QM libraries house over 1,000,000 print and electronic resources, and the Acquisitions Team buys, catalogues and adds approximately 10,000 new volumes each year.
We manage the collections at all Queen Mary sites (Mile End, Whitechapel and West Smithfield) and work closely with the biggest publishers and vendors to make sure you have what you need, when you need it.
The easiest way to discover and access resources is through Library Search. Use the local search to find specific books and ebooks and use the global search for broader results.
Our A-Z list of Databases is also a great way to explore the wide array of scholarly resources and packages, acquired to support teaching and learning.
The resources you need may also be available on Reading Lists Online, an online application, created by your module tutors and listing all the scholarly resources you need.
Need something for your course but can’t find it on the catalogue? Let us know and we’ll try to get hold of it as quickly as possible.
Thanks to modern technology, it’s never been easier to order scholarly resources. To do so, you can either:
To make the process work seamlessly for you (and for us), please bear the following points in mind:
We operate an e-first policy. This means if there’s an electronic version of a book, we’ll buy this and not the print. However if you have any specific needs for a print copy, let us know and we will be happy to help.
eBooks are quick to acquire, remotely accessible and don’t take up shelf space. But they tend to cost more than their print equivalents and the terminology around their acquisition can be mind boggling:
The number of copies/licences we acquire is based on the following quotas:
Essential
1 licence per 10 students
1 copy per 10 students
Recommended
1 licence
1 copy
Optional
1 licence on request
1 copy on request
The library has entered a partnership with John Smith & Sons to provide books/etextbooks for individual student use.
Rather than purchasing books for the library collection, schools now have the freedom to acquire books directly for their students, ensuring key texts are available for student use.
If you are interested in providing books/etextbooks directly to your students, contact Jenni Morton – John Smith’s.