Registration 2025 Updates - Please Read

Collections

Please note the Documents in the North Basement will be undergoing some cataloguing work and may therefore be missing from the open shelves - if a document is required and appears missing please check in the collections office

Contact the Collections team: library.collectiondevelopment@sussex.ac.uk

British Library of Development Studies - BLDS

Access to the catalogue showing the books on the open shelf of the BLDS collection on the Ground Floor of the Library. (Red Catalogue)

Link to Catalogue: https://sussex.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/searchid=44SUS_INST:44SUS_BLDS&sortby=rank&lang=en

Legacy Collection

Documents and ephemeral items representing 20th Century social and political life in the UK. Some are available open access in the North Basement.

All items are stored in the South Basement and need to be requested through the catalogue or via a yellow card as per Legacy Material instructions.

BLDS Legacy

British Library for Development Studies (BLDS) Legacy collection – over 2500 rare and unique government and international organisation publications.

Includes reports, grey literature, journals, pamphlets and other ephemera largely from the Global South. LINK to BLDS Guide

Queries to: bldslegacy@sussex.ac.uk

Items will need to be requested through the catalogue and retrieved as per Legacy Material instructions.

Wellbeing Collection

Quiet, comfy and relaxing space on the ground floor with 300 books covering physical and mental wellbeing.

Includes cooking, self-help, fitness and mental help books.

Leisure Collection

Works of fiction, graphic novels and Library staff recommendations found alongside the Wellbeing collection on the Ground Floor.

Schools Collection

Books appropriate for Primary School teaching, YA fiction and classroom based resources found at the back of the Ls on the 1st floor.

Journals & Documents

3000 print journals in the North basement which are open access

160 of these are ‘current’ and being added to

Current journal display on 1st floor with 20 different titles

Journals are reference only

Documents are also stored in the North basement and are borrowable up to 6 weeks at a time.

Special Collections - The Keep

https://www.thekeep.info/

The Keep is an archive centre open to anyone and is part owned and run by the University of Sussex, East Sussex Record Office & Brighton and Hove City Council

The University of Sussex Special Collections has over 180 archive collections. They have been collected from the 1960s onwards. They cover a range of topics and reflect the interdisciplinary nature of the University of Sussex. The collections cover 20th and 21st century literary, social and political history. The Rare Book collections have over 3000 volumes. 24 of these books were printed before 1501.

Open Tuesday – Saturday and accessible by students and members of the public.

Legacy Materials

Legacy Reading Room

This room can only be used by students with a booking, or in exceptional circumstances, but booked users take priority.

Users should not eat or drink in this space.

9am – 6pm Weekdays

10am – 4pm Weekends

Collection Development staff deal with all requests for Legacy and BLDS Legacy items and will put them in the Legacy Reading Room cupboard for the borrower to use. They will also book the room for the borrower via the All Library Staff Events and Bookings section on Teams.

Items must be viewed in the reading room and cannot be taken out of the library.

Non Sussex users can request material but this has to be done by emailing library.collections@sussex.ac.uk

Prebooked material will be in the Legacy Reading Room cupboard in time for the arranged booking.

Legacy Reading Room - Issuing items - Prebooked Materials

Check the user has a booking on Teams
Take the person to the Legacy Reading Room
- Get the box of material from the Legacy Reading Room cupboard. The key is on the Emerald Publishing keyring kept in the drawer at the LSD (If the key is not in the drawer it will be in the key cabinet in the collections office)
- If there are other students using the room who don’t have a booking, the Legacy user has priority and you must ask the other students to leave and find somewhere else to study
Issue the items to the user.
- Issue individual items to the user by scanning or typing the barcode number.
  - All users will have at least a Reference Only card, most will be Sussex University users.
    - You may need to click the ‘override’ button if the user is Reference Only.
      - If the item is part of a run of serials they can’t be issued to an account.
        Take the box of material back to the user
Let them know they can’t eat or drink in the room (not even water) and must use a pencil to take notes and ask them to return the box to the Library Service Desk when they have finished.
When they have finished, ask if they wish to look at the material again and note the answers on the Legacy Reading Room form in the box
- Book a slot in the Legacy Reading Room for them via the All Library Staff Events and Bookings calendar on Teams if they want to use the items again.
- Return all items on Alma (even if they wish to use the items again)
Put the box back in the Legacy Reading Room and lock the cupboard

What if a User hasn't Prebooked?

