FindIt@Bham

About 80% of our stock is in the Research Reserve in the Main Library and discoverable using FindIt@Bham. Research Reserve items include theses, as well as older, less frequently used books and periodicals. These are only available to consult upon request. For items held in the Research Reserve:

• Most books and serial monographs are loanable.
• Journals and periodicals are reference use only and can only be used in the library.
• Theses are reference use only within the Library. See Tracing Theses for information on how to access PhD theses online.
• You can request a scan of articles and chapters from books and journals (University of Birmingham staff and students only).

If you find an item that shows it is in the Research Reserve, you can request it via FindIt@Bham. 

Select Check for current availability to see the request options. Research Reserve items have a Request physical item and a Scan request: article or chapter link. Find out how to request a scan.

 
If you want the physical copy of the item, select Request physical item:

Fill in any additional information and select Request.

• University of Birmingham students or staff members: you can request loanable items to be delivered to one of our site libraries.
• External members: you can make Research Reserve requests directly by signing into FindIt@Bham. When signing into FindIt@Bham, you should select the option for External Borrowers. If you have not already set up a password, please email us: researchreserve@mail.libanswers.bham.ac.uk. Whether you can borrow an item or not will depend on your membership type. External members can only collect or consult items at Main Library.
• Visitors: email us via researchreserve@mail.libanswers.bham.ac.uk to request Research Reserve items. Visitors can only consult items in Main Library.

Requesting journals and periodicals

If requesting a journal, please state the volume/s required in the relevant box. If you require multiple volumes/issues, please request these as part of one request.

Theses

Use the Request physical item option. All theses are for reference use only, but many PhD theses are available online. See Tracing Theses for more information.

School of Medicine theses must be consulted at the Barnes Library.

Pre-1850 material

Due to the age and condition of material published before 1850, they must be consulted in the Cadbury Research Library located in the Muirhead Tower.

Once you've placed a request, you will be told where you are in the request queue.

Requests are dealt with in order and speed of response will be dependent on the level of requests in the queue. Requests are processed at regular intervals, and are usually available in two to three working days (Monday-Friday). Please note that there is no fetching or scanning service on Bank Holidays or University Closed Days.

If you have made a physical request and the item is available, we will fetch it and notify you to collect from either:

• The Request shelves in the Library Information Centre on the ground floor of the Main Library.
• At another site library if you ask for it to be delivered there.
• The Allport Room opposite the Research Research in Main Library, if it is a thesis or reference-only item. These items need to be collected during Allport Room opening hours. Weekend access to the Allport Room is available upon arrangement.
• Certain items, due to fragility or rarity, can only be consulted in the Allport Room.

You will have one week to collect your item. If you need longer, please contact us.

Loanable items should be issued to your account by using one of our self-issue machines.

Reference only items, including theses, can only be consulted within the Main Library.