The Sainsbury Library has created a 5-step guide to help you navigate and use our services and resources with confidence. This guide provides essential information for making the most of the Sainsbury Library and beyond, including helpful links for further information. Our library staff is always available to answer questions and provide support. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
Step 1. Find a library
The Sainsbury Library, located within Saïd Business School, is the University’s dedicated Business and Management library. As part of the Bodleian Libraries, the Sainsbury Library is within a network of 26 libraries across Oxford. Being a member of the University of Oxford will give you access to all 26 libraries, and you can find a library on the Bodleian’s Find a library page by filtering facilities, accessibility and opening hours.
The main reading room of the Sainsbury Library spans the first and second floors of the Park End site building and is accessible to all students and staff.
While the library maintains core staffed opening hours (Vacation Monday – Friday: 9am – 5pm; Term time Monday – Friday: 9am – 7pm), Saïd Business School members can use it whenever the building is open. More information can be found on our library website.
The Lower Reading Room offers a variety of seating areas, while the Upper Reading Room is reserved for silent study. Altogether, the library provides just under 200 seats, including computers and docking stations across both floors.
Step 2. Find a book
Search Oxford Libraries Online (SOLO) is the online catalogue for Oxford University’s libraries, including the Bodleian Libraries and most college and faculty libraries. It is essential for searching and accessing physical books, ebooks and journal articles.
You need to use your SSO to login to SOLO. You can find some essential information on the Bodleian’s SOLO webpage.
To learn how to search and use SOLO, you can visit the subject guide for SOLO.
The Sainsbury Library houses over 12,000 print books on-site, including some textbooks and books on your reading lists. If you would like to search physical books at the Sainsbury Library, using the advanced search function, you can refine “Search Profile” to “Sainsbury Library” and select “Material Types” as “Books”.
Once you find the book to borrow, you need to check if it’s “Available” and note down the “Collection” and “Shelfmark”, which are two pieces of important information to help you locate the book in the Sainsbury Library.
Understand the sequence of shelfmarks
| HD69 | Class Number | Alphabetical then Numerical order | ||
| Shelfmark | = | .P75 | Cutter number | Alphabetical then Numerical order |
| May | The first three letters of the author’s name, or sometimes the title | Alphabetical order | ||
| 1999 | Publication year | Chronological order |
- The range of Class numbers has been marked in the library, adjacent to the shelves.
- To locate a book, use the Class number by first referring to the letters, followed by the numbers
- Then use additional Cutter numbers and/ or other item-specific information.
Step 3. Borrow a Book
Your borrowing allowance depends on the programme you are studying. The loan policy currently applies to all Bodleian libraries. Please refer to the Borrowing Policy.
Collections at the Sainsbury Library can usually be borrowed for 7 days for undergraduates and taught postgraduates, or 28 days for research graduates and staff members.
All loans, except “Same Day Loans”, have a maximum renewal period of 112 days (16 weeks) from the date of the original loan.
Items you have borrowed will be automatically renewed where possible, usually 1–2 days before the due date. An item reserved by another reader will not be automatically renewed.
At Park End Street, you can borrow books using the self-issue machine on the lower floor or bring them to the library enquiry desk.
Step 4. Access an ebook
You can find ebooks on SOLO or on subscribed ebook platforms after logging in with SSO. Access to ebooks varies according to the type of ebook, its licence, and the library membership of the user.
You can either download the whole ebook or chapters (with or without a loan period or Digital right management license). If the item is licensed through “Digital rights management,” you would need to download Adobe Digital Editions (free App). You can register an account via the Adobe website.
More information can be found on ebook guide.
Step 5. Access and use business e-resources and databases
Information for databases can be found on the Business study subject guide. The guide gives you an overview of different types of resources including ejournals and databases, how to access or set up an account, and terms and conditions.
We have one Bloomberg workstation in the Sainsbury Library, and you need to book a slot to use the Bloomberg workstation.
New students from MBA, MFE, MLF and DPhils will be registered for a Capital IQ account at the beginning of the academic year, login details from S&P Capital IQ will be sent to your email.
If you are a new student at Saïd Business School and need to set up a Pitchbook Login, you can create an account following the link. To register students must use their @said.oxford.edu account, and faculty must use their @sbs.ox.ac.uk account.
Would like to know more!
If you would like to know more about how to use our services and resources, please look out for upcoming workshops and induction sessions. They will soon be announced on our training guide.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions! You can reach out to us in the library or via email library@sbs.ox.ac.uk .
Welcome to the Sainsbury Library!