Public access and school visits

  
Before approaching the library about an introduction for your students, it would be of help if you could consider the following points:

• The university library is heavily used by our own students and staff, and space is at a premium.  We are normally only able to accommodate school study visits at “quieter” times of the year ( December to the end of February and June-July).
  
• Pupils and students may like to have a look at a tutorial to gain an understanding of how to find books within the library before visiting us; contact us for further information.

Members of the public (including users through Learning through Libraries in Plymouth and Combined Universities in Cornwall) may use the library free of charge for reference purposes.  This includes access to a range of electronic databases covering the majority of subject areas delivered within the university. 

Associate membership

Associate membership of the library normally involves payment of a fee, and is available to those whose needs are not met by the public library services. 

Further information, scale of charges and application forms are available from:

email:  libspecialsupport@plymouth.ac.uk

SCONUL Access

The university is a member of the SCONUL Access scheme, which is a reciprocal borrowing scheme between most higher education libraries in the UK and Ireland. 

For further information on either SCONUL Access or Associate membership:

email:  libspecialsupport@plymouth.ac.uk

phone +44 (0)1752 587228 (24/7 answer machine available).

​What’s special about the library collections?

• more than 500,000 books and multimedia resources, including a rapidly increasing collection of e-books
• 22,000 journals, most available electronically
• numerous other university, national and international resources
• online discovery tools with which to search and browse for information
• a discreet law library
• a School Experience Collection used by trainee teachers to enrich teaching practice.

The library has three Special Collections of rare and noteworthy items:

• Rare Books: Originally gathered together for its artistic merit, this is a collection that ranges from the 16th to 20th Century and covers typography, illustration, lithography and fine art; a useful resource for all areas of research within the fields of arts and humanities. The collection is not just books, but also bound journals and various oddities.
• Artists’ Books: This collection contains a wide range of examples of artists’ books, some of which are
very rare.  They are all excellent examples of their genre.
• Plymouth Architectural Trust:  Contains works on a variety of subjects.  A collection presented to the library by the Plymouth Architectural Trust.

All the materials in the special collections are included on the Library catalogue.  Our more fragile and rare items are stored in an archive.  Access to the Special Collections is available by prior appointment only; see contacts below.  

How will I find my way round it all?

After the initial welcome to the university, you will have specific support within your programme at various stages, tailored to your needs and its demands. 

Taking advantage of this will enhance your information literacy skills, your assignments, and your employability.

Subject librarians are easily contactable via email and in person; the library reception area is always a good first port of call.

Email: subjectlibrarians@plymouth.ac.uk or

libraryservices@plymouth.ac.uk 

phone: +44(0)1752 588588