Cambridge University Library

Information for new academics

Cambridge University Library is a legal deposit (copyright) library and items acquired under the Copyright Act form the backbone of our magnificent research collection. Acquisitions specialists complement our legal deposit collection with selected purchases of overseas and foreign-language material. Recommendations for acquisition are welcomed. In addition, the UL subscribes to a wide range of authoritative electronic resources.

On your first visit to the Library please bring your University card plus your letter of appointment or other supporting documentation. Please check the eligibility for access table to find out what documentation you will need to bring.

You are strongly encouraged to make an appointment with the Admissions Office to avoid unnecessary delays. Please telephone: (01223) 333030 to schedule an appointment.

Outstanding resources

The UL has one of the largest open access collections in Europe. With over two million volumes housed on open shelves, you can benefit from immediate access and unparalleled opportunities for browsing. Uniquely for a legal deposit library, much of our collection may be borrowed by University members.

Our digital library is available 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world with your Raven password. Visit eresources@cambridge to discover research sources ranging from online reference works to specialist citation databases in your field. We currently subscribe to over 21,000 full-text electronic journals, around 400 databases and a growing collection of electronic books, many of which are core texts.

Outstanding services

DSpace@cambridge is our institutional repository designed to store and make available the entire digital scholarly output of Cambridge University. DSpace@Cambridge allows you to self-archive your papers, share research data, and store your digitised image or multimedia collections. DSpace@Cambridge also helps you comply with funders' mandates to make your research output open access.

Our Digital Resources Area offers more than 60 computers with shared printing facilities and friendly staff on hand to provide support. There is also free connection to WiFi in many areas of the Library.

Our dedicated Inter-Library Loans team provides access to material not held within Cambridge libraries. A wide range of material can be loaned or copied for you from both British and overseas libraries.

Imaging Services offers a comprehensive range of services, tailored to your individual needs. These range from single image capture, conservation stand capture, image reproductions on microfilm through to scanning and photocopying.

Self-service photocopying and scanning is also available throughout the building.

Outstanding support

The UL offers a broad range of training via its Research Skills Programme, often in conjunction with departmental and faculty librarians and subject specialists. Sessions range from comprehensive overviews of subject resources to hands-on classes in finding, appraising and managing information. Audience levels vary from first-year undergraduates to Ph.D. and postdoctoral researchers.
Tailored information skills sessions for your students can be requested by e-mailing research-skills@lib.cam.ac.uk.