The University Library
The University Library provides 24-hour access to a huge range of online journals, ebooks, articles, and advice to help you find, use, and reference information effectively. You’ll find all the information you need on the Library’s Getting Started guide and on the Student Researcher pages.
Library sites
The University Library has four sites. For the latest updates about accessing each site and borrowing books, visit the Library webpages.
See a detailed listed of our Library Sites and their opening hours.
Finding eBooks, journals articles and more
StarPlus is the Library’s online search tool. Use it to explore the extensive collections of online journals, articles, ebooks and more available to you as a University of Sheffield researcher. Find out more by watching our Using StarPlus video.
Follow the guidance about working away from the University to ensure continued access to the full range of material.
Resources for literature searching
Visit the Library’s Discovering pages for videos and guides on literature searching.
Scopus, Web of Science and Dimensions are multidisciplinary literature searching databases for identifying and connecting to journal articles and other research outputs. If you prefer to browse through the University’s collection of online journals have a look at BrowZine, a tool which makes it easy for you to keep up-to-date. To find databases relevant to your specific discipline, use the Library guide for your subject or contact the librarian for your department.
Finding theses
White Rose eTheses Online (WREO) is the repository for doctoral theses from the Universities of Sheffield, Leeds and York. EThOS (British Library Electronic Theses Online Service) provides access to PhD theses from other universities.
If the Library doesn’t have what you need
Research is increasingly being made freely available under open initiatives. Use Unpaywall or the Open Access button to locate freely available journal articles.
You can recommend books and other material for the Library to purchase using the Library resource recommendation form.
You can also use the interlibrary request service to obtain books and articles from other libraries.
Interlibrary loan requests
The Interlibrary request service lets you borrow books or articles from other libraries, when they are not available through the University of Sheffield library. The text will either be posted or emailed to you directly, or will be available for you to collect from one of the library sites.
The service is free to students but is expensive for the library, so please use it only for essential material.
There is no limit to the number of loan requests you can make, although loans are monitored to ensure fair usage.
If you require a lot of resources which the library does not have, consider visiting another library instead.
Please make sure the item is not available through the StarPlus catalogue before placing a request.
You can find the interlibrary request form in MUSE; My services; View all services; Interlibrary loan requests.
For more information, please see our Interlibrary request service webpage.
British Library Boston Spa Reading Room
There is a regular free minibus service to the British Library Document Supply Centre at Boston Spa, which the Library runs to give staff and students of the University the opportunity to use the extensive collections housed there. For further details and up to date information, please visit the Interlibrary request service webpage.
Researcher skills development
The Library can help you develop your skills in literature searching, undertaking systematic reviews, using reference management software, using citation metrics and more. Visit the Student Researcher page to explore online training and information or browse the Doctoral Development Programme workshops offered by the Library.
Contacting the Library
For general enquiries, contact Library Help (by email library@sheffield.ac.uk, by phone 0114 222 7200, or by Live Chat.
Each department has a librarian who can help you to find reading for your studies or with any other questions you have relating to library support for your research. You can book an online appointment with them or email them for advice. Find the Librarian for your subject.
Use the library help webpages to Browse FAQs or speak to an adviser via Live Chat. Or contact the Library by email library@sheffield.ac.uk, telephone 0114 222 7200 or ask for help at the information desk at any Library site.
Find the Liaison Librarian for your department.
Find general guides and videos to the Library here.
Language support
The acquisition or further development of a second international language may be important, especially if the student concerned is not already able to read academic work in a language other than English. Whether such training is a priority will depend to some extent on the individual’s thesis needs. Language training and support is available through the University’s Modern Language Teaching Centre which exists to enable all students of the University to learn a foreign language. Classes in French, German, Italian and Spanish are currently available. Other specialist language training is also available through the other specialist modern language departments (e.g. Russian and Slavonic Studies). Students wishing to pursue a foreign language should contact the Modern Languages Teaching Centre.
For students for whom English is not their first language, classes and workshops are available from the English Language Teaching Centre. You should use this facility where necessary, since supervisors will not routinely correct linguistic mistakes. See particularly the Writing Advisory Service and the DDP modules offered by the ELTC on a range of topics including Academic Writing.
Support with study skills
Support with study skills is available from the 301 Academic Skills Centre.