UKZN Library: The Best Library Guide For Students

This is the best UKZN Library guide for all UKZN students. Get to know the libraries and how to utilize the opportunities in them.

The University of Kwazulu-Natal has a total of ten libraries on all five UKZN campuses. The libraries serve as the main source of information when studying at the University.

It is just right for students to know the contents of the library and the times that all libraries open.

How To Access UKZN Libraries

Since this is an academic library, there is a restriction on those who access the library for its materials.

Any student with a student ID can access the library and make use of the materials. The student card is multipurpose and students can use it for all transactions with the library.

There are also online resources available which students can access. The online resource provides electronic library materials for students.

The online resources consist of over 10,000 Databases for ebooks, journals, articles, research papers, etc from across the world.

Students and staff can access these online resources using their LAN username and password.

Library Opening Hours

Each Ukzn library has its own opening and closing hours. The table below shows the closing and opening hours for each of the libraries.

LibraryWeekdaysSaturdays
Edminson Library8:00 AM to 8:00 PM8:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Barrie Biermann Architecture Library1:00 PM to 4:00 PMClosed
EG Malherbe Library8:00 AM to 10:00 PM8:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Eleanor Bonnar Music Libraryclosedclosed
GMJ Sweeny Law Library8:00 AM to 10:00 PM8:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Nelson R Mandela Library8:00 AM to 10:00 PM8:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Cecil Renaud Library8:00 AM to 10:00 PM8:30 AM to 5:30 PM
Law Library8:00 AM to 4:30 PMclosed
Life Sciences Library8:00 AM to 4:30 PMclosed
Westville Library8:00 AM to 10:00 PMclosed

All libraries are closed on Sundays. The above library opening and closing hours were in effect during the pandemic restrictions. Since the restrictions are lifting gradually, there might be some changes in the future.

UKZN Library Resources

There are both online and offline resources available to all library users. While most of the online resources are for the University of Kwazulu-Natal, some are linking to Databases else.

Above all, these resources are here to help the entire university as a whole. Below are some of the UKZN library’s online resources.

  • iCatalogue : This helps library users to find and request books from the individual libraries remotely. It also helps you to know if the book is available esle where in the world.
  • e-Books: Since the majority of remote library users seek to read without visiting the physical library location, the library connects you to e-Book databases. These do not only provide books from the UKZN Library but also helps you source e-Books across the world.
  • Database: The library connects you to the best research and informative databases in the world. Some of the major science databases you get access to are Science Direct and Scopus.
  • Trial Databases: Some of the databases have premium packages that users must subscribe to use. But the library gives the users free trial. Even though the trial has limits, it is easy to access through the library than elsewhere.
  • Free E-Resources: This is a compilation of free ebooks and audiobooks sources all on one page. Since these are free e-Book sources, you should also consider checking other free ebook sources like Z Library and Project Gutenberg.
  • Journals A-Z: There is also a database for Academic Journals. The database helps you to search any title of Journals.
  • ResearchSpace: This is like a research repository where you can get information on all institutional research outputs.

All the above resources are some of the available resources to users of the UKZN Library. You can access all of them via the library’s website.

UKZN Library Contacts

If you have any issues want to inquire about things from the library, simply use the following mediums.

General Library queries: [email protected]

Online Library account queries: [email protected]

Have a question? Ask here!