Library Search tells you the library and floor where the book can be found and we have library maps to help you find the correct area to look. You will also be given the shelfmark that will help you locate the exact place on the shelf. 

Make a note of the shelfmark - write it down, take a photograph, use the University App to keep it on your device - so that you are able to find the exact book you want. It's made up of two parts,

 Dewey Decimal number that tells you what the book is about. Books at the same number will be on the same topic, so it is always a good idea to browse the shelf for other titles that might be useful. 

 Three letters (usually from the author's name) which will tell you the exact location of the book on the shelf. Lots of books may have the same Dewey number, but the letters will be different.

It is important to make a note of both parts of the shelfmark as we all forget part of it by the time we get to the shelf. 

Library Search allows you to refine your results to show books that are available to read as an ebook. Use your keywords or book details to perform a basic search and filter your results by Full Text Online.  

There will be times when the book that you want is not on the shelf, either because it has been borrowed by someone else, or because we do not have it in the library collection. If all copies of the book are out on loan, make a reservation via Library Search. We'll email you when the book becomes available. If the book is returned on time, it will be with you within 7 days.

If you are a student you can ask the Library to purchase a book by Recommending a book not held by the Library. Complete the form and the book will be reserved for you and added to the Library collection for others to use. This will be especially useful when doing your dissertation or research project. 

If you are a member of University staff, and you would like to recommend a book for purchase, then please complete a Suggest a Book form. If we are unable to purchase a copy of the book, you will be given the option to request an Inter Library Loan and we'll borrow the book for you from the British Library.

You can search for journals and journal articles in Library Search. Use the Everything search to find articles that match your keywords, or browse for articles in the key journal titles for your subject. 

Refining to peer-reviewed journals will leave you with article results that were published in scholarly/ academic journals.