Caribbean Studies: Other Libraries

If Goldsmiths library does not have the material you require for your research, there are other libraries that you can use for either reference or borrowing purposes. For some libraries, your Goldsmiths ID card is sufficient; for others you might need to apply for SCONUL Access. Please make sure you understand the requirements for each library. Alternatively, you can request an inter-library loan of a book or a journal article from Library Search.  Choose Inter-Library Loan and then sign-in. Use the book or journal article templates to make your request.

Senate House Library is the central library for the University of London. Current students and staff of Goldsmiths are entitled to free membership. To register just head to explore.gold/shl and select the relevant form. Membership entitles you to borrow books and to access electronic resources off-campus. Senate House Library's catalogue allows you to search by author, title, periodical, ISBN, etc. You can also log-in to renew books. Books should be returned to Senate House directly, not to Goldsmiths.

SCONUL Access is a scheme which allows many university library users to borrow or use books and journals at other libraries which belong to the scheme.

To apply for access, visit this page and then complete the two steps asking which kind of student you are and your home institution. You will see all university libraries you are eligible to use. You can apply to use a specific library but you will actually have access to all libraries that participate in the scheme. Once you have applied, you will receive confirmation from us shortly after than your application has been successful. Print/Show this email to the library you then wish to visit. Reference or borrowing permissions will be provided depending on the level of student you are.

First, you will need to know which libraries hold the materials you are looking for. There are two main catalogues you can search.

An underrated library service for academic research is actually your local public library. Most will have access to various electronic resources that might be of use, e.g. newspaper archives. Registering with your local library is usually simple. Here is a list of library websites for local boroughs:

• Bexley
• Croydon
• Greenwich
• Lewisham
• Southwark
• Tower Hamlets

National Libraries

• The British Library. For access see the admission requirements to get a reader pass. You must also take your Goldsmiths card to show your current academic status.
• The British Library Catalogues
• National Library of Scotland (Edinburgh)
• National Library of Wales (Aberystwyth)
• National Art Library (Victoria and Albert Museum, London) Includes national union catalogue of art periodicals.
• National Archives at Kew, London.

Libraries worldwide

• US Library of Congress - information about the Library of Congress collections, including a connection to the Library Catalogue.
• The European Library - access to the resources of the 43 national libraries of Europe. Offers free searching and delivery of digital objects - some free, some priced.
• Bibliothèque nationale de France The French National Library
• Die Deutsche Bibliothek The German National Library
• WorldCat Catalogue of books in academic libraries from the UK, USA and worldwide