Requests can be made directly with the Collection Development team if urgent.
OR
Support the user to place an automatic request link directly from the catalogue
OR
Complete a Yellow Store request slip and place in the tray at the LSD (only on items that are not requestable through the catalogue).

Legacy Reading Room - Returning items

When they have finished, ask if they wish to look at the material again.
- Tick the box on the form if they have finished with the items, of leave blank should they wish to view them again.
- Book a slot in the Legacy Reading Room for them via the All Library Staff Events and Bookings calendar on Teams if they want to use the items again.
- Return all items on Alma (even if they wish to use the items again)
Put the box back in the Legacy Reading Room and lock the cupboard

Legacy Reading Room - Desk Bookings

Requests can be made directly with the Collection Development team if urgent.

Support the user to place an automatic request link directly from the catalogue

Complete a Yellow Store request slip and place in the tray at the LSD (only on items that are not requestable through the catalogue).

Legacy Reading Room - Tablets

An academic has asked us to make available a series of chapters from one of the books in our Legacy collections as part of their reading list, and in order not to breach copyright we have scanned these chapters and saved them on to two tablets (a ‘Dedicated Terminal’).

The plan is as follows:

The tablets will be kept permanently in the cupboard in the Legacy Reading Room (there is a charger with them so if/when it runs out of charge the students can just plug it in).
The students will be told to request the material via library.collections@sussex.ac.uk.
Collections team will deal with the enquiries, book out the room for them, including adding to the events and bookings calendar on teams.
Two users may be booked at the same time.
User presents themselves at the LSD to ask for the tablet.
LSD staff will issue one of the tablets via Alma onto their card, and inform them:
- - the material is protected by copyright and should not be copied from the device
  - passcode = 8282
  - files are all in the Download folder which appears on the home screen
  - they should return the tablet to the LSD once they’ve finished with it.
LSD staff will then return the tablet on Alma, and place it back in the cupboard in the Legacy Reading Room.

Collections on the LSD

Sussex Theses Requests

PhD theses written before October 2009 are stored in the library and can be requested on the catalogue.
PhD theses written after October 2009 are digital and best searched on Figshare or EThOS (British Library Electronic Theses Online Service)

NB: EThOS is currently unavailable due to the cyber attack on the British Library. Digital Theses that are available are shown on the Library Catalogue.

Print Theses are issued at the LSD

Find the Fulfilment > Manage Patron Services page on Alma
- Scan the user’s card or enter their user ID 
  - Locate the item in the LSD cupboard and scan the barcode
    - Place the request slip in the plastic wallet on the door at the LSD

Returning a Thesis
Ask whether the user has finished with the item.

If Yes:

Find the Fulfilment > Returns page on Alma
- Scan the barcode
  - place item on ‘returned thesis’ shelf in LSD cupboard

If No:

Do not return the item on Alma but check the 'return' date (usually a 2 day loan) and 'renew' if applicable
- Find the Fulfilment > Manage Patron Services page on Alma
  - Scan the user’s card or enter their user ID 
    - Find the item in the list of requests and click actions (...) and select update expiry
      - Add the new date and press save
        Place the request slip back inside the item and place back on the 'Thesis' shelf in the LSD Cupboard

To Renew:

If you need to extend the expiry date of the loan beyond the 2 days:

Find the item in the list of requests and click actions (…) and select update expiry
1. 1. - Add the new date and press save

Online Theses are accessible directly through the library catalogue

Lending Special Items

Overriding non-loanable items / special loans is accetable for a short time. Anything with a barcode can be extended in Alma - please see guidance on extending loans on the Alma pages of this guide.

Anything without an Alma record must be organised using a pink slip:

Journals and NTBB documents may be borrowable for specific reasons outside the usual study. E.g. for filming / photographic purposes.
Fill in a Pink from and leave in the report tray or hand directly to collections services so they are aware the item is on loan.
Any Legacy item or anything specifically rare / fragile should be referred directly to librarian / senior manager in Collection Services/Development.

Replacing Book Labels

Whilst emptying the book sorter you may come across some older handwritten labels that are difficult to see. This will need replacing.

