News and blogs
Find out the latest news and updates from the Library.
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Join us for the launch of 'The AI Crisis in Higher Education: A Strategic Proposal'
1 Oct 2026
The University of Manchester Library is delighted to invite teaching staff, Library colleagues and students to the launch of The AI Crisis in Higher Education: A Strategic Proposal, a new Open Educational Resource (OER) by Dr Mark Carrigan, Associate...
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Discover more with Library Subject Guides!
1 Oct 2026
Library subject guides bring together recommended resources and support in one convenient place. Whether you are studying, teaching or developing learning materials, they can help you find relevant databases, eBooks, eJournals, Special Collections ...
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Help us look after our Library
28 Sep 2026
You can help keep Library spaces clean and tidy for everyone. We are launching a campaign to help keep your Library study space clean and comfortable. We are asking you to help us look after our Library by: Keeping your space tidy by disposing of ...
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Applications open for the 2026–27 Open Research Fellowship Programme
7 Sep 2026
The Office for Open Research is inviting applications for the 2026–27 cohort of the Open Research Fellowship Programme.The Fellowship gives colleagues dedicated time, funding and support to develop their Open Research expertise, enhance their ...
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Creative Manchester appoints Academic Research Lead for new Activating Collections Research Theme
1 Sep 2026
The Creative Manchester research platform has appointed Professor Ana Carden-Coyne as Academic Research Lead to oversee its new Activating Collections Research Theme.
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The Student Team Takeover
1 Sep 2026
Our new showcase, ‘The Student Team Takeover’, is on display at Main Library from Tuesday, 1 September 2026. This fifth Main Library Showcase has been curated by members of the Library Student Team; an award-winning staff-student ...
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The University of Manchester Library joins the Open Education Network
27 Aug 2026
The University of Manchester Library is delighted to announce that the University has joined the Open Education Network (OEN), becoming the latest UK institution to join this international community dedicated to advancing open education and expanding...
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Main Library Blue 1 reopens with improvements shaped by student feedback
24 Aug 2026
Students returning to campus this academic year will find an improved Blue 1 study space in Main Library following a summer refurbishment designed to enhance accessibility, technology provision and the overall study experience.The refurbishment was ...
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The University of Manchester Library joins the Open Journals Collective
11 Aug 2026
Press release written by the Open Journals Collective and originally posted on their website:University of Manchester Library joins the Open Journals Collective — Open Journals CollectiveAnnouncementWe are delighted to announce that the ...
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New collections: Expanding the range of our digital archives
16 Jul 2026
The Library has recently enhanced its digital archive collections, increasing access to primary source content across the social sciences and humanities. These new and expanded resources provide valuable material for teaching, learning and ...
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From Homer to Hollywood: The Manchester Odyssey goes on public display as The John Rylands Library showcases its special collections on the global stage
14 Jul 2026
The John Rylands Library will exhibit on public display one of its most extraordinary treasures from 15 July 2026, bringing visitors face-to-face with the oldest surviving copy of Homer's Odyssey in book form anywhere in the world. The display, The ...
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New app required to download VLe e-books
1 Jul 2026
The free VLeBooks App was created in-house by Browns Books UK-based team to adhere to modern accessibility standards. Users will no longer need to install Adobe Digital Editions.How to access VLeBooksAfter logging in to your VLeBooks account and ...
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The University of Manchester Library launches Imagine2035
29 Jun 2026
The University of Manchester Library today publishes Imagine2035, its ten-year vision for the period 2026 to 2035. Developed over a year of engagement with almost 200 colleagues, Imagine2035 has been shaped by listening to students, researchers and ...
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Library Summer Training and Support 2026
29 May 2026
Whether you’re completing final assignments, writing a dissertation, preparing for resits, or seeking expert guidance, support is available at every stage. This summer, you can: Take part in focused writing retreats or ...
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The John Rylands Library reveals Enriqueta Rylands’ personal library donated to the people of Manchester
20 May 2026
The Forgotten Library: Enriqueta Rylands and her books 20 May31 October 2026, The John Rylands Library, ManchesterThe Forgotten Library: Enriqueta Rylands and her books (20 May – 31 October 2026) explores the books Enriqueta ...
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China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) E-Books service
15 May 2026
The Library is excited to announce its continued subscription to the CNKI E-Books service, offering full-text access and the option to download entire books. With over 9,300 high-quality academic titles from ...
