Access is by appointment only - please see the Opening Hours page to find out more. 

Books and other items from the collections will be retrieved for you by Library staff and made available for consultation in the Reading Room where visitors also have access to book supports, wi-fi and scanning facilities. Library staff will provide advice and assistance regarding the handling of materials including any requirements for specific items, e.g. the wearing of gloves, the use of supports, etc. 

We allow you to take the following items into the Reading Room:

• pencils
• notebooks
• reference books
• laptop / tablet / camera

Please place all other personal belongings in the lockers provided. This is to ensure the safety and security of the collections.

You are welcome to take photographs of many of our items and make use of the self-service book scanner in the Reading Room. However, please ask permission from the Library staff and complete a Photography Permission form before taking photographs or scans. Some parts of collections may not be photographed due to copyright, fragility or the Data Protection Act. You are welcome to get in touch before your visit to ask for advice on taking photographs of the items you wish to view.

We recommend that before you visit you read our General Regulations and look at the Library catalogue or Archives catalogue to check that the items you wish to consult are available. If items are showing on the catalogue as being on loan you can Contact Us to ask for them to be recalled.

If you would like to consult items from the Special Collections (Rare Books, Illustrations, etc) or Archives you are advised to review the Rules for the Consultation of Archives and Special Collections before your visit.