As work continues to transform the Lower Ground Floor area of Keppel Street, if you’re based in London and are looking for alternative spaces to study there are several options available to you:
Senate House
All current students, staff and researchers at LSHTM can join Senate House Library – located next to our Keppel Street building – for free. To do so, you’ll need to complete an online membership form first which is available here or (if this link is not working for you) via the tile headed “Accessing material not available in LSHTM Library collections” here on our Moodle pages. You will then be able to complete your registration when you first visit in person. You’ll find more information, including opening hours via Senate House Library’s website. (For any Distance Learning students reading this, if you are able to visit Senate House at any point, this would be available to you as well. If this isn’t an option however, you can also apply for online membership of Senate House and can access resources via the University of London’s Online Library, as described here.)
SCONUL Access
SCONUL Access is a scheme enabling staff, postgraduate taught course and research degree students – including Distance Learning students – to join a wide selection of other academic libraries in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Registration for the scheme is done online, via the SCONUL Access website. Fill in the online form to describe what type of user you are and it will display a map showing you the libraries you can access. You’ll need to complete an online application form, which will be sent through to the LSHTM Library for approval. When we have approved your application, you will receive an email confirmation – you just need to take a printed copy of this email and identification to the library you would like to visit. Please check with the library you plan to visit in advance to check their access requirements, including which ID you are required to take with you. Do bear in mind that their opening times may also change outside term times.
When you apply online, you’ll be asked to choose a specific library you initially wish to access, but your email confirmation for this library will also allow you to access other libraries participating in the scheme.
University of London Libraries
In circumstances where SCONUL access isn’t applicable for any reason, studying at other University of London (UoL) libraries may also be enabled via the reciprocal access scheme established by UoL’s Federation – you’ll find a list of participating institutions here, including a handy map showing where each is located. When accessing these libraries, it’s advisable to get in touch with the library you would like to visit in advance – individual libraries will have their own specific access requirements.
Other libraries
If there is another library you would like to visit we suggest you get in contact with them and ask if you can register. Often libraries will allow free access if you have a valid reason for wanting to consult their collections. They may not allow access if you wish to use their space for study only.
Do also bear in mind that there are other major research libraries such as the British Library and the Wellcome Library nearby which have reading rooms available for you to use. Anyone can register for a Reader’s Pass at the British Library which gives you access to their reading rooms. Due to the recent cyber-attack on their systems, they are only issuing temporary 3-month reader passes (please note there are restrictions on access to their collections too). Up to date information on registration can be found on their website https://www.bl.uk/research/#reader-registration.
If you have any questions about using any of these services, or are looking for other ways to access material in other libraries, let us know by emailing library@lshtm.ac.uk. You can also get in touch via Service Desk, or by using the live chat option on our website and also via Twitter/’X’/Facebook.
