Using the Library and Archives TESTPAGE

New visitors will be required to bring two forms of identification.

These are the forms of identification that we accept:

Photographic ID

• Passport
• Driving license
• National ID card
• Forces ID card
• University ID card
• National library card
• Student ID card
• British Library card

Proof of your address

All bills and statements must have been issued within the last three months.

• Utility bill
• Bank/building society statement
• Credit card statement
• Council tax bill
• Council payment book
• Council rent card or tenancy agreement
• HM Revenue and Customs statement
• Passports with address
• National ID card with address
• Driving licence with address
• University certificate for hall of residence (stamped and signed by institution)
• TV licence
• Home insurance policy
• Benefit agency book or original notification letter

View map (PDF 154KB)

To locate the main reading room at the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, follow the instructions in your appointment confirmation email on how to enter the building.

Then make your way to Hintze Hall in the centre of the Museum. From here, walk under the main staircase and through Central Café.

As you enter the Fishes, Amphibians and Reptiles gallery, the Library and Archives reading room is located on the right-hand side.

Please ring the doorbell to the left of the entrance.

Find out how to get to the Museum at South Kensington.

Please note that accessing the reading room is by appointment only.

The Library and Archives search covers all of the print and electronic items held by the Library, including:

• Physical journals and books.
• Online journal articles and books (eResources).
• Special Collections, artworks and manuscripts.
• Materials held in the Museum Archives (i.e., unpublished materials relating to the history of the Museum, including photographs, correspondence and accession records).

You can search the Library and Archives collection by using the Discovery Layer.

Choosing the right search parameter

In the Discovery Layer, the default option is to search across all the collections. By selecting Advanced Search, you can narrow it down to a particular aspect of the collection.

• Print: Print items and Archives materials only.
• Online: eResources only, including e-journals, e-books, indexes and databases.
• Library Special collections: Rare books, manuscripts and artwork.
• Museum Archives: The Museum’s organisational archive containing unique records, which chart the history of the organisation, the building, its staff and scientific research and exhibitions.

Please bear in mind that we do not offer access to our subscribed eResources from outside the Museum. If you visit the Reading Room, we can offer access to a wide range of these resources, but some are restricted to Museum staff.

Searching

Select the correct tab for your requirements, enter your query term in the box and click the search icon.

If you want to search for a particular phrase or title, put your search terms inside speech marks and only results containing the full phrase will be returned.

Please be aware that the Sign in and My Account options on our online catalogue are for Museum staff only.

The results screen

Results matching your search query will be returned in a single relevancy-ranked list, regardless of their age, format or provenance.

Each result will show the format and whether online or print items are available.

Refining your search

If a very large number of results are returned, it might be useful to narrow your search using the facets on the left side of the screen.

These facets enable you to refine your results by a number of criteria, including date of publication, item format and physical location.

Any active facets are displayed at the top of the results list; if you’ve added a facet and later wish to remove it, click on the small ‘x’ next to the facet name.

More information

Click on a title to see more information about that item, including author details, description, language and years of coverage held by the Library (in the case of print journals).

If you want to come into the Museum to consult the items in person, you will need to place an appointment request in advance of your visit.

It may take up to eight working days (potentially longer for special collections) for items to be made available for you in South Kensington, as some material is kept off-site (off-site store, Tring, remote store). We will not be able to retrieve any additional items during your visit.

Selecting items

Once you’ve successfully searched our collections via our online catalogue and identified the item(s) you are interested in, you can collect them into a list. Do this by clicking the pin icon located to the right side of the title.

The item will remain selected unless you click the pin again to deselect it, even if you run a new search or navigate to another page. However, if you close your internet browser window before you have finished, all of your selections will be lost.

Once you have pinned all the items you wish to consult, click the large pin icon in the top right corner of the window to view your marked list.

Emailing your item list to yourself

In your favourites, you’ll be presented with a list of everything you have pinned. Tick the boxes to select all or individual titles and then select the three dots next to My Favourites to export your list.

Electronic Resources

The Library and Archives search covers both print and electronic items; due to our license agreements, we cannot guarantee the accessibility of all of our electronic resources to non-staff members.

If you place a request for an online resource that is not licensed for use by members of the public, someone from the Library team will contact you before your visit to let you know.

Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL): Any items in your search results which are available via BHL are free to access; no need to visit us or sign in.

Placing your request

For material at our South Kensington site, please consult our website for our opening times.

To request an appointment, please email us your list of items, along with your name and suggested date for your visit to the Reading Room. It may take up to eight working days (potentially longer for special collections) for items to be made available for you in South Kensington as some material is kept off-site (off-site store, Tring, remote store).

Please contact us well in advance of your planned visit in order to discuss your requirements. We will not be able to retrieve any additional items during your visit.

If you are interested in material held at our Tring Library, please contact us.

Adding more detail to your request prior to emailing us

We will need you to provide us with extra information in the email you send us.

If you have any items on your list that require additional information for us to fulfil your request, please include this in your email.

For example, some of our journal runs are comprised of hundreds of volumes; we will need to know which volume/issue/article you require.

A member of Library and Archives staff will reply to your email as soon as possible to confirm your appointment and send you further instructions about planning your visit. They may ask additional questions about the item(s) you have requested, so don’t delete your original email containing your item list: it’s a handy reference.

Amending Reading Room requests

If after submitting your request, you change your mind and would like to cancel your request, just email us.

If you would like to add additional items to your request, simply repeat the process and let us know in your message that you have an existing request being processed. If there is enough advance notice, we will endeavour to fulfil your request.

We offer access to a comprehensive range of online journals and databases to Library and Archives visitors in both our South Kensington and Tring public reading rooms.

Who can access our eResources?

Any registered Library and Archives visitor can use the walk-in eResource service. These resources are only to be used for educational purposes, such as teaching, distance learning, private study and research. If you are unsure if this covers your use of these resources, please contact us.

Please read our Intellectual property terms and conditions for further information.

Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL): Any items available via BHL are free to access. There is no need to visit us or sign in.

Titles available

Due to licensing conditions, we are unable to offer non-staff members access to all of our online resources, so please confirm the availability of the e-journal or database you require before your visit by sending a list of the items you wish to view.

Service availability

Visitor access to our eResource collection is available at the South Kensington and Tring Reading Rooms. Please check our opening hours and supporting pages for information on booking a visit before you arrive.

Access to the eResource service may be restricted at busy times and is provided on a strict first-come-first-served basis using dedicated terminals in the Reading Rooms.