Library Search is the portal for all of the University of Westminster's information resources, from printed books and journals to electronic books, journals and databases, in all of the University's site libraries.
To find books and journal titles, simply type in your chosen keywords in the 'Start your search' box and select the 'Books, journals and more option' from the drop-down menu that appears
To find journal articles, again type in your chosen keywords but this time select the 'Articles and more' option from the drop-down menu that appears
The 'WestminsterResearch' option in the drop-down menu searches publications written by University of Westminster staff.
The 'Archives' option searches items in the University of Westminster's archive.
Guidance on referencing can be found on our Referencing Libguide
Although you don't have to use one, it could be helpful to consider using a referencing manager for storing your references and easily creating bibliographies. More information about these can also be found on the referencing guide above.
Study spaces and print resources for architecture and interiors; planning, housing and urban design; tourism and events; and transport and logistics can be found on floors 2 and 3 of the Marylebone Road Library. The opening hours for the Marylebone Library can be found on this page
To find the list of electronic databases to which the University of Westminster subscribes, click on the 'E-Resources A-Z' tab in the top menu bar of Library Search. More in-depth descriptions of the most relevant databases for architecture, housing, tourism, events, urban development, urban design and urban planning can be found under the Databases tab in this guide. Electronic journals can also be browsed using the 'Browse e-Journals' tab in the top menu bar of Library Search.
Searching for both electronic books and print books is conducted through Library Search. The electronic books can be downloaded or read online, while the print book stock is organised using numbers that are based on a classification system called Dewey Decimal numbers. The sequence begins on floor 2, and runs from 000 to 999.
The main DDC classes are as follows:
000 Computer science, information and general works
100 Philosophy and psychology
200 Religion
300 Social sciences
400 Language
500 Science
600 Technology
700 Arts and recreation
800 Literature
900 History and geography
The most relevant Dewey numbers on floor 2 for courses in the Architecture + Cities School are:
307 Urban and regional planning
333 Real estate management
338.4791 Tourism
363.5 Housing
394.2068 Events management
340 Law
385 - 387 Freight and Logistics
387.7 Air transport
388 Transport management
647.94 Hospitality
658.5 - 7 Logistics - Supply chain management
690 Construction of buildings
691 Building materials
On floor 3, the most relevant Dewey numbers are:
710 Planning and Landscape Architecture
711 Planning and urban design
711.7 Transport design
720 Architecture theory and practice
720.92 Individual architects
721 Architectural structure, materials
728 Residential and related buildings
729 Design and decoration
910 Geography and travel
On floor 3, you can also find:
Architectural journals
Zines collection
To discover which national, academic and specialist libraries in the UK London and Southeast England region holds the book and print journal material that you are looking for, the Library Hub Discover is the search engine to choose. See below for a link to Library Hub Discover and an explanation of its scope.
Once you have identified a particular library, or particular libraries, you can gain access to them via the SCONUL Access scheme.
A link and a brief scope note of SCONUL Access is provided below.
Material can also be obtained from the British Library and other academic libraries using the InterLibrary Loan scheme, which is explained below.
A number of important national and professional libraries are also listed. Please note that the access to some of those libraries may still not be possible due to ongoing Covid restrictions. You need to verify the service status of the library before you visit them.
Library Hub Discover allows you to discover the holdings of the UK’s National Libraries (including the British Library), many university libraries, and specialist research libraries.
To gain access to other academic libraries in London, and indeed the whole of the UK, the SCONUL Access scheme is the means of doing so. Note that it is only their print resources, not their electronic resources, to which you will have access.
Interlibrary Loans (ILL) (You need to check the status of this service on this guide https://libguides.westminster.ac.uk/libraryisonline/borrowingbooks )
Books and articles that are not held by the University of Westminster can be requested through the Interlibrary Loan service. This can be accessed on the home page of Library Search by clicking on the ILL tab in the top menu bar.
There will be times during the research process when you will require the resources of other academic libraries. The major research library in the UK is the British Library. Its catalogue can be searched here. To get a reader's card, begin the registration process online on this page.
Once you have a reader's pass, you can log-in to the BL catalogue and order materials online, so that they are ready to collect when you arrive at the St Pancras readings rooms. The British Library is a reference only library. Items cannot be borrowed. However, they can be scanned.
Other useful libraries for Architecture and Cities courses include the following:
The National Art Library is located inside the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington. You can search the catalogue online and create an account so that you can request the books before you visit the reading room. It has many books and journals on architecture and related topics. It holds part of the British Architectural Library.
RIBA Library (British Architectural Library)
The British Architectural Library is largest and most comprehensive resource in the United Kingdom for research and information on all aspects of architecture. Related subjects such as construction, engineering, landscape architecture, interior design, planning and law are also represented in the collections. The collection holds four million items, including archives, books, drawings, periodicals and photographs, in a variety of languages and formats. It has two public sites, one at the Victoria and Albert Museum and another at the RIBA's headquarters, 66 Portland Place, London. Access to both is free.
Senate House Library has many humanities and geography resources which are of great value to architecture, environmental and urban studies. It can be joined via the SCONUL Access scheme.
The Courtauld Institute of Art is a leading centre for the study of the history and conservation of art and architecture. Currently based at Somerset House, The Courtauld is an independent college of the University of London. From September 2018, it will be moving to a temporary home at Vernon Square, King’s Cross, until 2022.
WorldCat is the world's largest network of library content and services. It allows you to search the collections of libraries in your community and thousands more around the world.
