Research Reserve
Theses and some older, less frequently used books and periodicals which are held in the Main Library Research Reserve are only available to consult upon request. Theses are restricted to reference use only within the Library (although see EThOS for online access to PhD theses), but most books and periodicals are available to borrow.
Requesting items
Research Reserve items have a 'request' link on FindIt@Bham. Complete the form and the item will be retrieved for you. Items will be fetched at regular intervals during the day.
Loanable items will be available for collection from the reservation shelves in the Library Information Centre on the ground floor. You will have one week to collect your item.
Thesis and other reference items which need to be consulted within the Main Library can be collected from the shelves in the Library Information Centre on the ground floor. You will need to book your visit in advance.
Certain items, due to fragility or rarity, can only be consulted in the Allport Room study space in the Research Reserve. Microforms can only be consulted here.
There is no fetching service on Bank Holidays and University closed days.
Theses
To request a thesis, use the “Request thesis” link in FindIt@Bham. All theses are for reference use only, but many PhD theses are available online via EThOS.
- School of Medicine or Dentistry: must be consulted at the Barnes Library.
Pre-1850 material
Due to the age and condition of material published before 1850, these items must be consulted in the Cadbury Research Library (Special Collections, located in the Muirhead Tower), but should be requested in the same way as other Research Reserve material.
Intersite loan requests
If you wish to collect a long loan book from another library (e.g. an OLRC book from the Main Library or vice versa) please ask a member of staff to place an intersite loan request for you. You may do this in person or online.
You should allow up to a week for the book to be delivered and you will receive an email when it is ready for collection.
We regret we are unable to transfer journals or reference and library-use only books in this way. This service is only available for staff and students of the University.