If the label is already illegible please check the inside cover for the shelfmark and create a new label using the label maker in the booksorter.
If both the labels are difficult to see please place on the book repairs trolley.
If the label is still legible but won't be for much longer please create a new label using the label maker in the booksorter. Instructions are provided.

Emptying the Booksorter

The Booksorter bins should emptied once during a shift on the LSD.
Books must be sorted within the Booksorter room, with each shelf on the trolleys being organised in shelfmark order.
When full, each trolley should have ‘a day of exit sign’ added and be wheeled out of the room and placed alongside the window.
The booksorter will need actioning if the red light above the bins is lit or the booksorter goes into fault.

Collection Services can provide training with the Booksorter processes and the classification scheme for those who need it.

Donations

Generally we do not accept book donations.

Large collections of books are not accepted unless from Sussex University Academics.

Maximum of 5 items can be brought in but the donor should have some connection to Sussex.

Any staff member is welcome to go to the collections office and see if there are any books they'd like. There’s a trolley marked up with material that is freely available and is added to a few times a week

Use this document to pass on information to anyone wantingn to donate books that we will not accept.

Where to donate books

Book Classifications

A - DF = 2nd Floor DG - NX = 1st Floor P - Z = Ground Floor Current Journals / British Documents = North Basement

A

Generalia / Museums

AC: Collections / Collected Works

AE: Encyclopedias

AG: Dictionaries / General reference

AM: Museums / Collecting

AN: Newspapers

AP: Periodicals

AS: Academies / Learned societies

AY: Yearbooks / Almanacs/ Directories

AZ: History of Scholarship / Humanities

B - BJ

Philosophy (& some Psychology)

B: Philosophy - General

BC: Philosophy - Logic

BD: Philosophy - Speculative

BF: Psychology (see also QZ)

BH: Aesthetics

BJ: Ethics

BL - BX

Religion

BL: Religions / Mythology / Rationalism

BM: Judaism

BP: Islam / Bahaism / Theosophy

BQ: Buddhism

BR: Christianity

BS: The Bible

BT: Doctrinal Theology

BV: Practical Theology

BX: Christian denominations

C

History - General

C: Auxillary Sciences of History - General

CB: History of civilisation

CC: Archaeology

CD: Diplomatics / Archives / Seals

CE: Technical chronology / Calendar

CJ: Numismatics (Coins / Banknotes / Medals)

CN: Inscriptions / Epigraphy

CR: Heraldry

CS: Genealogy

CT: Biography

D - DR

History - General / Europe

D: History - General

DA: Great Britain

DB: Austria / Leichtenstein / Hungary / Czechia / Slovakia

DC: France / Andorra / Monaco

DD: Germany

DE: Greco-Roman world

DF: Greece

DG: Italy / Malta

DH: Low countries / Benelux countries

DJ: Netherlands (Holland)

DJK: Eastern Europe - General

DK: Russia / Soviet Union / Former Soviet Republics / Poland

DL: Northern Europe / Scandinavia

DP: Spain / Portugal

DQ: Switzerland

DR: Balkan peninsula

DS - F

History - Rest of the World

DS: Asia

DT: Africa

DU: Oceania (South Seas)

DX: Romanies (Travellers - General)

