Collections

Most physics resources are found in the Physics Library. However, other related resources can be found in the following branches:

• physical chemistry, polymers - in the Chemistry Library
• geophysics - in the Wills Library
• medical physics - in the Medical Library
• mathematics, electronics, computing and materials science - in the Queen's Building Library

If you need an item which is not available anywhere in the library system, you may be able to obtain it from another library by using the Inter-library loans service. See the information for undergraduates, postgraduates or academic staff for further information. Access to other university libraries and the British Library may be a useful alternative.

New books

• New books are displayed on the New Book Display in the Physics Library for two weeks, during which time they may be reserved using the Library Catalogue but not borrowed.
• See the information for undergraduates, postgraduates or academic staff for details of how to recommend the purchase of new books or other materials.

Course based materials

A wide range of materials to support physics courses are available in the Physics Library (ask at the Issue Desk):

• Recommended textbooks: in the Short Loan Collection (SLC) and, often, standard loan copies in the open collection (details are on the catalogue).
• Examination papers: sets of past examination papers (bound in years) are kept in the Short Loan Collection (SLC) (details are on the catalogue).
• Lecture notes and other handouts, from some lecturers, in the Short Loan Collection (SLC): these are not listed on the catalogue. Please ask at the Issue Desk in the Physics Library for details.

Thesis collection

Physics  PhD, MSc and DSc theses of staff and students of the Physics Department, from 1950 to date, are available in the thesis collection in the Physics Library.

Special collections

The Physics Library contains a special collection of rare books.  The Exley collection of mathematics and physics books was formed by two Bristol teachers, Thomas Exley (1775-1855) and his son John Thompson Exley (1815-99).  The Physics Library holds the collection of physics books.  Contact the Subject Librarian for further information.

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