Get resources at the Social Science Library
Request or reserve items
You can request items from the Bodleian Libraries offsite storage for delivery to the SSL. Find out more about requesting or reserving items via SOLO.
Most items will arrive within 24 hours. During term time, deliveries to the SSL also take place on Saturday mornings, for items ordered 10.30am – 7.30pm on Friday.
When you have finished using an item requested from the stack, please return it to the issue desk. You can either let the library staff know that you wish to keep it to read again another day, or that you have finished with the item and it can be returned to the closed stack.
Inter-library requests
If you need an item that is not held in an Oxford library and you are a University member or NHS staff member, you can use the Bodleian Libraries inter-library request service to obtain it from other UK libraries. The SSL also accepts requests for material from our collections from other institutions.
Before putting in a request, check SOLO thoroughly to make sure that an Oxford library does not hold the material you need.
To place an inter-library request, ensure you are logged into SOLO and click the ‘Need More?’ option at the top of the page. You can choose to send the item to the SSL by selecting ‘Social Science Library’ as your delivery location, or you can select another Bodleian site library of your choice. Please note that all inter-library loans sent to the SSL are Library-Use Only. For more information about inter-library loans at the SSL, email ssl-ill@bodleian.ox.ac.uk.
We will email you when the item is ready to consult. Your University card will be taken in exchange for the book. This will be returned once the book is handed back to staff at the issue desk. You must return items by closing time each day. When you have finished with the book, please let a member of staff know so that it may be returned to the lending institution.
The SSL will accept requests for material from our collections from UK institutions (or overseas institutions who hold a British Library account number), and who confirm that a copyright declaration has been received by the individual for whom the request is being placed. We do not offer inter-library lending services for commercial purposes, or in exchange for IFLA vouchers or any other method of payment outside of the British Library scheme.
We can supply books, individual items which are part of a statistical series, discussion and working papers, and articles from journal issues.
We do not supply items on current reading lists, theses, material from the Refugee Studies Grey Literature collection, or whole journal issues.
Prices
We charge standard British Library prices:
- loans: £18.85
- scans and photocopies: £11.70
How to request an item
Check that the item you wish to request is available in the Bodleian Social Science Library by searching SOLO, the University’s library catalogue.
Email your request details to ssl-ill@bodleian.ox.ac.uk, including the following information: title, author, volume and issue number (for periodicals), shelf mark, British Library account number, request reference number and the address to which the request is to be sent.
Dispatch, loan periods and returns
We aim to dispatch requests within 2 weeks. Please do not send a chaser until this time has expired. If we are unable to supply a request we will contact you, usually by email.
All items are supplied with a purple slip: this should be kept and returned with any loaned material. For photocopies this may be discarded. The slip confirms the charge we will levy for the request, the due date for loaned material, and provides request details including any specific restrictions applying to the loan.
Books are usually loaned for six weeks. We may restrict loan periods for unique items. Renewal requests can be submitted by email to ssl-ill@bodleian.ox.ac.uk. For certain types of material, such as unique items, we may specify that no renewal is possible.
A returns label is provided for loaned material. Please use this when returning the item to us. Items must be returned to us in secure packaging by the specified due date. We will send reminders if items are overdue. We may invoice for items which are not returned or returned in an unsatisfactory condition.
