Skip to Main Content
The University of Edinburgh home
Show/hide site search
Information Services

Social Policy

Welcome to the Social Policy subject guide - your guide to using the library resources, services and facilities for your subject.

Main Library

To help you navigate the Main Library in George Square, watch this student tour which highlights the various resources, services and facilities available in the Main Library.

Other University of Edinburgh Libraries

There are 10 other site libraries at the University that you can visit and use. 

Edinburgh College of ArtMoray House libraryInternal photo of New College LibraryRoyal infirmary Library

Using the Online Library

The Library has a vast amount of online resources you can use for your learning and research which can be a bit overwhelming when you're first starting to use them. Our guide provides information to help you navigate all the online resources you'll need throughout your studies.

Where are the Social Policy books in the Library?

The Main Library holds the majority of books for Social Policy.
  • Books that are on undergraduate reading lists will generally be in the HUB (High Use Book) Collection on the ground floor
  • Most other books are on the 2nd floor

Here are some sample shelfmarks for Social Policy :

Topic Call number
Sociology HM51
Social Policy HN17.5
Welfare: Great Britain HV245
Child Welfare & Policy HV751
Health Policy HV245
Education Policy LC89
Criminology HV6001-HV7220
Criminal Justice HV7231-HV9960
Substance Abuse HV4997-HV5840
Police HV7551-HV8280
Prisons HV8423-HV9960
Youth Offenders/Justice                 HV9051-HV9230 

Social Policy crosses over with a wide range of other subject areas and disciplines so you may find yourself looking for other shelfmarks that you have identified by using DiscoverEd.

Remember the Library has access to thousands of e-books which you can access via DiscoverEd.

Archives, manuscripts, rare books at the University of Edinburgh

Centre for Research Collections

The Centre for Research Collections (CRC) is the main space for anyone using the University of Edinburgh's historic and special collections, including rare books and manuscripts, University of Edinburgh archives, personal and institutional archives, Lothian Health Services Archives (LHSA), University of Edinburgh PhD theses, art collection, musical instrument collection and a wide range of other museum objects from geological specimens to anatomical models. 

The CRC are based on the 6th floor, Main Library.

Accessing material not in the library collection

If the library does not have what you want then there are different ways of getting access to the material:


The Inter-Library Loan (ILL) Service: 

This allows you to request material either held at distant university library sites including the  University Collections Facility, or material not held by the university. 


Request a book image

Book Recommendations: 

If you are unable to find the book that you need for your studies then use the Student Request a Book (RaB) service to recommend a purchase.


Visit another library: 

It may be possible (and sometimes quicker) to visit another library to get access to the item you require. Some reciprocal schemes and agreements allow our staff and students access to some other libraries