Under the terms of legal deposit legislation Cambridge University Library is entitled to a free print copy of any UK or Irish publication or to electronic access to it but not to both. However, while the University Library may have access to a book in electronic format on legal deposit, it is not impossible that another Cambridge library or even in a few instances the University Library itself will have purchased a print copy or that the University will have subscribed to an electronic version. Print copies will have page numbers, can be photocopied or scanned (within copyright limits) and in many cases will be borrowable. Subscribed electronic versions will also have page numbers, can be downloaded (within copyright limits) and can be accessed from any computer connected to the University network and off-campus by current staff and students of the University.

Similarly journals received on legal deposit in electronic format may also be held by Cambridge libraries in print or be available online as part of a University subscription.

Most versions of a publication, printed or electronic, held by or accessed through Cambridge libraries are listed in iDiscover.

The University Library offers an Inter-Library Loan service which provides access to material not held within Cambridge University. For more details abut this service, please see the Inter-Library Loans link below:

https://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/collections/departments/inter-library-loans