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Using SCONUL Access

Are you a member of staff or research student at one of the member universities or colleges?
Are you registered as a full time postgraduate or a part-time, distance learning or placement student?

SCONUL Access is a reciprocal access scheme, granting borrowing privileges to many types of library users working or studying at participating higher education libraries in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

SCONUL Access provides borrowing privileges for most:

  • academic staff on open or fixed term contracts
  • postgraduate research students registered for a PhD, MPhil or similar qualification
  • part-time, distance learning and placement students
  • full-time postgraduates

SCONUL Access also provides for a reference only service for most:

  • full-time undergraduate students
  • staff of a few higher education libraries not participating in the reciprocal borrowing arrangements

To find out which libraries you can use go to Where do you want to go or consult your librarian. Reference access for full time undergraduates is offered some member libraries.

Please note that if you are a student or member of staff from a non-member university (which includes any university outside the UK and Ireland) then you will not be not able to use the scheme.