About the Library
Durham University Library provides an excellent range of collections, resources, and flexible study spaces across five library locations and online. The University Library is always busy; around 1.5 million borrowing and returns transactions and about 2.2 million e-journal downloads were made during the last academic year. Staff are on hand to help customers make the most of the collections, resources, and facilities.
The Library has a wide and increasing range of online collections, including over 15,000 e-journals, more than 290,000 e-books, and many other major databases. Print collections amount to around 1.6 million items. All subjects taught in the University are represented, but particular strengths include collections relating to Middle Eastern Studies, notably the Middle East Documentation Unit, as well as the European Documentation Centre, and the very considerable Special Collections, whose contents include 300 incunabula and over 100 medieval manuscripts.
The five libraries offer extensive opening hours, including evenings and weekends. Generous borrowing privileges are also provided. Flexible spaces to work and study include both silent study and group study areas, well-equipped with wi-fi access, PCs, and laptops available for use.
In Durham, the Main University Library is a modern, award-winning building on the Science Site housing the modern collections in all subjects except Education, and it is also the administrative centre. A major extension to the building is currently in the process of being built. The Palace Green Library, situated on a World Heritage Site, houses a large part of the Library's Special Collections, notably, Bishop Cosin's Library and the Sudan Archive. It includes the prestigious Wolfson Gallery, which provides a superb exhibitions space. (Other archival collections, as well as lesser-used materials, are housed at 5 The College.) The Education Library in the School of Education serves both members of the University and local teachers; it includes a large Teaching Resources Centre. The Business School Library in Durham Business School supports research and education in business and finance. The Queen's Campus Library provides support for the University's growing teaching and research operations at Stockton-on-Tees.
We invite you to enjoy and to make the most of all we have on offer.
These pages also provides access to the University Library's Regulations, Strategy, and Policy documents, including:
- Collection Management Policy
- Gifts Policy
- Collecting and Preservation Policies for Special Collections
They also contain an explanation of and access to minutes of the three main Library committees, where all kinds of Library matters are discussed and policy is formulated:
See the Library History pages for information about Durham University Library's past, from the foundation of the University Library right up to its most recent developments.
