1.1 Admission to the Library is by a personal three-year reader’s ticket or a one-day reader’s ticket. The three-year reader’s ticket allows access to all of the Archive & Library collections; the one-day reader’s ticket gives access to the modern books, reference material and microfilm held in the reading room only, and not to collection material.
1.2 Readers must show their reader’s ticket to Library staff on the reception desk as they enter the Library. They must also produce their ticket on request by Library staff in the reading room.
1.3 By applying for either reader’s ticket, readers agree to abide by these Caird Library Rules and Conditions of Use. If any reader does not abide by these, the Museum has the right to cancel his or her reader’s ticket and refuse future admission.
1.4 The minimum age to use the Library reading room is 14 years; persons aged 8-14 may be admitted if supervised by an adult, one adult per child. Persons aged 14-16 can only access modern collections in the reading room and in stores.
1.5 To obtain a reader’s ticket, readers must register online at https://archiveandlibrary.nmm.ac.uk/aeon/Aeon.dll?Action=10&Form=79 . This can be done at home before a reader visits the Library, or in the reception area of the Library on the day of the reader’s visit. Formal identification is required to register for a three-year reader’s ticket, giving proof of the reader’s name and address e.g. driver’s licence and proof of the reader’s signature e.g. passport. A full list of acceptable formal identification documents is listed within our online registration form at https://archiveandlibrary.nmm.ac.uk/aeon/Aeon.dll?Action=10&Form=79.
1.6 All reader’s tickets are non-transferable. Only one current reader’s ticket may be issued per person and lost or stolen tickets must be reported to the Library immediately. There may be a charge to replace lost or stolen tickets. Readers are responsible for any use of a reader’s ticket issued to them unless and until they have reported it lost or stolen.
1.7 On entering the Library readers must deposit all bags, coats, umbrellas, newspapers, laptop cases, camera cases, food, drink and bottles of water in the lockers provided near the reception desk. Readers should only retain such paper items and other equipment needed for their work in the reading room. Transparent bags issued at the reception desk should be used to carry paper items and equipment into the reading room. Readers may be required to submit for inspection any bags, cases, folders or other objects that they may be carrying.
1.8 All readers must scan their reader’s ticket at the reception desk on entering the Library.
2.1 Readers must at all times show due consideration and respect to Library staff and other readers. Behaviour considered abusive or constituting harassment will result in exclusion or removal from the Library, with future admission refused.
2.2 Readers must follow all directions given by staff with respect to the following health and safety procedures, including fire evacuation and drills.
2.3 Hushed conversation should be maintained in the Group Research area. Quiet should be maintained in the Quiet Study area.
2.4 Readers must not eat, drink, smoke or chew gum or use mobile phones to make or take calls in the Library.
2.5 Sound settings of laptops should either be turned off or reduced to a level that does not disturb other readers. Headphones for listening to personal music systems inaudibly is allowed in the Group Research area, but not in the Quiet Study area.
3.1 Readers are required to register online in order to use the Archive & Library online request and tracking system (Aeon v.3.3) via the online catalogues. The online request system should be used to request all collection items a reader wishes to see, except modern books, reference material and microfilm on open access within the Library itself.
3.2 Collection items can be requested between two weeks and 12 hours prior to a reader’s visit to the Library or requested when the reader is onsite. The latest request time is 15.30 to view items for the following day.
3.3 Up to three items can be requested ahead of the reader’s visit.
3.4 There are five retrieval times throughout the day. Up to three items can be requested per retrieval based on a rolling limit; readers may request and see up to 18 items in one day.
3.5 Only one collection item (manuscript folder or box or volume, or rare book, or atlas) with one modern book can be consulted in the reading room at any time.
3.6 Delivery times for the majority of the Archive & Library collections stored onsite is 45 minutes. Readers will be informed via the online request and tracking system if for whatever reason this delivery time cannot be met, or if the item is unavailable to view.
3.7 Oversize items such as charts and maps, and prints and drawings, will require longer delivery times. For items that have been pre-ordered, a maximum of 20 items can be consulted in one day in batches of 5 items at a time.
3.8 For charts and maps, and prints and drawings, on the day requests will be met if they can be accommodated, but generally the collections are available by appointment and require 3 days’ notice. This is to allow time for staff to retrieve drawings from several boxes or drawers, and to arrange for supervision. Readers will be informed of the approximate delivery time when they place their request (either by using the online request system to request charts and maps, or by using the paper request system to request prints and drawings).
3.9 If the item is stored offsite, the online request and tracking system will notify the reader that 7 working days’ notice is required. Readers will be asked to confirm which day they want to come back to the Library to see the item.
3.10 When readers collect their requested items from the Issue desk, the request slip will be scanned to record that a reader now has the item. Readers will be reminded to return material to the Issue Desk if they are going to be absent from their desk for more than 30 minutes.
3.11 When a reader has finished with the item and returned it to the Issue desk, the item will be scanned to indicate it has been returned to the store. Items will be available to see by the same reader the following day if the item is requested again for the following day.
3.12 Before leaving the Library at the end of the readers’ visit, readers must return all Museum material they have been using to the member of staff at the Issue desk. No collection material may be removed from the Library.
4.1 Readers must abide by the handling guidelines at (URL) and on laminated sheets in the Library.
4.2 Items delivered in archive boxes or folders must be replaced in the same order as received.
4.3 Only pencils may be used when in the Library. Pencils can be purchased from the Museum shop or can be borrowed from the Library.
4.4 Some material may be subject to restricted access for legal or conservation reasons. In these cases, please refer to the Head of Archive and Library, or her deputy.
4.5 Some material may have undergone conservation treatment in the past eg. for mould, please follow the advice on handling given by staff. If in doubt, please ask.
4.6 Readers may not mark, write, lean on, fold or in any other way damage the material they are consulting. If readers observe an existing defect in, or damage to an item, they are requested to bring it to the attention of the staff on duty.
5.1 The use of cameras and copying equipment is only allowed as specified in Copying from the Archive and Library collections for private study and non-commercial research and at the Library customer service desks.
5.2 Modern books may be photocopied or scanned, and rare books and manuscripts scanned only for private study and research purposes, subject to copyright laws, preservation requirements and consent of the Head of Archive and Library.
5.3 Charts and maps and prints and drawings cannot be photocopied or scanned, but can be photographed by the reader as specified in Copying from the Archive and Library collections for private study and non-commercial research and at the Library customer service desks.
5.4 Readers intending to obtain copies of items for publication purposes or reproduction in any media, must observe copyright laws. There may be a charge involved. Information should be sought from the Picture Library at www.nmmimages.com, or email pictures@nmmimages.com and written permission obtained from the Head of Archive and Library or her deputy.
5.5 If our service levels do not meet your expectations, please let us know via our comments card system or by email to library@nmm.ac.uk , or directly to any member of staff. Constructive feedback is vital to us in maintaining and improving our standards.