Library Resources
  1. Resources
  2. Support
  3. About
  4. My Library
  1. Recommend a book
  2. Read for Research
Library Services

Read for Research

You choose, we buy!

Want to share your research expertise?

Calling all researchers! Suggest titles which will help with your research, are key works in your field or are generally useful for the research community at City.

Please be aware that books can take approximately four weeks from date of request to appear on the Library's shelves.

Your details





Book details





An e-book will be purchased in preference to print. Please see Terms and Conditions.
Print book



Terms and conditions
Requesting items
  • E-books are purchased in preference to print as these allow 24/7 access. However, their purchase will depend on their availability from publishers, technological accessibility and cost. Read for Research excludes journals, articles, electronic materials or Language and Communication tests.  
  • We will purchase the latest edition of each book.
  • You must use an @city.ac.uk or @bayes.city.ac.uk email address when making your request.
  • Read for Research is only available to current City, University of London, research students and staff. We are unable to accept recommendations from alumni, visiting SCONUL members, attendees of short courses, or staff teaching on and students enrolled on validated courses.
  • Read for Research requests are monitored and we ask that you are mindful of the number of requests you submit.

Supplying items
  • We will contact you if it is not possible to purchase your request.
  • Due to licensing and pricing restrictions it may not be possible to provide an e-book. In such cases we will order a print book.
  • If the requested book costs less than £100 and there are no copies in stock, your order will be placed within five working days.  Requests for books costing more than £100, or where copies are in stock, will be passed to Academic Services Librarians for purchase approval.
  • Sometimes we may recommend using our Inter-Library Loans service instead of Read for Research

Receiving items
  •  Books can take approximately four weeks from date of request to appear on the Library's shelves.