You have to be a member to borrow items from the library. Membership for 2025/26 is £10 for the year, in second semester you can buy a semester membership for £6. Our membership allows you to borrow our music with a refundable deposit! You can sign up to become a member either on our page on the Students’ Union website, or coming to see us in our opening hours.

Deposit

Before you can borrow CDs or records, you have to pay a security deposit. This is returnable to you whenever you decide to terminate your membership, and is just held in case you disappear with our music. You can pay a £10 deposit which allows you to take three items at a time, or £20 for six. Deposits can be paid through our page on the Students’ Union website, or in person.

Borrowing

Records and CDs can be borrowed for a week. Members can borrow up to three or six items at a time (depending on which deposit members have put down). For the most part things are sorted in alphabetical order, by artist. New releases are kept on the top shelf on one side of the library, and there are special sections for jazz, classical soundtracks and compilations/mixes – just ask at the desk if you’re not sure where to find something, or if you can’t find something in the place it should be.

Overdue items incur a small fine to ensure items are returned promptly and available to everyone else.

Not a Student?

Portland Music Library isn’t only for students. Because it’s part of the Students’ Union, you do need to be an SU member to join the library. Associate membership of the Students’ Union is available for people wishing to join the library. Once you’ve got your associate membership, you can join us online through the SU website. If online sign-up isn’t your thing then just visit us in person and organise your membership in the library.