Guidance for Researchers: Using Other Libraries

You can use our Inter-Library Loans service to request material from other libraries, including:

• Print books for loan 
• One copy of a chapter from a single book
• One copy of an article from a journal issue

Find out more and submit a request via our Library website ILL pages

SCONUL Access is a reciprocal scheme which allows many university library users to borrow or use books and journals at other libraries which belong to the scheme. The scheme covers most of the university libraries in the UK and Ireland, including Birmingham City University.

Who is eligible?

If you are:

• a member of staff (both academic and support staff) 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

Joining the scheme

Simply complete the online form and you will receive a confirmation email from one of our library supervisors here at Birmingham City University.

EThOS (E-Theses Online Service) is the British Library’s database of UK doctoral theses - the UK’s national thesis service which aims to maximise the visibility and availability of the UK’s doctoral research theses.

It holds records for over 600,000 theses, allowing researchers to search theses from UK universities from the 1700s to present day. Prior to a cyber-attack in October 2023, it held over 300,000 files for download and provided a digitisation request service for theses that were only available in print.

Find out more and updates from EThOS 

Library Hub Discover is a freely available online resource which provides you with details of materials held in many UK national, academic and specialist libraries.

L&LR participates in Library hub cataloguing and BCU items can be found under Library Hub Discover.

You can search the British Library's catalogues online for millions of records for books, journals, newspapers, printed maps, scores, electronic resources, sound archive items etc. in the Library's collections.

As a researcher, you can apply to become a 'Reader' and gain access to over 170 million collection items for free with a Reader Pass. As a reader, you will also be able to carry out research in the British Library Reading Rooms and access their online collections.

Take a look at the British library's catalogues and collections.

Offers regional training events for academic researchers called "Parliament for researchers". These events explore how to use research to engage with Parliament and take place monthly across the UK.  They are open to any researcher at any stage of their career, as well as those working in policy brokerage and research impact roles. 

Training for academic researchers - UK Parliament

Public libraries are an ideal source of information and services. The Birmingham Central Library is one of the largest and most important public libraries in Europe. There are also 39 community libraries throughout the city. Further information can be found on the Birmingham Libraries website.