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Other libraries

If an item you need is not held in Birkbeck Library, you may still be able to access it by visiting another library via the SCONUL Access scheme or University of London Access scheme or requesting it via our interlibrary loan service.

You can find out more below about how to access other libraries. It's important to check membership arrangements and instructions before you visit other libraries, as you may need to take additional documents (eg Birkbeck ID cards do not have an expiry date, so you may need documents to prove your end-of-course date). 

Online access to material 

Searching other library collections online 

SCONUL Access Scheme 

  • The SCONUL access scheme covers most of the university libraries in the UK and Ireland. We strongly advise you to join this scheme. 
  • Eligibility: 
    • full-time undergraduate students: you can join SCONUL for reference-only access. 
    • part-time undergraduate students, full-time taught postgraduate students, research students and staff: you can join SCONUL to borrow from other libraries in the scheme. 
    • short course and certificate of higher education students: if you are studying 60 credits or more per year, you can join SCONUL. 
    • visiting members of Birkbeck Library, including third-party users, are not eligible to join SCONUL via Birkbeck.
  • How to apply: you need to apply online (please read our application guidelines). 

Senate House Library, University of London 

  • Senate House Library, right next door to Birkbeck in Bloomsbury, is the central library of the University of London, with an extensive collection of items and special archives. 
  • Accessing Senate House Library: all academic staff and the students, staff and fellows specified below can use Senate House Library for free, to borrow books and access their online resources. 
    • School of Arts:
      • Graduate Certificate History of Art students
      • all History, Classics and Archaeology students
      • all MPhil/PhD researchers 
      • all taught Master's students 
      • all part-time third-, fourth- and subsequent-year undergraduates 
      • all full-time second- and third-year undergraduates 
      • all Honorary Visiting Fellows and Professors. 
    • School of Law: 
      • all postgraduate research and taught Master's students 
      • MPhil/PhD researchers 
      • all Honorary Visiting Fellows and Professors. 
    • School of Science: only students in the Department of Psychological Sciences can access Senate House: 
      • BA Psychology for Education students
      • BSc Psychology students
      • MA/MSc Cognition and Computation students 
      • MA/MSc Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuropsychology students
      • MA/MSc Developmental Sciences students
      • MA/MSc Educational Neuroscience students
      • MRes Functional Neuroimaging students
      • MSc/MA Health and Clinical Psychological Sciences
      • MSc Psychological Research Methods students
      • Postgraduate Diploma/MSc/MRes Psychology students 
      • MPhil/PhD researchers. 
    • School of Social Sciences, History and Philosophy: 
      • BA Archaeology first- and second-year undergraduates
      • BA Archaeology and History first- and second-year undergraduates
      • all taught Master's and research postgraduate students 
      • all full-time second- and third-year undergraduates 
      • all part-time third-, fourth- and subsequent-year undergraduates
      • all Honorary Visiting Fellows and Professors. 
  • How to join if you are a student whose course appears in this list: go to Senate House Library with your Birkbeck ID card and your Certificate of Birkbeck Student Eligibility (which you can access via My Birkbeck - go to the Student  Library Services' section, choose 'My Senate House Library access') - you can take a hard copy or show it on your mobile device. 
  • How to join if you are a distance-learning student whose course appears in this list: follow the instructions above and email your Certificate of Birkbeck Student Eligibility (which you can access via My Birkbeck - go to the 'Student  Library Services' section, choose 'My Senate House Library access') to . 
  • How to join if you are a student whose course is not listed: you can pay to join Senate House Library (£107 for 2018-19). 
    • To do this, log in to My Birkbeck, go to the 'Student  Library Services' section, choose 'My Senate House Library access' and click the 'Senate House Library Access: Not Eligible' hyperlink to make a secure payment. After payment, you should see 'Senate House Library Access: Eligible' in My Birkbeck - click this hyperlink to see your 'Certificate of Birkbeck Student Eligibility'. You need to show this certificate (either printed or on a mobile device) at the Senate House Library, along with your Birkbeck ID card. 
  • How to join if you are an academic member of staff: you will need to print out an eligibility form and have it signed by a director of operations or assistant director of operations. Take the form with your Birkbeck ID card to the Senate House Library to register or renew your membership. 
  • How to join if you are a Professional Services member of staff: you can pay to join Senate House Library (£107 for 2018-19). 
    • To do this, take your application form to the Birkbeck Library issue desk on the ground floor, where you can pay the membership fee, and then take your form and your Birkbeck ID card to Senate House Library. 
    • If access to Senate House Library is necessary for your work, your department may pay your membership fee. An authorised signatory will need to sign your completed application form and you will need to provide a cost-code. Take your application form to the Birkbeck Library issue desk on the ground floor and then take your form and your Birkbeck ID card to Senate House Library. 

University of East London (UEL)

  • If you are a student enrolled on a course in Stratford, you can use the UEL Library. 
  • Other Birkbeck students and staff can use UEL Library via the SCONUL Access Scheme.
  • All Birkbeck students can access the University Square Stratford (USS) building, including the Weston Learning Centre. 

Other University of London Libraries in Bloomsbury

Other libraries and archives in London

Libraries and archives in the UK

International libraries