Schools and colleges: Schools and Colleges

Sixth form and college students (years 12 and 13 equivalent only) are welcome to visit our libraries for independent study. Before visiting, you must register as a 16-17 (Reference) Member. From 30th October 2023, you will only be permitted entry to the library for independent study if you have successfully registered and received your membership card.

More information about Library Membership: Library membership
Join the library: 16-17 (reference) Member Application form 

For all membership categories, please ensure you have read and understood the Hallam Library Access Policy and the Hallam Library Code of Conduct.

Sheffield Hallam University has two libraries, Adsetts and Collegiate, one for each campus. 

If you're not a student or member of staff at Sheffield Hallam, and you are 18 or over, you can still use the libraries. Please see our Visitor guide for more information.

If you need help while you're in one of the libraries, just ask at a Help Point. The Collegiate Hallam Help Point is on the ground floor next to the main entrance. The Adsetts Hallam Help Point is on Level 4.

The libraries have different books based on the courses that are taught at each campus.

You can find books using our Library Search PCs, which are on every floor of the libraries.  Just enter a title, author's name or topic in the search box then click 'Search'.  Next, click on either 'Adsetts Library' or 'Collegiate Library' underneath the Library location filter to hide electronic resources (which you can't use) and show you resources on the shelves in the library (which you can).

To find a book on the shelves, you'll need to know, which library it is in, the shelfmark and, for Adsetts library, which level it is on.

Each book in the library has a shelfmark (a number and at least two letters displayed on the spine) which indicates exactly where to find it in the sequence on the shelves. Books are arranged in number order - lowest numbers first. When reading shelfmarks, remember that the numbers can include decimals. The number reflects the content of a book so similar books are shelved together.

For  the book above, 727 is for Educational buildings.  0941 after the decimal point means that it's also dealing with British history. SA is from the first two letters of the author's name though sometimes the letters are taken from the title.  Books with the same number are shelved in alphabetic order by these letters.  This book is shelved on Level 5 of Adsetts Library.

Here's an overview of how subjects are divided up in the Dewey system.