SCONUL Access visitors
Arts & Social Sciences Library closure, summer 2025
The Arts & Social Sciences Library will be closed from 8pm, Thursday 12 June for approximately 12 weeks whilst we create some new spaces on the ground floor. During this time, the Day Reader Scheme will run from the Education Library, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
What is SCONUL Access?
SCONUL Access is a reciprocal scheme which allows university library users to borrow or use books and journals at other libraries which belong to the scheme. SCONUL covers most of the university libraries in the UK and Ireland.
You will need to apply for SCONUL via the SCONUL Access website. Your home library processes this; you will then receive a SCONUL email of authorisation putting you in band A, B, C or R. If you are not eligible for SCONUL access, you can instead use our Day Reader pass.
Reading and Reference access
We allow all SCONUL Access visitors (bands A, B, C and R) to use the Education Library for reading and reference access without applying in advance. Bring your authorisation email and a form of ID to get a Day Reader Pass.
This will allow you to:
- Access the Education Library between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday (until September 2025, when the Arts and Social Sciences Library will reopen for use)
- Read print books within the library and request print books from other libraries for consultation at the Education Library via our Visitor Book Retrieval Service
- Use our free wifi on your own device and these freely available research resources. Unfortunately, you will not be able to use our PCs, printers or full range of eResources
- Use our visitor access PC to view a small range of eResources
Passes are suspended during busy times in the academic year, such as assessment periods in December and April-May. During these periods, a notice will be put on our visitor pages.
Register for borrowing
SCONUL Access visitors in bands A, B and C (not band R full-time undergraduates) can also apply for a borrowing card.
This will allow you to:
- Access the Wills Memorial Library and Education Library (Education access until September 2025, when the Arts and Social Sciences Library will reopen for use)
- Borrow up to 5 print books simultaneously
- Read print books within the library and request print books from other libraries for consultation at the Education Library via our Book Retrieval Service
- Use our free wifi on your own device and these freely available research resources. Unfortunately, you will not be able to use our PCs, printers or eResources
- Use our visitor access PC to view a small range of eResources
You can register for a borrowing card by emailing lib-access@bristol.ac.uk with:
- a copy of your SCONUL email of authorisation
- a completed SCONUL Borrower Card form 2024 (Office document, 36kB)
- a scan or digital photo of the front and back of your university/library ID card
- a recent, colour, ID photograph of yourself as a .jpeg attachment (to passport-standards, see Photo instructions (PDF, 288kB))
Preparing for your visit
How to check if the book you need is available. How to confirm that you will be able to access it.