All Royal Holloway students and staff can sign up online for a Senate House Library membership. The membership is free.
Please note that all memberships are for four months and you can renew within 14 days of the expiry date.
For the latest updates on their services and how to access their collection visit the Senate House Library website.
The SCONUL Access scheme allows many university library users to borrow or use books and journals at other libraries which belong to the scheme. SCONUL Access is a reciprocal access scheme open only to members of SCONUL. There is no fee for institutions to join and the scheme provides free borrowing for many staff and students of participating institutions.
This is a list of the institutions that you can access in London, once you have applied for SCONUL scheme. Please note that you will need to choose one of them to register; however, once you have your SCONUL email confirmation, you will be able to access any of thesm without applying again.
| University Library | Monday - Friday | Weekend |
|---|---|---|
| University of the Arts London (Chelsea site) | 9 am - 10 pm |
10 am - 8 pm |
| Birkbeck, University of London | 9 am - 11.45 pm |
9 am - 11.45 pm |
| City, University of London | Northampton Square - 8.30 am to 12 am Business Library - 9 am to 12 am Law Library 8.30 am - 10 pm |
Northampton Square - 8.30 am to 12 am |
| Goldsmiths, University of London | 9 am - 9 pm | 9 am - 9 pm |
| University of Greenwich | Check https://libcal.gre.ac.uk/hours/ - not 24 hours |
Check https://libcal.gre.ac.uk/hours/ - not 24 hours |
| London Metropolitan University | 9 am - 11.30 pm | 11 am - 6.30 pm |
| London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine | 9 am - 8.25 pm | Closed |
| London South Bank University | Southward campus - 24/7 until Friday at midnight | 9 am - 9 pm |
| Queen Mary University of London | Mile End - 24/7 | Mile End - 24/7 |
| Ravensbourne University London | Access only by appointment |
Access only by appointment |
| Regent’s University London | First floor open 24/7 |
First floor open 24/7 |
| SOAS, University of London | 8 am - 11.30 pm | 10:30 am - 11.30 pm |
| St George's, University of London | 24/7 from the 2nd October | 24/7 from the 2nd October |
| University of Westminster | Only during staffed hours (unclear when those are) | Only during staffed hours (unclear when those are) |
These opening hours apply to term time only. Please check the opening times on each institution's website before visiting.
Royal Holloway is a member institution of University of London. As such, our students might be able to access study spaces and reference materials in University of London libraries that do not participate in the SCONUL Scheme. The terms of access vary depending on the institution and usually there is no access during exam periods, Please click on the links below to consult the terms of access for each institution; you will find the relevant information in the University of London students section:
The British Library has sites both in London St. Pancras and Boston Spa in Yorkshire. To use their facilities, you will need to register for a reader pass.
If you want to consult specific items, please remember to request them before your visit.
They also provide access to some ebooks and electronic journal collections remotely. To see what is available, visit the British Library catalogue and select Available online (beta).
Any books borrowed from the Egham campus can be returned to Bedford Square. Please be aware it will take 3 working days for books to be taken off your account.
There is a drop box on campus at the Depository (see the campus map) where Royal Holloway staff and students can return books borrowed from Senate House Library. The drop box is located in the fence by the green gates at the entrance to the Depository site. There are a few things to note:
Books can also be returned to the Bedford Square reception during opening hours. Please be aware it may take several working days for books to be removed from your account.
