Books and Library Services
Relevant Links
Online Library
To support you in your studies, the Online Library provides a range of full-text, multidisciplinary databases. Journal articles, book reviews and reports can be found on the databases to which we subscribe on your behalf. You can find materials directly cited in your study materials, or use them to broaden your reading if you find an area of study particularly interesting. The databases can also be used to maintain current awareness in your field. Key databases include: Academic Search Premier (multidisciplinary database); ScienceDirect (titles in the social and natural sciences); Lexis and Westlaw (legal information) and Business Source Premier (business publications).
As well as the databases themselves, we also offer a helpdesk facility, which you can access in a number of ways:
- Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7862 8478. Mon-Fri 9am-5pm GMT
- You can leave voicemail messages outside of these hours. We will call you back if you leave a number or email if you leave an address.
- Electronically, you can email to OnlineLibrary@shl.lon.ac.uk or fill in a webform [external link].
- You should provide us with as much information as possible about your enquiry, especially for technical queries
- We will get back to you within 2 working days but we can often be much quicker than that.
Apart from the helpdesk, we also provide a variety of online guides [external link] to the databases and to information skills [external link] in general. These can be helpful "launching points" if you're unfamiliar with searching for information and studying online.
To access library resources you must first register for an Athens account. From the library homepage [external link] access the 'Register' link in the box in the top right hand corner and then complete the short online form. Alternatively email the library giving your full name, 9-digit student registration number and an email address. Athens accounts will be created within 2 working days of receipt.
Other Libraries
For details of libraries which are prepared to offer their facilities to International Programmes students please see the Libraries [pdf: 10pgs, 51KB].
If no libraries in your country or region are listed, then we suggest you contact your nearest British Council Office to see if it has a library or can recommend any alternatives. You could also ask universities or colleges near you if they allow students of other universities to use their libraries, but do remember that many do not have the space or capacity to offer such a service.
Most libraries will ask you to provide proof of registration with the University of London before you can use their services. You can get this proof from us by contacting the appropriate Examinations Office.