Library & Cultural Services: Modern Languages: Other Libraries

Other Libraries: Introduction

As a member of the University of Essex you can usually use other academic libraries for free via the SCONUL Access scheme. However, if you want to consult another library's collections please contact the library concerned before making a special journey.

It is not always necessary to visit other libraries directly, especially if you only need to consult one or two books or journals, as we can acquire most items for you via our interlibrary loans service. The links below allow you to search the catalogues of other libraries in the UK and worldwide to see what's available in your subject area beyond our own collections.

General Library Catalogues

British Library
UK national library.
Library Hub Discover
Discover the holdings of the UK’s National Libraries (including the British Library), many university libraries, and specialist research libraries in a single search. This resource replaces COPAC and SUNCAT.
WorldCat
Searches across the collections of 72,000 libraries in 170 countries.

Library Catalogues by Language

Bibliothèque national de France (National Library of France)
Offers an online catalogue, description of collections and a virtual tour, including illuminations from the Manuscripts department. Some information in English.
Catalogue collectif de France
Allows you to find a library in France via a searchable database of libraries in France and to locate a copy of a book via a union catalogue which searches across university and public library catalogues and that of the BNF (Bibliothèque national de France).
Système universitaire de documentation (SUDOC)
Union catalogue of French university libraries.

Bayerische Staatsbibliothek
Website of the Bavarian State Library in Munich, the central "Landesbibliothek" of Bavaria and one of Europe's most important universal libraries. With its collections currently comprising over 10 million books, it ranks among the best research libraries worldwide. Its historical stock also encompasses one of the most important manuscript collections of the world, the largest collection of incunabula worldwide, as well as numerous further important special collections.
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek / German National Library
Website of the DNB (Deutsche Nationalbibliothek). Catalogue contains details of German-language publications from 1913, foreign publications about Germany, translations of German works, and the works of German-speaking emigrants published abroad between 1933 and 1945.
Karlsruher Virtueller Katalog (KVK)
Provides a unified search to library co-operatives in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, national libraries and union catalogues worldwide. You can limit the search to a particular country or region.
Österreichischer Bibliothekenverbund
Website of the association of Austrian academic libraries. Includes links to the Austrian National Library, Vienna University Library, and lists of academic libraries in local areas in Austria. It also provides union catalogues of books and journals.

AIB (Associazione italiana biblioteche)
Provides information about Italian libraries and links to their catalogues. The site also maintains a directory of periodicals held in Italian libraries.
Servizio Bibliotecario Nazionale (SBN)
The National Library Service is a network of Italian libraries providing access to catalogues of various state, university, public, private and other libraries.
Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze
Public national library in Florence, and the largest library in Italy.

Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal
Portuguese national library.
PORBASE
Union catalogue of over 170 Portuguese libraries, including the Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal. The catalogue contains a diverse range of bibliographic material, including books, journals, and conference proceedings.

Biblioteca Nacional, Spain
Spanish national library website. Includes links to the library's catalogue and freely-accessible digital collections.
Red de Bibliotecas Universitarias Españolas (REBIUN)
Search across the catalogues of numerous university and research libraries in Spain