Using other libraries

Although the Learning Resources Centre should provide most of the information you need, there may be occasions when you require specialist material which we do not stock. You can search for books held at UK universities using Search25 (for most university libraries in the London area) or COPAC (for specialist research libraries around the UK).

Other university libraries

You do not have automatic access to other university libraries but you can ask at the Customer Service desk for details about the Sconul Access scheme which gives you access to many university libraries.

Document Supply

For level 6 (third year undergraduate) or postgraduate students we may be able to borrow books from the British Library for you or get photocopies of journal articles using our Document Supply service.

University of Bedfordshire sites

You may use libraries at any of the sites of the University of Bedfordshire. The majority of Art books are at Park Square, but Polhill has English and Performing Arts collections.

Specialist libraries

Below are a few libraries likely to be particularly useful for teaching and research at University of Bedfordshire. Always check the library catalogues for the items you want and the opening hours before visiting.

• The National Art Library at the Victoria and Albert Museum, holds a huge amount of material on all areas of art and design. 

• The British Architectural Library at RIBA is useful for Interior Design and Interior Architecture. RIBA members, including student members, are entitled to free use of all reference collections. Day rates are available for non-members.

• St Bride Printing Library, London. Strong in all areas of printing, publishing, typography, graphic design and illustration.

• The Tate Library Collection Researchers may visit the Tate library which contains over 40,000 books and 140,000 exhibition catalogues on art.

• Heinz Archive and Library For portraiture, the Heinz Archive at the National Portrait Gallery provides a library and also a telephone and e-mail enquiry service.

• Courtauld Institute of Art - strong in historical art material, but access is granted to researchers who cannot get the material required elsewhere.

• The Museum of Domestic Design and Architecture Middlesex University, Barnet. Major collection of 19th and 20th century decoration for the home.

• University of the Arts, London comprising five institutions, this is one of the major universities for the arts.

• British Library Consult the Reader Registrations pages to find out how to gain a readers ticket for the British Library reading rooms.