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Access to our collections for visitors

Students and researchers who are not members of Cardiff University may be entitled to use Information Services library facilities under the following schemes:

Visitors may also use the Walk-In Access to Electronic Resources service. This pilot service gives users access to a number of electronic resources, such as ejournals and databases, where licensing agreements allow.

 

SCONUL Access

SCONUL Access is a reciprocal access scheme and grants borrowing privileges under different bands.

SCONUL Access Band A

SCONUL Access Band A membership enables academic and research staff and research students to borrow material from other SCONUL member libraries.

Please contact your home institution library to discuss details of how to join the SCONUL Access scheme.

Membership of a Cardiff University library through this scheme enables you to:

  • use its collection for study and consultation
  • borrow items - a maximum of five items for up to two weeks
  • use the self-service photocopiers

Please note that the library may impose access and borrowing restrictions on specific types of material or facility.

When coming to Cardiff University please ensure you bring:

  • An authorised SCONUL Access card
  • A home institution library card for identification purposes

You will be issued with a Cardiff University identity card. These are produced Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm. We advise that you make your first visit to Cardiff University during this time.

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SCONUL Access Band B

SCONUL Access Band B membership enables registered part-time, distance learning, and placement students to borrow material from other SCONUL member libraries.

Please contact your home institution library to discuss details of how to join the SCONUL Access scheme.

Membership of a Cardiff University library through this scheme enables you to:

  • use its collection for study and consultation
  • borrow items - a maximum of two items for up to two weeks
  • use the self-service photocopiers

Please note that the library may impose access and borrowing restrictions on specific types of material or facility.

Visiting students will be asked to provide the following on arrival:

  • An authorised SCONUL Access card
  • A home institution library card for identification purposes
  • Visiting part-time, distance learning and placement students will also need to provide a passport-sized photograph if intending to register at one of our health libraries:
    • Archie Cochrane, Llandough Hospital
    • Brian Cooke Dental, Heath Park
    • Cancer Research Wales, Velindre Hospital
    • Health Library, Heath Park

Full-time undergraduates from other institutions can continue to use Cardiff University libraries for reference purposes only.

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SCONUL Access Band C

SCONUL Access Band C membership enables registered full-time taught postgraduate students to borrow material from other SCONUL member libraries.

Please contact your home institution library to discuss details of how to join the SCONUL Access scheme.

Membership of a Cardiff University library through this scheme enables you to:

  • use its collection for study and consultation
  • borrow items - a maximum of two items for up to two weeks
  • use the self-service photocopiers

Please note that the library may impose access and borrowing restrictions on specific types of material or facility.

Visiting students will be asked to provide the following on arrival:

  • An authorised SCONUL Access card
  • A home institution library card for identification purposes

You will be issued with a Cardiff University identity card. These are produced Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm. We advise that you make your first visit to Cardiff University during this time.

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Cardiff Metropolitan University (formerly UWIC)

There is a reciprocal arrangement between the University Library Service of Cardiff University and the library service of Cardiff Metropolitan University to share certain facilities and services for their respective user communities. (Notwithstanding any other arrangements extant under the CROESO or SCONUL schemes.)

The two services undertake to extend to each others’ students the library privileges listed below, subject to the conditions set out below.

At the Cardiff University Library Service

Conditions of access to the service: 

  • Cardiff Metropolitan University Students will be individually authorised by a letter of recommendation from the Cardiff Metropolitan University Librarian, and will present to Cardiff University Library staff that letter and evidence of their identity

Entitlements

Cardiff Metropolitan University students will, on registering with the Cardiff University Library Service and agreeing to comply with the library regulations in force,  be able to:  

  • make reference use of printed library material;
  • borrow up to two items of long-term loan stock at a time; 
  • receive simple enquiry and orientation assistance from library staff; 
  • make use of the library catalogue;
  • use the self-service photocopiers.

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University of Wales Swansea Medical Students

Joint Clinical School students are also members of Cardiff University and should be provided with student ID / Library cards, and a full library service, at both institutions.  Students who do not have a Cardiff University ID / Library card should contact the Swansea Clinical School.

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SCONUL Vacation Access Scheme

Undergraduates and taught postgraduates can access UK and Irish higher education libraries which are members of SCONUL during vacations using the SCONUL Vacation Access Scheme.

Students visiting Cardiff University libraries may:

  • use Voyager library catalogue to find books and journals
  • refer to books and journals in the library (you will not be able to borrow them)
  • use the self-service photocopiers

Please note access to networked computers in the libraries is not included in the scheme.

Please bring your valid University identity / library card.

For information on when you can access the libraries please check library opening hours.

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CROESO

The CROESO scheme allows students registered on higher education courses in Wales to gain access, without charge and throughout the year, to the buildings and collections of the libraries of other H.E. Institutions in Wales.

Through CROESO students will be able to:

  • use Voyager library catalogue to find books and journals
  • refer to books and journals in the library (you will not be able to borrow them)
  • use the self-service photocopiers

The following institutions participate in the scheme:

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Inspire

Cardiff University's library welcomes users of other libraries under the "Inspire" collaboration scheme.

If you are a member of the public who uses a library in the Inspire scheme then you can ask to be referred to use the libraries at Cardiff University, subject to the normal service conditions applied by the University.

"Inspire"  is a collaboration programme for academic, public, government and private libraries developed at first in England but now established in Cardiff at the University Library's Cathays Park sites.

It provides a system for referring library users from one library to others, using standard procedures and documentation.  Find out more at Inspire - the UK national web site for the scheme.

The Findit! web site which provides information on participating libraries and their collections.

At Cardiff, you can visit any of the eleven libraries in the city centre which are not specialist medical libraries.   Some libraries are inside University buildings, but with an "Inspire" letter of introduction and/or personal I.D. you will be able to enter and explain your visit to Security staff who can direct you to a Library.

You will be able to:

  • use the on-line catalogue terminals in the libraries to find what materials they own;
  • use the libraries' printed collections for reference.  (Borrowing — taking items out of a library — is not possible under the Inspire scheme.)   Some library materials are in closed stores.  You can ask for those items to be brought to the library for you to read. (Library staff will explain the procedure; there may be a day or so delay.);
  • use the libraries' self-service coin-operated photocopiers,  subject to Copyright Law;
  • buy writing and computing materials, book-binding, scanning and printing services;
  • read microfilms in some libraries;
  • use your own laptop computer in the libraries.   However you will not be able to connect to the Internet or the University's computer network.

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Cardiff University Alumni

Alumni members of Cardiff University are eligible for annual membership of the library. For full details of the scheme, please visit the Alumni Benefits webpage.

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