About SOAS Library

Everyone is welcome to join the SOAS Library, the national research library for Africa and Asia to make use of our extensive collections.

Important information to note before you visit SOAS Library: 

You must complete an online registration form and wait until SOAS Library emails you to confirm that your library membership card is ready to collect. 

Please read that email carefully so that you bring the right proof of address and ID with you to collect your card.

Please allow up to 5 working days for your application to be processed and for you to be contacted to confirm that your card is ready to collect.

Please see SOAS Library rules

Guests

Please note that we are unable to accommodate guests of staff, students or visitors. All library visitors must pre-book and visitors who do not have an appointment will not be admitted.. Further information is available from libenquiry@soas.ac.uk

Important Notice

Please read the information on our website and ensure that you are paying for the right membership to avoid additional costs as we do not issue refunds for cancelled membership.

We will charge the full price for “Borrowing Membership” even if you already have a “Reference Membership” as our payment structure will not permit such upgrades. This applies to all membership types without exception.

If your card is lost or stolen

If your card is stolen , please report it to the library as soon as possible. We do not accept Crime Reference numbers. You are responsible for any transactions made on your card.

SOAS Staff and Students

Please contact campussecurity@soas.ac.uk to request a new card

Other Library Members

We charge £5 pounds for replacement ID, please contact libenquiry@soas.ac.uk

University of London colleges

UCL Staff and postgraduate students can borrow 5 books. 

UCL undergraduates can join SOAS library for reference-only.  

Fill this online form and tell us that you are from UCL. You will need to bring your UCL id card when you collect your SOAS Library card plus your proof of address.

UK and Irish universities (Sconul Access)

Under the Sconul Access scheme, University staff and postgraduate researchers can borrow up to 5 books. To benefit from the Sconul Access scheme, first you need to apply via Sconul

As soon as you have a Sconul confirmation, please fill our membership form for free library membership selecting “Sconul”

Royal African Society BILNAS

Please complete this form for free library membership. Choose ‘BILNAS or Royal African Society’  and select ‘borrowing membership’ (you will not be charged). Please bring proof of membership when you come to collect your library card.

General public

Please complete this form for free library membership to join SOAS Library,  

If you choose ‘borrowing membership’ you will be able to borrow up to 5 books for £200 per year.

Book your visit to our Special Collections

Please find out how to book a visit to see SOAS Archives, maps, photographs, rare books and other special collections material:

Look at the Special collections webpages for further details.

Borrowing

If you have a borrowing membership, you can borrow up to 5 books at a time for two weeks. You can renew books up to 5 times. Please see more information via this page

Your library membership allows you to use online resources for research or study when you visit the library if you accept our conditions of use. Restrictions on the use of e-resources are via the libguides page.
Please also see SOAS Digital Library