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Support student success and enhance teaching quality: submit your taught course requirements through Reading Lists Online
11 May 2026
We ask academic colleagues to take a moment to review our guidance and send us their requirements as early as possible to guarantee access to the recommended readings and resources that students rely on.How to Prepare your Taught Course Materials ...
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Ian Curtis archive to go on display in New York in major international exhibition from The John Rylands Library
7 May 2026
IAN CURTIS: INSIGHTVoltz Clarke Gallery, New York City25 June – 22 July 2026A major exhibition exploring the life and creative legacy of Ian Curtis will open in New York this summer, bringing rare archival material from the iconic Joy Division ...
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Exam and assessment support from the Library
20 Apr 2026
As the exam and assessment period approaches, the Library is here to support you every step of the way. You can: access workshops and online guides including our Library support for assessment ...
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Widening the range of our digital resources - Overton
13 Apr 2026
The Library is pleased to highlight Overton, the world’s largest searchable database of policy documents and grey literature (information produced outside traditional academic and commercial publishing, including government ...
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New app required to download EBSCO e-books
8 Apr 2026
As of Tuesday 14th April 2026, users who download whole EBSCO e-books for offline reading will need to download Thorium Reader instead of Adobe Digital Editions. EBSCO are switching to the free Thorium Reader app as it is compatible with screen ...
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The John Rylands Library to stage first ever international exhibition in North America
1 Apr 2026
The John Rylands Library will make history in 2026 by taking its first major international exhibition to North America, showcasing one of the world's most significant collections of ancient Egyptian papyri in a groundbreaking collaboration ...
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Library opening hours over Easter period 2026
19 Mar 2026
Main Library will close Thursday, 2 April at midnight, reopening Tuesday, 7 April at 8am, while AGLC remains open over the Easter weekend but unstaffed.Full information on opening hours is available on each of the Library sites on the Library’s...
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Look Back: Unlocking Historical Archives with AI: Opportunities and Challenges
17 Mar 2026
Creative Manchester were delighted to host ‘Unlocking Historical Archives with AI', an event addressing the opportunities and challenges that AI presents to researchers and practitioners working with ...
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New App required to download e-books from ProQuest Ebook Central
9 Mar 2026
After logging in to your Ebook Central account and clicking the download button and loan length for your chosen title you will be given a seven digit registration code and then prompted to download the Ebook Central Reader App.After installing and ...
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New! Widening the Range of our Digital Resources: Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland archive
24 Feb 2026
We are pleased to announce the recent addition of Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland archive to our digital collections. This new digital collection compiled from the ...
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Degrees of change: the fight for women’s education at The University of Manchester
23 Feb 2026
Bringing together items from our University Heritage Collections and donated archives, such as the Owens College constitution; Robert Dukinfield Darbishire portrait; Iris magazine for women students; and printed notices ...
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Upcoming Temporary System Downtime — Remember Your Student Card or Library ID card
23 Feb 2026
Upcoming Temporary System Downtime — Remember Your Student Card or Library ID cardA key University system that staff use behind the scenes to support student services will be temporarily offline from 10am, Thursday, 26 February until 10am,...
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Closing soon: Library Open Access monograph competition 2025/26
16 Feb 2026
The Library’s Open Access monograph competition 2025/26 closes in one week on Friday, 27 February 2026:Open Access monograph competition 2025/26 and 2024/25 winners announcedIf you’re an unfunded monograph author who will soon publish a ...
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Library Student Sentiment Survey confirms high satisfaction with Library spaces and services
12 Feb 2026
After carrying out the Library Student Sentiment Survey from October - November 2025, almost 700 students took the opportunity to provide their feedback, and we are delighted that the overall satisfaction with the Library remains high at 81%. We...
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Explore our Arabic Manuscripts on Manchester Digital Collections
11 Feb 2026
Items from The John Rylands Library’s Arabic manuscripts collection are available online for the first time via our Manchester Digital Collections (MDC) platform. Explore fully digitised copies of Quranic manuscripts, in particular a ...
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University-wide network disruption on 11 and 12 February
3 Feb 2026
The disruption is expected to be short, up to a maximum of five minutes, however please allow up to one hour for checks against key systems to complete. During the disruptions, access to University services will be affected. This includes (but ...
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New Content: Oxford Research Encyclopedias
2 Feb 2026
We are pleased to announce the expansion of our Oxford Research Encyclopedias collection, featuring additional content to supplement and complete our existing holdings.New subject areas added include African, American, Latin American and Asian ...
