About the library

The Library at the University of St Andrews dates back to the early 17th Century, but has been collecting books for around 600 years. The General Collections hold more than one million volumes, a large e-book collection, thousands of print and electronic journals, academic databases and an extensive DVD collection which includes rare films and documentaries. The Special Collections house approximately 210,000 rare printed books, particularly strong in theology, classics, history, and English and Scottish literature. It also includes the University’s extensive manuscript and photographic collections and the University archives, which date from the early fifteenth century. From 1710 to 1837 the Library was entitled to a copy of every book printed in Britain under the Copyright Deposit Act, as a result it is particularly strong in 18th century material.

University of St Andrews also contributes to the Archives Hub. To browse descriptions of their archive materials, visit their Archives Hub information page.

British Library inter-library loan codes

Library code

SA/U-1

Policy code

G2

For an explanation of these codes, and for more information on arranging inter-library loans, see the inter-library loans page on the British Library website.

Accessing materials

Can I see live document availability on Library Hub Discover? Yes.

Can I obtain items via inter-library loan? Yes - subject to the library's local lending policy. See their website for details. You must request an inter-library loan via a library of which you are a member. Talk to your own library staff for advice on ordering an item.

Can I visit the library to view materials? Yes - see the library's website for access details. If you wish to visit it is advisable to contact the library in advance, to ensure that they can accommodate you and that the material you need will be available.

Location

Browse all of University of St Andrews's records in Library Hub Discover here.