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Faculty of Classics

 

Borrowing and Access to Classical Faculty Library

The table below summarises borrowing rights at the Classical Faculty Library.  

Category Loan entitlement Loan period
Undergraduates **5 items + 2 Short Loans 28 days
Postgraduates 20 items + 2 Short Loans 28 days
Academic and support staff (inc. colleges)  20 items + 2 Short Loans 28 days
Official visitors in the Faculty 20 items + 2 Short Loans 28 days
Non-University Members, PACE and Alumni Reference access only No borrowing

** Short Loan books can be borrowed for one day, and are due back by Library closing time the following day. Short Loan books cannot be borrowed for Vacation. 

Registration

Current members of the University or colleges should be registered automatically but do ask in the library or via email if you wish to check.   Official visitors must register before they can borrow. In most cases, the University Card is used for borrowing. Registration takes place on weekdays only between 10am and 5pm. Or please email library@classics.cam.ac.uk with your name, University status and barcode (on the back of your University Card) and we can update the system.  Alumni, visitors (unless offical Classics visitors) and PACE students are not eligible for borrowing but may use the library for reference.

Renewals/Requests

Auto-renewals are now in place for library users. Books will be automatically renewed at regular intervals for 28 days, unless they are recalled. In vacations ignore the due date as the books will be renewed automatically and requests/recalls are switched off. Please look out for recall notices via email, and keep an eye on your Library account through iDiscover. For more information, see the Libguide: Borrowing from Cambridge Libraries.

Members of the public and former staff and students (alumni) cannot borrow books but are welcome to use the Library for reference purposes.

Fines 

Fines are no longer charged but readers will be blocked from borrowing if they have at least 2 overdue recalled items from any of the University libraries. Outstanding fines or lost book charges may be paid with credit/debit cards via My Library Account on iDiscover. Fines can be paid in cash at the Issue Desk.

 

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Latest news

Dr Ben Gray, Assistant Professor in Classics (Ancient History)

20 October 2025

The Faculty is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr Ben Gray ( Birkbeck, University of London) as Assistant Professor in Classics (Ancient History) from 1st January 2026.

“Decoding the Desert” and “Middleton’s Architectural Odysseys” now on CUDL

29 September 2025

Two collections from the Faculty Archives, the photographs of archaeologists Richard Norton and Richard Goodchild in Libya, and notebooks of Victorian architect J. H. Middleton, have been digitised and are available to view on the Cambridge University Digital Library. A gift from the family of Professor Joyce Reynolds -...

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15 September 2025

The Faculty has been ranked first in the UK for Classics and Ancient History in the Guardian University Guide 2026 . This reflects our longstanding commitment to academic excellence, rigorous teaching, and student support. The Guardian rankings are based on a range of indicators, including student satisfaction, teaching...

Aldborough study reshapes our view of post-Roman Britain

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A study published today in the journal 'Antiquity' from the Universities of Cambridge and Nottingham has overturned long-held assumptions about Britain’s post-Roman economy. Contrary to the popular belief that industrial activity collapsed after the Romans left around 400 AD, researchers have uncovered compelling evidence...