This service allows you to request a copy of an extract from a book, an article, or a conference paper, either from the University Library or from another library. We can also borrow whole books from other libraries for you to take out or read in the University Library. This service is for anyone with a University student or staff card.
Please note: You will need to log into the Library catalogue using your Library number (find this on your student or staff card).
If you have a visual impairment or struggle to read printed text for any reason, please see our Accessible formats webpage for details on how we can help.
Interlibrary Loans
If something you want to read is not available from the Library you can request a copy through our inter library loans and document delivery service.
You can request a scan of an article or a book chapter or you can ask to borrow an entire journal issue or book. We can have scanned copies of the items you requested emailed to you. Fill in the online request form on the Library website giving as much information as you can.
It can take up to a week for something you have requested to arrive. Scans of individual journal articles and book chapters tend to arrive more quickly. Items that are particularly difficult to source or are in high demand sometimes take longer.
If you request an entire book or journal issue please be aware that sometimes these can only be read in the University Library because of restrictions imposed by the lending library. If you have any questions please chat with us online or pop in and ask a librarian in the Library Skills drop-in office. We're happy to help.
Requests for articles, papers or extracts from books
You can request scans from local stock or from other libraries. Articles, papers and extracts are yours to keep forever but please store them carefully, as due to copyright regulations you cannot request the same item more than once, and there may be limits on the number of times you can print or download an item. Your request will normally be supplied as a scan of the item as an electronic document, however it is possible to request hardcopy to be posted to you (UK only) or collected from the Library. Satisfying hardcopy requests will take longer.
Requests for whole books
If you need a book which is not available through the Library Catalogue or Discovery service , we can try to get it for you from another library via an interlibrary loan. We also offer a postal loans service if you need us to deliver books from our own Library stock.
We will try to satisfy your request by either borrowing a print copy from another library or by adding to our existing eBook collection. The length of time it takes depends on what you have requested and in which format. If borrowing from another library it also depends on if the holding library has your requested item available (it may be on loan). As a general rule electronic copies usually take 1-4 days, and print copies 1-2 weeks.
The loan period will depend on which library lends us the item. Renewal may not be possible, and the lending library may only allow consultation in our library, so it is not guaranteed that you will be able to take the book away with you. Please note that we cannot post out print books borrowed from another library, these must be collected from the University Library Click & Collect shelves.
Whenever possible interlibrary loan books should be returned to Library staff at the reception desk. Outside of staffed hours books can be placed in the return boxes by the self-service machines.
If you still have the book on loan after the date it was due back, your library account will be blocked until the book is returned. If the book is not returned, or if the lending library deems it lost, you will be liable for replacement charges. As of February 2022 the British Library’s standard charge for lost items is £185.50. If you think you will need to borrow your interlibrary loan book for longer please get in touch with us before it is due. We will then contact the lending library and request a renewal on your behalf, but they may not agree if there is a waiting list for the item.
Interlibrary Loans
If something you want to read is not available from the Library you can request a copy through our inter library loans and document delivery service.
You can request a scan of an article or a book chapter or you can ask to borrow an entire journal issue or book. We can have scanned copies of the items you requested emailed to you. Fill in the online request form on the Library website giving as much information as you can.
It can take up to a week for something you have requested to arrive. Scans of individual journal articles and book chapters tend to arrive more quickly. Items that are particularly difficult to source or are in high demand sometimes take longer.
If you request an entire book or journal issue please be aware that sometimes these can only be read in the University Library because of restrictions imposed by the lending library. If you have any questions please chat with us online or pop in and ask a librarian in the Library Skills drop-in office. We're happy to help.
Copyright legislation allows you:
- Up to 5% or one article from one issue of a journal (even if the issue contains only the one article)
- Up to 5% or one chapter (whichever is greater) of a book or similar publication
- Up to 10% of a short book of up to 200 pages
- Up to 5% of an anthology, one poem, or one short story to a maximum of 10 pages
- Up to 5% or one report of a single case from a report of judicial proceedings
- Up to 5% or one paper from a set of conference proceedings