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.

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

Image of cartoon person sat on a book

New Guide on Open Access Books now Available from Lancaster University Library

Lancaster University Library has launched a new guide to support authors interested in publishing open access books, monographs, book chapters, and edited collections. 
Portrait of Sir Humphry Davy by H.W. Pickersgill 1831 and courtesy of the Royal Institution

Davy Notebooks now available on Lancaster Digital Collections

A new collection of previously unpublished notebooks by the scientist Sir Humphrey Davy have been made available on Lancaster Digital Collections 
Banner which reads

New Research Data Sharing and Archiving Policy

The Library is happy to announce the launch of Lancaster University’s Research Data Sharing and Archiving Policy, which replaces the pre-existing Research Data Management Policy.
Screen grab of the Digimap website homepage.

Upcoming Digimap Training in 2024

Join one of the upcoming Digimap training sessions in October and November.
An image of Nornma, the tree located in the centre of the library. There are people working on the desks around the tree.

Lancaster University Library receives Open Library of Humanities Open Access Award

Lancaster University Library has been announced as one of three winners of the Open Library of Humanities (OLH) Open Access Award 2024.  
A man working on a computer at a desk.

Updated Leganto User Interface

You will see a change to Leganto with a new user interface (the Resource List platform) from the 5th August 2024. 

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.