Finding books

  • Search our library catalogue (remember, Downing books are not on iDiscover)
  • Using Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) will get the best results, with [author] AND [keyword] often used reliably.
  • Click on the title for full details and to check location (including classmark) and availability

Quick introduction to using the catalogue

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  • You can request the book(s) through our Request & Collect service (Screen reader friendly details here)
  • If you are in the library you can use a library map to locate available books in the main rooms (use the first part of the classmark to identify the correct area on the map)
  • Basement books (in the basement book stacks) are also open access and are in numerical order
  • Display books can be found near to the front door
  • Cataloguing books aren’t on the shelves but can be requested – email: library@dow.cam.ac.uk (we will expedite any that you require)
  • For Staff area books or any questions, speak to staff in the library or email as above
  • Reference only books can often be made borrowable on request – please contact staff as above
  • On loan books can be reserved – log in using your Reader code (the alphanumeric sequence beneath the barcode on your University card), and your PIN sent to you by email. (If you don't have your PIN please speak to library staff or email us: library@dow.cam.ac.uk)
  • You can also renew your books once logged in (select and renew one by one)

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Any library enquiries can be directed to: library@dow.cam.ac.uk