Main Collection

The Moore Library holds the University Library's working collections in mathematics, physics, astronomy, computer science, materials science, engineering, biological, chemical, earth and environmental sciences including relevant material received under Legal Deposit legislation.

Borrowing from our collections

Current staff (including post-docs) and students of Cambridge University who hold a valid University card do not need to separately apply for borrowing rights with the library. For non-University members, Alumni, and other visitors, an account will be issued upon registration at the main University Library building.

There are several ways to borrow any items from our collections- of course, you can visit the library to browse and borrow in person. Alternatively, you can use our Resource Request Services to either place a Click & Collect order or you can Request an Item (formerly called Recalls), if the item you need is already on loan. If you would like a scan of an article or chapter sent to your mail inbox, please place a Scan & Deliver order.

Main Collection

The main book collection is located on the second, first and lower ground floors of the Library.

Books are shelved by the (Library of Congress) LC classification scheme, an alphanumeric system in which the major subject divisions are allocated a single or double letter code between A and Z.

The full list of subject divisions in the book collection are available here, but the main categories used in the Moore Library are:

Reading List materials & recommended reading

The Library aims to purchase at least one borrowable copy of books on the current NatSci Reading Lists (except where these are available as e-books) and supplements these with academic staff-recommended reading. 

Materials Science Library books

Bookstock transferred from the Materials Science Library can be found on the lower ground floor.

Journals & Theses

The journals and theses collections are located in the Lower Ground. To borrow a title from these two collections, you can browse the collection yourself, or you can place a Click & Collect order. If you would like a scan of an article or chapter sent to your mail inbox, please place a Scan & Deliver order. You should be aware that all journals titles within the classmark range QB-QC have now been relocated to the University Offsite store. Readers can request these items for consultation at the UL by making a request on iDiscover. If you are having difficulties doing this please contact a member of staff either in the library or via email at moore-library@lib.cam.ac.uk

Reference books

Reference books (handbooks, dictionaries, etc.) and abstracts and indexes are shelved on the lower ground floor and are not normally borrowable.