Making a request

Most users have a nominal annual quota of document supply requests and some users, including undergraduates, must apply for a quota before placing their requests.

Placing a request

Step one: Please search the Library's collections before placing a request. We can only supply items not already in stock.

Step two: Go to the Catalogue, enter your Library No. and PIN and then Login.

Step three: Select the type of request you require

Request Book or Thesis - to request the loan of an individual volume.
Request Journal Article / Book chapter - for extracts from a journal or a book.
Request Conference Proceedings - for extracts from a published conference.

Step four: Complete the form as directed, giving as much information as possible. Remember to select Electronic Delivery for articles if desired.

For journal article and conference paper requests, print the completed form including the copyright declaration, before you click send. Copyright declaration forms are not required for loan requests.

Step five: Now click on the Send button. Your request will normally be processed within 24 working hours (Monday - Friday), or first thing on a Monday for requests made over the weekend.

Step six: For article requests only you must also sign the printed form and post, fax or take the form to the Library. Your request cannot be completed without this.

Copyright declaration form signatures
The person for whom the items are being requested must personally sign the copyright form. We cannot legally accept requests signed on behalf of someone else.

If you are making the request from a terminal within the Library, or forgot to print the screen, please use the following forms:

Document Supply Copyright Declaration Form

Your request is sent electronically but will not be processed until a printed copy is received by post or fax (as required by UK Copyright law). A maximum of 10 requests may be placed made at one time (24hr period).

Please see the Distance learners section if you are unable to use the catalogue to make a request.

Requesting theses

For UK theses, please use the British Library EThOS service, which requires a registration the first time you use it. View more information about EThOS. Copyright declaration forms are not required.

UK copyright law

UK copyright law allows us to photocopy no more than one chapter of a book or 5% of the whole book, whichever is greater, and no more than one article from a single issue of a journal for an individual student.

To comply with current copyright law, each article or book extract request must be accompanied by a fully completed and signed copyright declaration form confirming that the copy will be used for research for a non-commercial purpose or private study. More information is available from the UK Copyright Licensing Agency.

Article and book chapter requests
NO requests for these will be processed until the Library has received a fully completed and signed copyright declaration form by post or fax.