Lancaster University library foyer with the living tree in the centre.

Lancaster University Library

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A Library at the heart of Lancaster University's community, local and global. We connect, we innovate, we include.

Welcome to the library

The Library sits at the heart of the Lancaster University. The library building is located at the centre of the Bailrigg campus, providing a welcoming, open and inclusive place for library and university activity. Integrating our in-person provision with a strong digital presence extends the library's reach well beyond campus, so our resources, facilities and support are available wherever you are.

Our approach is based on a library vision Towards 2025, that expresses our firm commitment to be innovative and inclusive in all we do, and a desire to connect with and bring people together.

The library towards 2025

The library vision describes our ambitions for the five year period up to academic year 2025-26. It outlines our approach and commitments to providing a library that fully integrates digital and physical provision, connecting and partnering with our communities, taking innovative and sustainable approaches, and underpinning all we do by seeking to be inclusive and celebrating diversity.

The Library Towards 2025
Side profile of the Library, with the lights shining out from the windows.

What's on in the Library August 2023

Correcting the scholarly record, and dispelling myths around corrections- Wednesday, September 20, 10:00am - 11:00am

A core part of publication ethics is that when published research is affected by errors or misconduct, this must be corrected. This webinar aims to explain both the process of fixing errors and misconceptions about corrections, focusing on journal articles.

Macmillan Coffee Morning- Friday, September 29, 2023Time:10:00am - 11:30am

Macmillan Coffee Morning Organised by the Parent Carer Network and the Library. An opportunity to find out more about the Library new Family Room and raise money in aid of Macmillan.

Library Skills Sessions:

Nuclear Engineering - Maximise your use of Library Resources - Wednesday, August 2, 11:00am - 12:00pm

Library Skills Session for Engineering PGRs- Monday, September 18, 10:00am - 1:00pm

Subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter to receive information on our upcoming events.

Achievements and awards

NSS 91%

We were rated the top university library of its kind by students in the 2022 National Student Survey.

The Library was invited to join Research Libraries UK in 2022. RLUK is a consortium of the most significant research libraries in the UK and Ireland.

Our Learning Development team were awarded the prestigious Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence in 2022.

We received the Outstanding Library Team award in the Times Higher Education awards in 2022.

News

Engineering Case Studies Online

Now Available - Engineering Case Studies Online

Engineering Case Studies Online is a comprehensive and authoritative resource to provide in-depth, impartial analysis of key engineering failures.
Gypsy Roma &Traveller History Month, background trailer and horses.

Gypsy, Roma, Traveller History Month

To begin our celebrations for this year’s Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month, on the 5th of June, we held an event in our Exhibitions Space. This event showcased films alongside talks and discussion from two guest speakers: Bill Lloyd and Tom Lloyd.
A round-framed picture of the green plants wall in the Library, with orange armchairs and tables nearby. There is the Lancaster University Library logo underneath the image, and the overall background is a sage green.

Library and Learning Development trials Feedback Fortnight

For two weeks between 20th February and 5th March 2023 we ran a trial of gathering direct feedback from Library users following interactions relating to our services, facilities and resources. We wanted to learn as much as possible about your experiences and how these might be improved.
Pride Month 2023 with rainbow background of pastel colours.

Celebrating Pride 2023 at the Library

During June, we celebrated Pride month with a combination of events, exhibitions, and resources we put together and shared.
Staff and students at a celebration event

Students as partners Library celebration event

At the heart of the library’s vision ‘The Library Towards 2025’ is our ambition to be a library that is connected, that goes beyond providing just a service and a building and to work in partnership with all our Lancaster University communities, which includes providing students with opportunities to work with the library and have a central role in its development. 
Collage of images including Nelson Mandela, a person in scrubs holding a baby and a crowd of people seated around a table.

New 'Commons' Resources From the Library

The library has subscribed to two new 'Commons' resources. Africa and Policy Commons. These are a newer type of resource, that benefits both researchers and decolonisation efforts across the University by surfacing lost or difficult to find Primary Source resources, much of which is located in the Global South. This also means we have had a significant increase in the amount of interesting Policy Documents, Photographs, Zines, Films and Documentaries.

More News

Explore the library

  • What's on

    We have a rich programme of activities, both on campus and online. Explore our programme of workshops, exhibitions and other events.

  • Visit

    Discover the library building and find all you need to plan your visit, including details of community card membership.

  • Collections

    Explore our extensive print and online collections, including primary source materials, Special Collections and Archives, and Lancaster Digital Collections.

  • Learn

    Find out how our Faculty Librarian and Learning Development teams support learning, including partnering with students, working with schools and independent online learning.

  • Research

    Find out how we support the University commitment to open research by partnering with researchers and supporting research activity.

  • Connect

    Connect with us via social media and find out more about our partnership activities.