Alternative access while walk-in access is suspended

If you have searched the library and not found the book or journal article you need online, you can still obtain your item in a number of ways:

Suggest an e-book purchase

(For the duration of the coronavirus emergency we are prioritising e-book purchases as we cannot guarantee the delivery of print books.)

You can ask the Library to purchase an e-book:

• Students
  • please complete the suggest an e-book purchase form
• Academic staff
  • please use the reading list system to order items for your module
  • please use the book order form if the book is: for research; for a module or programme in development; in support of several programmes / disciplines

Find an open-access version

Journal articles are frequently published in an open-access form, meaning they can be read without a subscription or purchase. More information on finding open-access versions of journal articles. 

Request a copy of an article from the author

It is common academic practice to request copies of journal articles direct from the author. Look for the corresponding author's e-mail address in the abstract of the article. They may send you a copy of the published version or a pre-print version, depending upon publisher restrictions.

Order an article from the publisher

Publishers often provide the option to purchase a copy of an individual journal article. The costs of direct orders are paid by the requestor and are not currently supported by the Library.

Inter-library loan

We can request books and journal articles for you from the British Library and other academic libraries. Please see further information on the inter-library loan service (includes request forms).

Coronavirus means that libraries are offering reduced services. Please check their websites before travelling.

Search other libraries

Find a library that holds the book or journal you need:

• Use Library Hub Discover to search the contents of over 140 UK and Irish academic, national, and specialist libraries.
• Use Explore the British Library and Explore Archives and Manuscripts to search the British Library's collections.
• Use the British National Bibliography to search all book and journal titles published or distributed in the UK and Ireland since 1950 and received by the Legal Deposit office of the British Library.

Visit other libraries

• You may be able to visit - and possibly borrow books - at other UK and Irish university libraries through the SCONUL access scheme. Apply for SCONUL access.
• Apply for access to the British Library reading rooms in London or Boston Spa.

Contact the Library

For further advice, or to report an item missing from the shelves, please contact the Library.