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Library Teaching and Learning Support: Spring 2026
28 Jan 2026
Training and supportThe Library is here to support you during your studies and research. Our year-round training and support provides a flexible blend of workshops, online guides and drop-in support to develop the ...
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Re:Collect: Have your say on discovering and accessing our Digital Collections
27 Jan 2026
We’re improving our Digital Collections and value your input. Re:Collect is a new Library project focused on enhancing how our digital collections are discovered, accessed and used.You can currently browse our collections, comprising of ...
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Delivering Imagine2030: The University of Manchester Library Annual Report 2024-25
27 Jan 2026
The Library's fifth Imagine2030 annual report is now available.Find out more about the Library's services, physical and digital resources, which support and advance research, teaching and learning across The University of Manchester.
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The Nineteenth Century Stage: Industry, Performance and Celebrity - Widening the range of our digital resources
19 Jan 2026
As a result of consultation with academics from the Faculty of Humanities and colleagues at the Rylands, the Library has arranged for electronic access to the newly launched Nineteenth Century Stage: Industry, Performance and Celebrity database. ...
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The Open Research Fellowship Programme at The University of Manchester
12 Jan 2026
The Office for Open Research is pleased to announce our newly appointed Fellows 2025/26 as part of the Open Research Fellowship Programme at The University of Manchester. What Is the Open Research Fellowship ...
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The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, 1919-1997: Widening the range of our digital archives
9 Dec 2025
The Library has acquired the first part of Gale’s Global Development and Humanitarian Aid Collection, The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), 1919-1997, strengthening ...
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Library opening hours over Christmas vacation 2025-26
8 Dec 2025
Full information on our opening hours across all Library sites can be found on the Library’s ‘Locations and opening hours’ web pages:Locations and opening hoursLibrary ChatLibrary Chat will be available 24/7 during the vacation ...
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Open Access monograph competition 2025/26 and 2024/25 winners announced
8 Dec 2025
2025/26 Open Access monograph competition – now openUnfunded monograph authors from any University Faculty can enter the Library’s Open Access monograph competition 2025/26, as long as they will soon be publishing a monograph or published...
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John Rylands Library wins prestigious FX Museum or Exhibition Space award
3 Dec 2025
The John Rylands Library, part of The University of Manchester Library, has been awarded the FX Award for Museum or Exhibition Space 2025, triumphing in a highly competitive international category.International competitionThe Library was recognised ...
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Explore your online identity with Digital Society
1 Dec 2025
Develop your digital communications skills and explore the online world with Digital Society, the UCIL course unit run by the Library. Studying entirely online, you’ll explore the relationship between digital technology, society, and you, from ...
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Aging in the Modern World: widening the range of our digital resources
1 Dec 2025
Aging in the Modern WorldThis collection constitutes a critical component of the Global Issues Library, addressing some of the most significant and complex challenges confronting contemporary societies. Aging in the Modern World completes this ...
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New exhibition Cottonopolis: The Origins of Global Manchester opens at the John Rylands Library
26 Nov 2025
Cottonopolis explores how 18th century Manchester was transformed into a manufacturing powerhouse and the centre of Britain’s booming cotton industry. Manchester became known as Cottonopolis. The exhibition explores how the ...
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Donate your new or pre-loved children’s books at the Main Library
24 Nov 2025
This national charity works to ensure every child has access to their own books at home, redistributing thousands of pre-loved children’s books each year to families with few or none.Donate a bookWe’re inviting colleagues across the ...
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Muriel Stott courtyard opens Wednesday, 19 November 2025
19 Nov 2025
This outdoor space offers a mix of study and social areas which have been designed with student feedback in mind - perfect for quiet reading, collaborative work, or simply taking a break in the fresh air. Courtyard redevelopedThe courtyard marks...
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Exam and assessment support from the Library
17 Nov 2025
As the exam and assessment period approaches, the Library is here to support you every step of the way. You can:access workshops and online resources for revision, exam and assessment supportspeak to Library and student team staff via our roving ...
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Enhanced access to British Online Archives collections
17 Nov 2025
As a consequence of ongoing mapping activity relating to our position as National Research Library in the North the Library has significantly boosted its holdings from British Online Archives.About the collectionsA number of the 21 new primary source...
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Library subscription to Scite to end Friday, 5 December 2025
3 Nov 2025
After this date, University of Manchester staff and students will no longer have unrestricted access to Scite’s research discovery and analysis tools.In December 2023, the Library’s Office for Open Research agreed to support a two-year ...