in place.

No, you can’t renew the loan of a laptop, but you can return it and borrow another one if available.

• Select "return" on the touchscreen
• Place card on contactless area to authenticate
• Locker number is displayed on screen, and corresponding locker light flashes
• Place laptop inside the locker, connect charging cable, and ensure door is securely closed (failure to complete this step in full will result in the item remaining on your account). You will know when the laptop has been returned by the light outside the locker turning red.
• If you want a return receipt, press the option on the touchscree

The laptop has to be returned to the locker it was issued from. You will not be able to return the laptop to the wrong location.

As an individual, you can only borrow one laptop at a time, but other people in your group can borrow a laptop using their own card. 

However, if you are using a group study room or one of the study pods in the library you only need one laptop as you can cast the screen of one device onto the bigger screen.

No, there is no maximum number of times that you can borrow a laptop.

The laptops battery charge will last for up to four hours, depending on the type of resource being used. For example, working with large datasets uses battery more quickly.

Please return the laptop to its locker and then borrow another one with a full charge.

If there is a fault with the laptop, please call at the Information Centre, see our opening hours.

Yes, if you need some help with the laptop, the Information Centre staff will be able to help you.

No, the system will randomly allocate a fully charged laptop.

Yes, you can take the laptop anywhere on or off campus, but you would have to return it before the four hour loan period is up, or you would incur fines.

Yes, you can.

The operating system of the laptops are Windows 10 – the laptops have exactly the same software that our student desktop PCs have. Software includes:

• Adobe Acrobat Reader DC
• ArcGIS
• BlueJ
• Google Chrome
• IBM SPSS Statistics
• Kurzweil 3000
• MATLAB

Yes, you can.

Yes, the laptop will automatically connect you to eduroam while on campus. If you are off campus you can connect the laptop to the internet via Wi-Fi.

Yes, the laptops are connected to the University print system.  You can send print jobs from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection.

You are responsible for the laptop for the duration of the loan. Replacement costs may be charged up to £760.

Please bring the laptop to the Information Centre immediately.

You are responsible for the laptop for the duration of the loan. Please bring the laptop to the Information Centre. Repair and/or replacement costs may be incurred, we will advise you of what these may be.

Always save to OneDrive, as this autosaves and is accessible from anywhere. Do not save any files to the laptop desktop or hard drive.

No, sorry, the lockers are for laptops only.

Your library record will tell you, or you can ask a member of staff - and we’ll send you a reminder email. 

No, please hang on to it, until the library is open.

Yes, you will be charged £2 per hour.

No, a student card is needed to borrow laptops.

We have started with 60 machines, but we have plans to grow this to 192 machines in total.