E11 - E143: America

E151 - E909: United States

F1 - F975: United States - local History

F1001 - F1145.2: British America (including Canada) / Dutch America

F1170: French America

F1201 - F3799: Latin America / Spanish America

G - GM

Geography

GB: Physical Geography

GC: Historical Geography

GD: Human & Social Geography

GE: The British Isles

GF: Europe

GG: Russia

GH: Asia

GI: Africa

GJ: North America

GK: Central & South America

GL: Australasia

GM: Oceania / Polar regions

GN - GV

Anthropology

GN: Anthropology

GR: Folklore

GT: Manners & Customs - General

GV: Recreation / Leisure

H - HF

Sociology

HA: History & Organisation of Social Studies

HB: Theories & Methods

HC: Social Structure / Social History

HD: Social Control & Communication

HE: Social Change

HF: Social Problems / Social Policy

HL - HZ

Economics

HL: Economics - General

HM: Methodology

HN: Introductory theory

HO: History of economic thought

HP: Economic History

HQ: Economic Activity

HR: Organistion of production / Economics of labour

HS: Production of goods & services

HT: Prices & Markets

HU: Money & Finance

HV: Personal income / Income distribution

HW: Demand / Use of income in response to demand

HX: Social & Welfare Economics

HY: Public Economy

HZ: International Economics

J

Politics

JA: Generalities

JB: Political thought

JC: Government & Public Administration

JD: Political behaviour- participation in governmental process

JE: International Relations

JF: Political change / development

K - KBP

Law - General / Ancient / Religious

K: Law - General

KB: Ancient

KBD: Roman

KBG: Canon

KBH: Byzantine

KBJ: Religious - General

KBL: Islamic

KBM: Jewish

KBP: Hindu

KD - KTJ

Law - World

KD: England

KDC: Scotland

KDE: Northern Ireland

KDG: Isle of Man / Channel Islands

KDK: Republic of Ireland

KE: Canada

KF: America

KG: Latin America - General

KGC: Mexico

KGE: Guatemala

KGF: Caribbean

KJ: European - General

KJB: Portugal

KJD: Spain

KJE: European Union

KJF: Italy

KJJ: France

KJM: Belgium / Luxembourg

KJN: Netherlands

KKC: Germany

KKL: Austria

KKN: Hungary

KKP: Czechia / Slovakia

KKR: Poland

KLC: Yugoslavia (& subsequent independent states)

KLE: Albania

KLF: Turkey

KLG: Greece

KLK: Bulgaria

KLM: Romania

KLP: Scandinavia

KM: Soviet Union (& subsequent independent states)

KP: Asia - General

KPA: Middle East

KPD: Israel / Palestine

KPK: South Asia

KPL: Pakistan

KPN: India

KQB: Singapore / Malaysia

KQE: Indonesia

KQH: Philippines

KQK: China

KQP: Japan

KQS: North Korea / South Korea

KR: Africa - General

KRB: Egypt

KRD: Ethiopia / Somalia / Djibouti / Eritrea

KRG: Nigeria

KRK: East Africa / Central Africa

KRL: Zimbabwe (Rhodesia)

KRM: South Africa

KRQ: Lesotho / Swaziland (E'swatini)

KTA: Australia

KTC: New Zealand

KTF: Polynesia / South Pacific (Oceania)

KTJ: Arctic / Antarctica

L

Education

L: Education - General

LA: History of Education

LB: Philosophy of Education

LC: Educational Sociology

LD: Educational Psycology

LE: Educational testing

LF: Architecture & Buildings

LG: Teachers / Teaching profession

LH: Educational management

LI: Teaching / Teaching method

LJ: Curriculum

LK: Students

LL: Primary Education

LLA: Nursey

LLB: Infant

LLC: Preparatory School

LN: Secondary Education

LNC: Comprehensive

LNG: Grammar

LNM: Secondary Modern

LNP: Private (Public School)

LP: Tertiary Education (Higher Education)

LPG: Graduate Education

LT: Adult Education

LTA: Adult Education institutions

LV: Scientific / Technical / Vocational Education

LW: Education of Women

LX: Education by special category

LY: Special types of education

LQ: Individual institutions

School Collection

Education - Classroom materials

000: Generalities

100: Philosophy & related disciplines

200: Religion

300: Social Sciences

400: Languages

500: Sciences

600: Technology (Applied Sciences)

