Information for visitors
You may be eligible to join our library as an external member, under one of our access schemes:
- Students and staff from other universities - SCONUL Access
- University of Bradford Alumni
- Retired member of academic staff
- NHS employees in clinical roles
- Bradford College students
- Members of the public and community researchers
Other ways to access the library and our collections
- Special Collections has over 100 collections of archives and rare books on University history, Bradford, the Yorkshire Dales, peace, archaeology and much more.
- Community research groups may wish to organise an induction session for group members. Please contact lib-outreach@bradford.ac.uk.
The Commonweal Collection is an independent specialist library concerned with issues relating to non-violent social change.
Membership registration
Processing new membership takes approximately 10 minutes, this may take longer at busy times.
You may only register during our staffed hours and no later than 30 minutes before staff closing time. Please check our opening hours before travelling.
Please ensure you bring all required documentation with you.
Accessing the library as a member
Remember to bring your library card with you as you will not be able to enter without it. Please see our library opening times.
Services available to you on site:
- WiFi. Please request access at the library desk or email library@bradford.ac.uk.
- The physical collection.
- Access to the prayer room in the Carlton building.
- Selected online resources using a dedicated PC in the library.
Note: Please be aware that we are unable to offer access to printing. You will not have access to any other parts of the campus.
Students and staff from other universities - SCONUL Access
If you are studying at another institution that belongs to the SCONUL Access scheme, you will be eligible to join our library.
Note: If your university is not part of SCONUL Access and you would like access, please email Library@bradford.ac.uk
What you need
- To have applied via the SCONUL Access web page and have the approval email with you.
- Your home university ID card.
Note: If you belong to a university that does not issue physical cards, please bring alternative evidence, which should include the university number that you used in your application. Photo ID is also needed. - A clear library account (no outstanding books or fines) if you have studied with the University of Bradford in the past.
Types of membership
- Band A - Borrow up to 12 items.
- Band B and C - Borrow up to 4 items.
- Band R - No borrowing allowed.
The type and length of the membership is set by your home university. To renew, you must reapply through SCONUL Access.
University of Bradford Alumni
We welcome back our Alumni to re-join the library.
What you need
- To have qualified at undergraduate or postgraduate level with us.
- Your UoB number (if you still know it).
- To have a clear UoB library account (no outstanding books or fines).
- Proof of your home address.
Types of membership
- Standard membership – Free, 1 year, renewable annually, no borrowing allowed.
- Borrower membership – £35, 1 year, renewable annually, borrow up to 4 books.
Retired member of academic staff
We welcome back our academic members of staff to re-join the library.
What you need
- To have retired from an academic role in the University of Bradford.
- To have a clear UoB library account (no outstanding books or fines).
- To bring proof of your home address.
Types of membership
- Standard membership – Free, 1 year, renewable annually, no borrowing allowed.
- Borrower membership – £35, 1 year, renewable annually, borrow up to 4 books.
NHS employees in clinical roles
We welcome NHS employees in clinical roles to join the library for free. Clinical roles are those such as nurses, pharmacists, and health care support workers. This does not include administration roles or NHS estate workers.
What you need
- Your NHS photo ID.
- Proof of your home address.
Type of membership
- Standard membership – Free, 1 year, renewable annually, no borrowing allowed.
Bradford College students
Some students from Bradford College may join the library.
What you need
- Written permission from the College Director of Learning Resources (which must be shown).
- College ID card.
Type of membership
- Standard membership - No borrowing allowed, the length of membership will be set by the college.
Members of the public and community researchers
Members of the public may be granted special access to consult specific books or journals to which there is no other reasonable local access. Requests for membership should be made in advance to library@bradford.ac.uk.
What you will need
- Written permission to join the library.
- Proof of your home address.
Types of membership
- Standard membership – £10, 1 year, renewable annually, no borrowing allowed.
- Borrower membership - £35, 1 year, renewable annually, borrow up to 4 books.
Privacy policy
This notice applies to members of the University of Bradford library who are not registered students or members of staff of the University.
Data collected includes
- name;
- title;
- address;
- email address;
- UB number (Bradford graduates only);
- name of home institution, membership type and home institution card number (SCONUL Access members only);
- name of home institution and card number (HE and FE members outside the SCONUL Access scheme);
- name of home institution (school visitors);
- photograph and
- usage data, including entries made and items borrowed.
The data given will be used for the purpose of giving access to services provided by the University of Bradford library.
Statistics collected on usage are gathered anonymously.
Data relating to most of our users will not be used for marketing purposes. The exceptions are Commonweal and Special Collections users who may receive occasional messages relating to these collections.
Data will be deleted no later than the September following expiry of the account, unless there are unpaid fines or one or more books on the account. In this case, data will be retained for the purpose of debt recovery.
Data will be shared with a third party only for purposes of debt recovery, and, in the case of student members, with the student’s home institution in the event of misconduct.
Users can withdraw consent at any time by emailing library@bradford.ac.uk. Access to the library will cease as soon as the data we hold is deleted.
Contact us
JB Priestley Library
Richmond Road
University of Bradford
Bradford
West Yorkshire
BD7 1DP
Tel. 01274 233301
Email: library@bradford.ac.uk
To contact the University’s Data Protection Officer, please call 01274 233021 or email data-protection@bradford.ac.uk.
You have the right to make a complaint at any time to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection issues.
Contact and find us
JB Priestley Library
Richmond Road
University of Bradford
Bradford
West Yorkshire
BD7 1DP
Tel. 01274 233301
Email: library@bradford.ac.uk
Details about contacting the University of Bradford and for how to get here (including maps) can be found on the University's contact page.