Skip to Main Content

SCONUL visitor membership: Home

Waterside Campus

Access to the Waterside Campus 

Members of the public can make use of the Waterside Bar and Restaurant, the campus shop (including a Post Office) and the cafés on the ground floors of the Learning Hub and the Sunley Hotel. You may also make use of the ground floors of the Senate building and the Creative Hub (8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday) and the ground floor of the Learning Hub (8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday). Guest wifi is available in each of these locations, along with toilets and a range of furniture and study spaces. 

The Learning Hub

There is no separate library building on campus – the main physical library collection is arranged across the upper floors of the Learning Hub, which is also home to teaching spaces and staff offices. Access to these upper floors is restricted to staff, students and access card holders.

What is SCONUL Access?

SCONUL Access is a reciprocal scheme which allows many university library users to access books, journals and study space at other libraries which belong to the scheme. Sometimes books may be borrowed too. The scheme covers many university libraries in the UK and Ireland but you will need to check that your institution is taking part. The University of Northampton does take part in the scheme. We recommend you find out more about SCONUL Access before applying.

Once you have had confirmation from SCONUL that your application has been approved by your home institution, you should complete the University of Northampton SCONUL application form. You will need available:

  • your SCONUL Access approved email
  • a digital photo of yourself
  • a picture, copy or scan of your university ID.

Photographs and documents submitted will be deleted upon collection of your access card. You will need to reapply each year and provide these documents for each application. Your application can take up to four weeks to process and we will be in touch by email with details on how to collect your card.

You can:

  • access the Learning Hub 24 hours a day
  • use all study spaces, including a dedicated silent area
  • bring your own device and use the wifi and charging points
  • depending on your SCONUL band, you may be able to borrow up to five four-week loans from our main collection.

You can't:

  • use our subscription electronic resources
  • borrow laptops and there are no PCs
  • print or use the photocopier
  • borrow one-week loans or from the School Experience Collection, Health kits, CDs and DVDs, Illustrated Books, Exhibition catalogues, Journals, Fowler and our Special Collection
  • reserve books 
  • book study rooms.

We welcome your membership but you must abide by all University of Northampton Policies and library rules, or we reserve the right to withdraw your membership. These include:

  • always wearing your ID card on your lanyard when in the Learning Hub
  • you may not bring other visitors with you; adults or children
  • you must respect students, staff and other users of the University of Northampton
  • if your band allows you to borrow books and you chose to do so, you must keep your library account in good order, and you will be responsible for your loaned items
  • if you damage or lose a book, they are charged at a standard £40 / item.