700: Arts

800: Literature

900: Geography / History

M

Music

M: Music - General & Scores

ML: Literature on Music

MT: Instruction & study

N

Art / Fine Arts

N: Visual Arts

NA: Architecture

NB: Sculpture

NC: Drawing / Design / Illustration

ND: Painting

NE: Print media

NK: Decorative Arts

NX: Arts - General

P

Linguistics / Languages

P: Philology / Linguistics

PA: Classical (Greek & Latin) languages / literature

PB: Celtic languages / literature

PC: Romance languages

PE: English language

PF: English literature

PG: Slavic / Baltic / Albanian languages

PH: American language / literature

PJ: Scandinavian languages / literatures

PK: German language / literature

PL: Eastern Asia / Africa / Oceania languages / literatures

PM: Hyperborean / Indian / Artificial languages

PN: General literature / Theatre / Cinema

PPJ: Oriental language / literature

PPK: Indo-Iranian language / literature

PQ1 - PQ399: French literature

PQ4000 - PQ5999: Italian literature

PQ6000 - : Spanish & Portuguese literatures

PR: Overseas literatures in English

PR: Fiction

PS: American literature / fiction

PT: Overseas literature in Germanic languages

PZ1: Science Fiction book club

PZ3: Children's literature

Q - QC

General Science / Astronomy

Q1-Q30: General Topics

Q41-Q1030: History of Science

Q1191 - Q1440: Philosophy of Science

Q1480 - Q4020: Miscellanea

QA: Mathematics: systems analysis / control theory

QB: Astronomy

QC: Terrestrial & Cosmic Physics

QD

Pure Mathematics

QD1 - QD499: General Topics

QD500 - QD1499: Arithmetic / Theory of numbers

QD1500 - QD2499: Algebra

QD2500 - QD5999: Geometry

QD6000 - QD7849: Analysis

QD7850 - QD9999: Combinatory analysis / Statistics & probability

QE

Applied Mathematics / Computing

QE1 - QE49: General Topics

QE50 - QE1270: Computing (up to Sept. 1986)

QE1300 - QE2050: Computing (from Oct. 1986)

