Members of the public: using the Library
Members of the public are welcome to use the University Library for reference and private study. This gives access to all our printed materials. You will be asked to sign the Visitors' Book on arrival as an undertaking to abide by the Library Rules.
It may be possible to borrow by joining as an External user, if you meet the designated criteria.
Criteria for joining the Library
Borrowing rights may be granted, at the discretion of the University Librarian, to bona fide scholars for whom Reading is the local university. Bona fide scholars may include:
- graduates of the University of Reading
- lecturers from other institutions in the Reading area
- members of the Friends of the University of Reading
- professionals working and living in the Reading area, eg teachers at local schools keeping up with their subject
- researchers and writers living in the Reading area
An annual subscription costs £80. Discounted to £40 for graduates of the University of Reading and Bulmershe College, Friends of the University of Reading and teachers at mentor schools.
Academic staff and some students at universities which are members of the SCONUL Access scheme may be eligible to obtain borrowing rights free of charge. Please see our SCONUL Access page for further information.
Applying for borrowing rights
- Download the External borrower application form (PDF).
Printed copies are also available from the Library Ground Floor Information Desk. - Send the completed form to the Circulation section (see Contacts & support for our postal address) or email it to library@reading.ac.uk
- If eligible, you will be invited to register at the Library and to pay the appropriate fee detailed above.
- Registration in person is only available at the Library from 09:00 - 17:00, Monday to Thursday or 10:00 - 17:00 on Fridays. If you cannot visit the Library during these hours please contact the Circulation section (email: library@reading.ac.uk or telephone: (0118) 378 8770) to make alternative arrangements.
Borrowing
You will be given an External borrowers card which enables you to borrow:
- five standard or term loan items
- these can be borrowed for up to three weeks unless recalled by another person
- you will be fined 80p per day for late returns
Using Unicorn's self-service features
When you register you will be given a PIN which you can use to access the self-service features on the Unicorn catalogue, such as renewing your loans, placing holds (on Standard loan items only), and viewing your account.
Access to e-resources
Access to the University's computers and networks is possible only with permission from IT Services. Application forms can be obtained from the ITS Help Counter in the Library.
E-resources, such as Web of Science and JSTOR, are available only to current students and staff of the University of Reading.
Back to Joining the Library