FAQs

There are two categories of membership to the library, Institute  membership and Society Membership.

Institute membership is for both UK and overseas postgraduate students and academics. This membership is free of charge, but is for reference use of the library only (see Who can borrow books?). To apply, please ask for a form from the library desk. If you are unsure as to whether you qualify for institute membership, please email the library or call the library desk on 020 7862 8709.

Society membership is for anyone who wishes to borrow books, including academics, undergraduate students, postgraduate students, private individuals (at the discretion of the librarian) or institutions. There are two societies: the Hellenic Society and the Roman Society, both of which take annual subscriptions.

For prices and membership forms, see the Hellenic Society and Roman Society websites. Please note that the Roman Society does not require the name of a tutor's while this is requested by the Hellenic Society and students need to ask their tutor to email the Hellenic Secretary. You may hand an application form in to the library desk or post it or join on-line.  Please see Who can borrow books?

To apply for either of these and to collect your library card, please come to the library desk, email the library or call 020 7862 8709.

Only members of the Hellenic or Roman Societies who are resident in or a visitor to the UK can borrow books. Please see How many books can I borrow, and for how long?

Non-members cannot usually use the library. However, subject to the discretion of the librarian, anyone with appropriate accreditation may apply for reference access for a maximum of two days, particularly to consult material not available elsewhere, by completing a visitor's form upon entry to the Library. However, the librarian reserves the right, if the library is overcrowded at any time, to ask non-members to return when there is less pressure on space.

The library is located on the third floor of the south block in Senate House. A map and transport information can be found on our Location page.

The opening hours of the library change depending on academic term dates. Please see our Opening Hours page.

Yes. If you forget your card, you can be allocated a temporary card by providing proof of identity. It is not possible to access the wireless network with a temporary card. If your card is lost or stolen, please contact the library as soon as possible to prevent possible misuse.

The majority of the collection is open access. However, books in the following locations are not available for browsing, but can be ordered for collection at the library desk (prior notice is appreciated):
ICLASS Theses Room*
ICLASS Library Office
ICLASS Cupboard
and some ICLASS Folios
*Please note that Tract volumes, Tract Boxes and Dissertation Boxes are on open access in the library.

If ordering an item for collection, please do so in advance where possible, or before 1.00pm on the day.

Books are now renewed once automatically, if not required by another reader. If a book is on loan to another member, you can make a request for it to be recalled - you will be asked for your name / barcode number. NB Books out for review cannot be recalled by members. Once a book has been returned, you will receive a notice that it is available for you to collect / or have as a postal loan - within the UK. 

Only members of the Hellenic or Roman Societies who are resident in or a visitor to the UK can borrow books. Membership to one society entitles the member to borrow 5 books for 30 days, with one renewal only; membership of both societies entitles the member to borrow 10 books for 30 days, with one renewal only.

Volumes with a shelfmark starting with X (e.g. X 99C CON ) are for reference use only, and cannot be taken out of the library.

Whether you can scan is subject to two conditions: the Copyright Acts and the condition of the material to be copied.

Users are responsible for any breach of copyright (for details, see here http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/contents). Guidelines are displayed by the scanner and photocopy machines.

In order to use the library scanner (not available at present - library staff make all scans for readers) it is necessary to purchase a a blank re-usable card for an initial cost of £1.00. Value is then added to the card by the library staff. The cost of a scan (colour, greyscale for photographs or black and white for text) is 5p. Prints cost 10p (there is an option for double-sided copies)

The library offers a postal service for scans / prints both within the UK and overseas. The member will be charged at the cost of postage and scans at a cost of 5p or photocopies / prints at 10p per page. Please note that there is a £5 charge for non-members to use the scan service. Please contact the library with any requests.

The library offers a postal service to residents of the UK and those who are staying in the UK. Please see What is the procedure for postal loans within the UK?

The library is for silent study only, however members are welcome to use the lobby area on the second floor of the South Block in Senate House or the café area in the lower ground floor for socialising /  discussions.  

The library offers a service to send scans as e-mail attachments or to post black and white prints or pdfs (or tiff / jpg files) (from scans) both within the UK and overseas, subject to copyright regulations. Members will be charged for the cost of postage plus the copies at 10p per page. Please note that there is a limit of 75 pages per person per week. There is a £5 charge for non-members to use this service. Please contact the library with requests which are dealt with in the order in which they are received. The library staff would expect to be able to process requests within a few days of receipt. All requests will require a copyright declaration before they can be sent, and must comply with copyright legislation.

The library offers a postal service to addresses within the UK. Please email iclass.enquiries@london.ac.uk or phone the library desk on 0207 862 8709. The books will be sent out, providing that they are available for loan, with a payment slip to cover postage costs. This can be paid by credit or debit card, by bank transfer (please ask for bank details), by a cheque made out to "The Hellenic and Roman Library" or at the library desk using the library's electronic payment device

The Library is pleased to announce that we have a Bookeye scanner which is available for use by readers. Scans can be made in black and white for text, greyscale for black and white photographs as well as colour.  It is possible to switch between these while scanning. Scans should be saved to your own USB at a cost of 5p per scan. Payment is made by loading credit onto a new and re-usable plastic copy card. This needs to be done at the Library desk by Library staff. The scanner will be available until 10 minutes before closing time.

We have four PCs in our Electronic Resource room. Consult the Digital Resources section of our website to see what is available online.  A project to allow access to these resources from any of the 4 PCs is in progress.

Printing can be arranged at a cost of 10p per sheet. Please ask staff at the library desk about this service. 

Laptops are permitted in the library; however, laptop cases are not. Please leave cases and bags in the lockers before entering the library and ask for a clear plastic carrier bag to carry your personal items in. There are network points and power sockets at each desk.

The internet can be accessed using 4 PCs in the Electronic Resources room, or on laptops using the wireless network.  Please ask for details how to access the University's secure network - you will need a library membership card in order to do this.

Please see our Digital Resources page for a list. Alternatively, contact the library with any enquiries.

There is a café on the Lower Ground Floor called Bloom which is open 8.30 am to 4.30 pm. Access is through turnstiles from the ground floor reception area using your library card via a wooden staircase.  Please ask about step-free access as this is in progress. The lobby of the 2nd floor of the South Block has sofas / tables where you may relax / talk / eat your own food.