QE4000 - QE5999: Mechanics

QE7000 - QE7350: Mathematical methods

QG

Physics

QG1 - QG499: Physics - General

QG500 - QG999: Periodic phenomena / Acoustics

QG1000 - QG1399: Heat

QG1400 - QG2999: Thermodynamics

QG3000 - QG3999: Relativity: Quantum Mechanics

QG4000 - QG4899: Molecular / Atomic / Nuclear theory

QG4900 - QG5499: Elementary particles

QG5500 - QG7499: Electromagnetic theory

QG7500 - QG9999: States of matter

QJ

Chemistry

QJ1 - QJ499: Chemistry - General

QJ500 - QJ1999: Theoretical Chemistry

QJ2000 - QJ3499: Physical Chemistry

QJ4000 - QJ5499: Analytical Chemistry

QJ5500 - QJ6999: Inorganic Chemistry

QJ7000 - QJ7499: Organometallic Chemistry

QJ7500 - QJ9999: Organic Chemistry

QM

Biochemistry / Biophysics

QM1- QM4500: Biochemistry

QM4000- QM4150: Animal Biochemistry

QM4200- QM4320: Plant Biochemistry

QM5000- QM5500: Biophysics

QM8000- QM9000: Miscellanea

QP

Biology

QP1 - QP930: Biology - General

QP1000 - QP1050: Evolution

QP1200 - QP1900: Genetics

QP2000 - QP2429: Cytology

QP2500 - QP2979: Histology

QP3000 - QP3900: Developmental Biology / Ontogeny

QP4000 - QP4790: Physiology

QP4800: Pathology

QP5000 - QP5090: Biogeography

QP5100 - QP5800: Ecology

QP6000: Taxonomy

QP9000: Paleobiology

QR

Microbiology

QR1 - QR74.5: Microbiology - General

QR75 - QR99.5: Bacteria

QR99.6 - QR99.8: Cyanobacteria

QR100 - QR130: Microbial Ecology

QR171: Microorganisms in the animal body

QR180 - QR189.5: Immunology

QR355 - QR502: Virology

QS

Botany

QS1 - QS930: Botany - General

QS1200 - QS1900: Plant Genetics

QS3300 - QS3900: Plant Morphology / Anatomy

QS4000 - QS4790: Plant Physiology

QS4800: Phytopathology

QS5000 - QS5090: Phytogeography

QS6000 - QS7800: Systematic Botany

QS9000: Paleobotany

QU

Zoology

QU1 - QU930: Zoology - General

QU1200 - QU1900: Animal genetics

QU3300 - QU3900: Animal Morphology / Anatomy

QU4000 - QU4790: Animal Physiology

QU4800: Animal Pathology

QU4900 - QU4990: Animal behaviour / Ethology

QU5000 - QU5090: Zoogeography

QU6000 - QU7000: Systematic Zoology

QU9000: Paleozoology

QY - QZ

Human Physiology / Psychology

QY: Human Physiology

QZ1 - QZ99: Psychology - General

QZ100 - QZ199: Psychology - History / Introductions

QZ200 - QZ399: Psychology - Method

QZ300 - QZ399: Experimental Psychology

QZ400 - QZ499: Parapsychology

QZ500 - QZ599: Animal / Comparative Psychology

QZ600 - QZ699: Physiological Psychology

QZ700 - QZ799: Feeling & emotion

QZ1000 - QZ1099: Higher mental processes

QZ1100 - QZ1199: Mental measuring

QZ1200 - QZ1299: Mathematical Psychology

QZ1240 - QZ1390: Artificial Intelligence

QZ1400 - QZ1499: Personality / Human behaviour

QZ1500 - QZ1799: Developmental Psychology

QZ2000 - QZ2999: Psychoanalysis

QZ300: Applied Psychology

R

Medicine

R: Medicine - General

RA: Public aspects of medicine

RB: Pathology

RC: Internal medicine

RD: Surgery

RE: Ophthalmology

RF: Otorhinolaryngology

RG: Gynecology / Obstetrics

RJ: Pediatrics

RK: Dentistry

RL: Dermatology

RM: Therapeutics / Pharmacology

RS: Pharmacy / Materia medica

RT: Nursing

RV: Botanic / Thomsonian / Eclectic medicine

RX: Homeopathy

RZ: Other systems of medicine

S

Agriculture / Horticulture / Forestry

S: Agriculture - General

SB: Plant culture

SD: Forestry

SF: Animal culture

SH: Aquaculture / Fisheries / Angling

SK: Hunting sports

T

Technology / Applied Sciences

T: Technology - General

TA: Engineering - General / Civil Engineering

TC: Hydraulic Engineering / Ocean Engineering

TD: Environmental Technology / Sanitary Engineering

TE: Highway Engineering / Roads & pavements

TF: Railroad Engineering / Railroad operation

TG: Bridge Engineering

TH: Building construction

TJ: Mechanical Engineering / Machinery

TK: Electrical Engineering / Elecctronics / Nuclear Engineering

TL: Motor Vehicles / Aeronautics / Astronautics

TN: Mining Engineering / Metallurgy

TP: Chemical technology

TR: Photography

TS: Manufacturers

TT: Handicrafts / Arts & Crafts

TX: Home Economics

U

Millitary Science

U: Military Science - General

UA: Armies - Organisation / Distribution / Military situation

UB: Military administration

UC: Maintenance / Transportation

UD: Infantry

UE: Cavalry / Armour

UF: Artillery

UG: Military Engineering / Air Forces

UH: Other services

V

Naval Science

V: Naval Science - General

VA: Navies - Organisation / Distribution / Naval situation

VB: Naval administration

VC: Naval maintenance

VD: Naval Seamen

VE: Marines

VF: Naval ordnance

VG: Minor services of Navies

VK: Navigation / Merchant Marine

VM: Naval architecture / Shipbuilding / Marine Engineering

Y

Statistical Data

Y: Statistical Data - General

YA: Statistical Data - General

YB: Statistical Data - Geographical

YGV: Statistical Data - Recreation

YH: Social statistics

YHC: Social structure

YHD: Public opinion

YHE: Social change

YHF: Social problems / Social policy

YHQ: Economic activity

YHR: Organisation of production

YHS: Production of goods & services

YHU: Money & Finance

YHV: Prices & Incomes

YHW: Use of income

YHX: Social & Welfare Economics

YHZ: International Economics

YJC: Government & Public administration

YJD: Political participation

YJE: International Politics

YK: Statistical data - Law

YL: Statistical data - Education

YPN: Statistical data - Media

YQ: Statistical data - Science & Technology

YU: Statistical data - Military Science

YZ: Statistical data - Publishing / Book trade / Libraries

Z

Librarianship / Bibliography

Z: Books - General / Writing / Paleography / Book industries & trade / Libraries / Bibliography

ZA: Information resources - General

BLDS Collection

Ground Floor

Link to Catalogue: https://sussex.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/searchid=44SUS_INST:44SUS_BLDS&sortby=rank&lang=en

Wellbeing Collection

Ground Floor

Cookery

Self Help

Meditation & Yoga

Mental Health

Leisure Collection

Ground Floor

Fiction

Graphic Novels

L

Education

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