Study Space

The Mile End Library offers a range of study spaces to suit the varying needs of our users: from Silent individual study areas to Quiet study areas with low level conversation to Discussion areas for group work, and more.

As well as the Mile End Library, there are other Library Services maintained study areas across the Queen Mary Mile End campus and other campuses.

Library Resources

In addition to the existing library collections (in print and online), there are several ways to add items to the collection or gain access to items beyond the collections. To request books or to access chapters or articles via inter-library loan, see the Get it for me page. We also monitor holds placed on print books and heavy demand for eBooks and purchase additional copies when necessary.

LibKey is a browser plug-in that provides one-click access to academic resources
without going through the library catalogue. There is an online
introductory guide. 

Subject Specific Resources

Queen Mary Library Services provide and support a range of specialist resources which will be of interest to History students, including:

• JSTOR: Online access to more than 12 million journal articles, books, images, and primary sources. 
• Access to archives, including: British Online Archives; Cecil Papers; Gale Primary Sources (providing access to a vast range of primary historical material online); The Guardian and The Observer online archive; ProQuest Historical Newspapers; Early English Books Online (EEBO) and Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO); Mass Observation Online; The New York Times and many more.

See Library Services’ A-Z List of Databases and/or the History Subject Guide.

Using Other Libraries

Queen Mary also provides access to Senate House Library (SHL). You can use the SHL catalogue to search for print and online material not held by Queen Mary Library Services.  You can now access the SHL online collections using your QMUL ITS username and password (the same as you would use to login to QMUL resources).  Register with SHL to access their print collections and to use the physical space for studying.

All QMUL students and staff are able to take advantage of the SCONUL Access Scheme, which allows you to use over 170 academic libraries in the UK.

Academic Support

Advice is available from Library Services' Academic Skills Centre to complement provision in the School of History.

You can get advice on writing and researching your project, time management, finding resources and analysing data. We offer bookable 121 consultations, regular drop-ins in the Mile End Library and workshops, including offering tailored sessions for particular groups of students. Please see the Academic Skills Centre webpages for details.