Joining the Library

University of Edinburgh staff, students and academic visitors

Staff and fully matriculated students of the University of Edinburgh have full access and borrowing rights to all staffed University of Edinburgh Library sites. Some academic visitors may also have full rights at the Library.

University of Edinburgh staff and students

Your University of Edinburgh staff or student ID card serves as your library card.

Staff and students should always carry their University ID cards on them.

In the Main Library, Law and Europa Library and New College Library cards are also used for swipe entry. In the Noreen and Kenneth Murray Library and Lady Smith of Kelvin Veterinary Library cards are used for swipe entry out of hours.

In other site libraries staff and student cards must be shown on request to any member of library staff and must always be produced in order to borrow.

What does my card entitle me to at the library?

Forgotten your student card?

Students who forget their University ID card can gain access to these libraries for consultation access only if they register for a day pass. A maximum of two day passes per academic year can be issued.

Students cannot use day passes to borrow, or to gain access to the HUB section on the ground floor of the Main Library.

Replacement cards can be ordered at the Main Library, ECA Library, Noreen and Kenneth Murray Library, and Lady Smith of Kelvin Veterinary Library Helpdesks. Registry, Old College (students only) and the Reception Centre at Pollock Halls of Residence can also provide replacement cards. There is a £10.00 charge for cards that are replaced because they are lost, stolen or damaged.

Departmental and class libraries

Access to departmental and class libraries is primarily for the staff and students of these departments. Access is arranged by the staff of the colleges to which they belong.

Academic visitors

Official academic visitors, including Visiting and Honorary Fellows and Research Associates, should be registered on the Visitor Registration System (VRS) by their University of Edinburgh Schools and Colleges and apply for a University ID card which will also serve as a library card.

Being registered through the VRS does not automatically give someone borrowing rights or access to library e-resources this depends on the category assigned by the department.

Library regulations

A student University card is issued on the understanding that its owner agrees to abide by the Library regulations. All other categories of user sign an undertaking that they agree to abide by the Library and Computing regulations.

This article was published on Dec 4, 2012