Reading Room Rules

• External readers wishing to consult original material must apply for an External Library and Archives Card.
• No food or drink is allowed in the reading room.
• Bags should be kept in the lockers provided.
• Readers must use pencils in the reading room.
• Documents may not be taken out of the reading room by readers.
• The greatest care must be exercised in handling documents. (see Procedures for the care and handling of documents)
• Staff will offer assistance and advice on how to handle items where necessary and provide equipment such as supports, snakes, gloves, acid free slips and polyester sheets.
• Any defect in, or accident to, a document, must be reported at once to the Archives staff.
• Readers are requested to use their mobile phones outside the reading room.
• The Archives staff may not give legal advice to readers.
• The Archives staff have the authority to decide on the quantity of documents issued at any one time to a reader.
• Requests for documents or photocopies should be made before 4.30 pm.
• When consulting bundles of documents readers are asked to take all possible means to ensure that the original arrangement of these documents is retained.
• Readers who are having difficulty in returning documents into their original packaging should ask for assistance.
• Where documents are too fragile for production to readers they may be withheld.
• If surrogate copies exist, readers will be informed and encouraged to use them in order to minimise the use of original / fragile material.
• Tracings may only be made by permission of the Archives staff. (This should be done with the use of polyester sheets)
• Readers must wear the nitrile gloves provided when consulting unprotected photographs.
• Acid free paper slips are supplied for readers who wish to follow the text or use temporarily as bookmarks.
• Cameras can be used in the reading room with the Archivist’s permission (see guidelines on how to take photographs).
• The Education Room can be used to view oversized items.