Typical questions

• • All the books on my reading list are on loan. Can I get it in another library?

• • Is there a library nearby where I can use Russian newspapers?

Starting points

• • Students should always be directed to search the catalogue of their own institution first. If items cannot be found it is always worth double-checking if books are on loan or if the search has been performed correctly! Common problems in searching include looking for book chapters instead of the title of the book they were published in, spelling mistakes and incorrect titles. For edited collections, it is often a good idea to double-check by conducting a title search as sometimes a book can be indexed under the name of a different editor.

• • If items are not available locally, find out if the institution has any access agreements with other colleges then check their catalogues first. Many UK universities are members of a scheme called SCONUL Access (www.sconul.ac.uk/sconul-access).

• • When checking other library catalogues, note that some universities have several sites and some items may be held in remote stores. If in doubt, check locations in advance.

• • Some library catalogues do not index individual journal articles or government reports, these often need to be traced using other databases. Information about these is usually given on the library website in subject or research guides.

• • Library catalogues may retrieve several entries for what appears to be the same item. Check all entries as there may be separate records for print and online versions.

• • Searches may retrieve references to e-books or e-journals. Non-members cannot usually access these remotely. There may be some onsite access via visitor facilities but this should be checked in advance. There may also be restrictions on access to certain teaching collections or at busy times of the academic year.

Recommended resources

Union catalogues

These enable you to quickly cross-search the contents of more than one library catalogue. They are excellent for finding out which library in a specific area has a journal or book title. Remember to check which library catalogues are included and whether they have data on what books are on loan!

Jisc Library Hub Discover service

https://discover.libraryhub.jisc.ac.uk

Formerly known as Copac and currently being developed as a national database of UK and Irish academic, specialist and national library catalogues.

Public Libraries

Don't forget local public libraries, many offer online newspapers. The UK government website has links to many local authority catalogues:

www.gov.uk/search-library-catalogue.