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 a purchase
You can ask the Library to purchase a book:
- Students
- 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.
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).
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.
Search and visit other libraries
You can seach for your item at other university and public libraries online and arrange to visit them.
Find an alternative
Do you need this exact item? If you are researching a topic, you might find the information you need in an another book or journal article. So instead of searching for an exact title, try a library search for the topic. It's likely you will find many books and articles that will be relevant and useful.
Contact the Library
For further advice, or to report an item missing from the shelves, please contact the Library.