Library notices

Library resources for IFoA exams

'Plan my study route' guides students preparing exams for IFoA qualifications to all study resources. Suggested additional reading for exam study via the links below relate to the former IFoA exam subjects now finished in 2018.
There are outlines for each new exam subject of the new IFoA curriculum from 2019 to follow and updates for suggested additional reading will be revised in due course.

CB1: CT2  || CB2: CT7* || CM1: CT1 -- CT5 | CM2: CT8* || CS1: CT3 || CS2: CT4 - - CT6 || CP2: CA2 ||
SP6: ST6* || SP7 (pending) || SP9: ST9* || SA1 || SA2 || SA3 || SA4 || SP7: SA5 - - SA6 ||

*There are new 'core reading' textbooks for subjects CB2 (CT7), CM2 (CT8) and SP6 (ST6). These and textbooks for SP9 (ST9) are available as ebooks from the IFoA eLibrary along with others as the Library Service can acquire them for its eLibrary platform.

For SP9 (ST9), please note that Financial Enterprise Risk Management, 2nd edition, by P.J. Sweeting (2017) is now added as an ebook available for members in the IFoA eLibrary. After member login to the Actuarial Knowledge Hub, IFoA members and students can find the book title listed under 'eBooks and eJournals'.

Staple Inn Actuarial Society papers. The SIAS website also offers a news page for students to find these SIAS papers suggested for additional reading for SA exam subjects. Click on the exam subject to reveal SIAS papers of interest.

IFoA eLibrary and new 'Actuarial Knowledge Hub'

The eLibrary is now available to members and affiliates who login via the IFoA website with their IFoA member credentials here. Upon login, IFoA members open the 'Actuarial Knowledge Hub', an integrated research portal.  The Hub brings together several distinct sources of research in actuarial science in one search:

• The online journals and ebooks available to IFoA members;
• The valuable catalogue of over 30,000 abstracts and references from journals worldwide built up over many decades by library staff;
• The IFoA library catalogue and its 20,000 records of hard copy holdings;
• A complete index of Actuary magazine features;
• The catalogue of historic rare books collected by the Faculty and Institute since their formation and added to this day on the history and development of actuarial science;
• Thousands of relevant references from research databases across the world.

Among the journal collections available are archives of the Annals of Actuarial Science and British Actuarial Journal and also the European Actuarial Journal, the Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance, Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, the Journal of Risk and Insurance, the North American Actuarial Journal, and the Scandinavian Actuarial Journal.

Members also have access to over 250 eBooks, from titles to support exam reading to insurance, pensions, risk management and general business books. 

Upon request, the IFoA Library Service can set up individual 'Athens' accounts for non-members registered to sit the next CT3 and ST9 exams for a limited period.

To find out more contact the library service at libraries@actuaries.org.uk or access the Knowledge Hub as a guest user at http://discovery.actuaries.org.uk. to find references for research on your subject enquiry.

IFoA Library catalogue

The Library Service now offers an upgraded online library catalogue which covers all library resources and now includes historical holdings published before 1901 that can be viewed at the Library by arrangement . Members and affiliates can send a 'Request' to the IFoA Library Service to borrow selected results of those printed resources available for loan or export selected catalogue references into a reading list. Access the Library catalogue at: http://library.actuaries.org.uk

The library offers search links to new additions to its catalogue by broad subjects. Alternatively this search of the catologue new publications finds added books and ebooks published since 2017.

External study: Arrangements for IFoA students to use external university and other local library facilities

IFoA students seeking alternative library study space can apply to local university libraries for a non-university library card subject to their admissions policy. The IFoA Library can provide a letter of introduction to support your application to a university or another library facility - please contact libraries@actuaries.org.uk.

Please note that university libraries prioritise access and study spaces for their students especially during busier university exam periods.

International Actuarial Association, Actuaries Without Borders – ‘Book drive’ donation scheme

Do you have textbooks no longer used from past exam study? The IAA has a ‘Book drive’ scheme inviting those wishing to pledge book titles listed as requested by overseas universities for their actuarial courses. Financial donations to the scheme are also welcome.