Order a Book - staff

Order books for your research.

This is the 'Order a Book' service for University staff.

To order a chapter, please visit the Order a Chapter for staff page
To order an article, please visit the Order an Article for staff page
If you are a student, please access the Order a Book for students page

How it works

If the Library doesn’t hold a copy of the book that you need for your research, complete the order form below and we will get it for you.
We will provide books electronically whenever possible. If we can't order an e-book, we will order a print copy for you (you can then use the 'Request from shelf' service if desired).
You can see information about delivery times on the order form.
If you only want short-term access to a physical copy from another library, please tick the inter-library loans box towards the bottom of the online form (for further details see below)
If you have any further information that may help us with sourcing your material please include it in the 'Comments' section in the online form.
This service does not include reading list resources.
This service does not include requests for streamed video. For such requests, please follow visit the Streamed video access page.

Inter-library loans

If we can’t purchase your item, we will contact you before we try for an inter-library loan. If you have specifically requested an inter-library loan we will try to provide you with short-term access to a physical copy held at another library in the UK or overseas. Find out more information about inter-library loans below.

How long will it take?

Books are usually supplied within 20 days although some items take longer to satisfy (as circumstances differ for each request).
You will be notified by email through your University of Manchester address when your request arrives.
To check the progress of your requests please contact us at uml.mdoc@manchester.ac.uk. If you provide your Library id number we can check up on your requests more speedily.

Collecting items

From Monday 30^th June until the start of the Academic year 2025/25, ILL material, including Reference material, can be collected or consulted in person at the Art and Archaeology Library (A+A) between the hours of 10am – 4pm, Monday – Friday.

Information on the Main Library closure is available on the Library webpages.

Non-collection of material

Please contact us within seven days of your arrival notification if you no longer need the item.

Returns, renewals and overdues

Returns

Books must be returned by the date shown on the date slip we have placed in the book.
Items borrowed from other libraries may be subject to immediate recall.
From Monday 30^th June until the start of the Academic year 2025/25, ILL loans can be returned to the Art and Archaeology Library between the hours of 10am – 4pm, or handed to a member of Library Staff at the Main Library entrance.

Overdues

Any charges incurred as a result of late returns or lost and damaged items have to be met by the borrower. If an item is returned very late, damaged or lost, you will be invoiced by the lending institution for a replacement copy (the British Library, for example, will charge you a minimum of £214).

Renewals

In some cases you can renew items borrowed from other libraries. Please contact us at least a week before the due date to see if this is possible.
If you have any queries about renewals of books supplied by other libraries, please contact us at uml.mdoc@manchester.ac.uk

Unobtainable materials

Our own stock (including items which are out on loan). Always check Library Search beforehand.
British Standards and overseas standards and patents. These are mostly available electronically although we are unable to purchase this material for you.
Pre-1900 material. A vast amount of pre-1800 material is held electronically - see EEBO: Early English Books Online - for more information.
Most theses - please see the Search theses page for more information.

Full members of the Manchester Medical Society

If you wish to request books that we don’t hold from other libraries in the UK and overseas please complete the following form and email it to uml.mdoc@manchester.ac.uk

Book loan request form (Inter-Library Loans)