Library notices

Borrowing of library books while IFoA Libraries are closed

Both IFoA Edinburgh and IFoA London member lounges and library areas remain closed to all visitors. Please read the IFoA's policy in place in response to the Coronavirus outbreak, regarding IFoA offices, operations and events during current changing circumstances and following new government and public health advice.

The Library Service resumes postal lending on request of those print books we have available at the IFoA London office only from 4 October 2021. Please use the IFoA Library catalogue to search for, find and request books. If local to the London office, you may be able to collect or return library books in person at Holborn Gate building ground floor reception by prior arrangement for a day of visit, after first emailing the Librarians at libraries@actuaries.org.uk. 

eLibrary resources available while IFoA Libraries are closed

Please read below for access to the IFoA eLibrary and Actuarial Knowledge Hub and routes to online resources for study, professional development and research. Follow links to Ebsco 'eBook collection' and ProQuest 'eBook Central', two providers of eBooks, or search the Hub for topic keywords to retrieve articles from subscribed journals.

e-book resources newly added for 2021:  IFoA members who login to the Actuarial Knowledge Hub at http://discovery.actuaries.org.uk can now read Risk.net Academic’s published resources online on PCs and laptops. After member login, find Risk.net on the Hub page, then ‘Institute and Faculty of Actuaries’ on its institutional sign-in and follow the Risk.net site's links to (Risk) 'Books' or (Risk) 'Journals' for articles.

Please contact libraries@actuaries.org.uk with enquiries.

Recall of all library books from loan borrowed before 30 March 2020

We have asked all borrrowers of all IFoA library books on loan, issued before and renewed since March 2020, to return them to the IFoA London office by 31 July 2021. We will follow up with reminders by letter, and may charge for books not returned and where there has been no response, so that we can replace them for use by other members. We thank all borrowers for their co-operation and support.

Library resources for IFoA exams

The Curriculum from 2019 guides students to supporting resources for respective subjects as they prepare for IFoA examinations in the new syllabus. For most examination subjects, the IFoA Library offers 'Resources' pages listing suggested additional reading and references. These can complement subject syllabus study and there are also some textbooks that form core reading for examinations CB2, SP6 and SP9:

Resources for:  CB1 -- CB2 || CM1 -- CM2 || CS1 -- CS2 || CP2 ||

Resources for:  SP4 || SP5 || SP6 || SP7 || SP8 || SP9 ||

Resources for:  SA1 || SA2 || SA3 || SA4 || SA7 ||

After member login to the Actuarial Knowledge Hub, IFoA members and students can follow 'Access ebook' links to book titles listed on the Resources pages for each exam subjects. eBooks of more titles suggested to complement IFoA exam study are being added where available to help students while we, unfortunately, cannot lend our printed books from the library closed under pandemic measures.

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.

The Economist country reports

By licence with The Economist Intelligence Unit, the IFoA Library offers access to the latest EIU country report for the United Kingdom, France, Germany, United States, China and Japan to support students preparing the IFoA SA7 exam with background reading on recent trends. All members can access the latest country report as issued after member login first to the IFoA website, and following the links to the respective reports that will show on the 'Resources for Subject SA7 Investment and Finance Advanced' page. There is no access to archived or previous country reports so it is advised to login regularly for the latest monthly or yearly report.

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 300 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 IFoA's next CM1, CS1 or SP9 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 finds added books and ebooks published since 2018.

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.