SCONUL Access is a scheme which allows many university library users to borrow or use books and journals at other participating libraries.  It is the largest borrowing and reference scheme in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

If you are:

  • an academic on an open or fixed term contract
  • a postgraduate research student registered for a PhD, MPhil or similar qualification
  • a part-time, distance learning and placement student
  • or a full-time postgraduate

and your university or college is a member of the scheme, you may be able to borrow from other college or university libraries. 

If you are:

  • a full-time undergraduate student
  • or staff of a small number of higher education libraries not participating in the scheme

and your university or college is a member of the scheme, you may be able to use the resources of other college and university libraries for reference.

Further details of the scheme can be found on SCONUL website: https://access.sconul.ac.uk/

SCONUL Access

If you're a distance learning student or are away studying you may want to use a University Library closer to where you live. Sconal access gives you the chance to do just that.

Just register on the website at www.sconnell.ac.uk and depending on what sort of user you are you can visit most academic libraries in the UK and Ireland. You will be allocated depending on whether you're a staff and what category of student you are. Once you've done that you can select as many libraries as you want.

At the University of Portsmouth Library staff, postgraduate students and undergraduates from other universities are allowed to borrow books.

When you go to join other libraries make sure you take a copy of the confirmation email. We will send you a new University of Portsmouth card. We also recommend you take some passport size photographs with you. The library you join can then issue a library card to you.