Preparing for your visit to the University of Bristol Library
How to check that the book you need is available.
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.
Before visiting, you will need to confirm the book you wish to consult is available.
You will also need to confirm the location of the book. Our printed collections are housed across our library locations, but not every library is open to visitors.
If the book is held in a library not open to the public, you can request it to be brought to the Education Library where you can consult it.
For visitors using a Day Reader pass, to ensure you can use the books you require:
Use library search to check the availability of a book
Use Library search to:
- Confirm the title is currently available
- Check which library location holds the book you wish to consult
If the title is held at the Education Library, you can get the item from the shelves during your visit.
If the title is held at another library location, you will need to request the book to be transported to the Education Library through our Visitor Book Retrieval Service below. Please allow 5 working days.
Request a book to be brought to the Education Library
If the item is an online resource, we will be unable to provide access unless it falls under our freely available research resources.
For visitors with a SCONUL Access borrowing card, to ensure you can use the books you require:
Use library search to check the availability of a book
Use Library search to:
- Confirm the title is currently available
- Check which library location holds the book you wish to consult
If the title is held at the Education or Wills Memorial Library, you can get the item from the shelves during your visit.
If the title is held at another library location, you will need to request the book to be transported to the Education Library through our Visitor Book Retrieval Service below. Please allow 5 working days.
Request a book to be brought to ASSL
If the item is an online resource, we will be unable to provide you access unless it falls under our freely available research resources.
For visitors using SCONUL Access Band R (full-time, on-campus undergraduate), to ensure you can use the books you require:
Use library search to check the availability of a book
Use Library search to:
- Confirm the title is currently available
- Check which library location holds the book you wish to consult
If the title is held at the Education, you can get the item from the shelves during your visit.
If the title is held at another library location, you will need to request the book to be transported to the Education Library through our Visitor Book Retrieval Service below. Please allow 5 working days.
Request a book to be brought to ASSL
If the item is an online resource, we will be unable to provide you access unless it falls under our freely available research resources.
For visitors who have University of Bristol Library alumni cards, to ensure you can use the books you require:
Use library search to check the availability of a book
Use Library search to:
- Confirm the title is currently available
- Check which library location holds the book you wish to consult
If the title is held at the Education Library or Wills Memorial Library, you can get the item from the shelves during your visit.
If the title is held at another library location, you will need to request the book to be transported to the Education Library through our Visitor Book Retrieval Service below. Please allow 5 working days.
Request a book to be brought to ASSL
If the item is an online resource, we will be unable to provide you access unless it falls under our freely available research resources.
If you are a member of Honorary Staff, please contact lib-access@bristol.ac.uk to obtain full information of your access to our library services.
Use library search to check the availability of a book
Use Library search to:
- Confirm the title is currently available
- Check which library location holds the book you wish to consult
If the title is held at the Education Library or Wills Memorial Library, you can get the item from the shelves during your visit.
If the title is held at another library location, you will need to request the book to be transported to the Education Library through our Visitor Book Retrieval Service below. Please allow 5 working days.
Request a book to be brought to ASSL
If the item is an online resource, we will be unable to provide you access unless it falls under our freely available research resources.