With a few exceptions, items in the British Library's collections
are available for consultation in the Library's Reading Rooms. There
is no charge for consulting the collections in the Reading Rooms,
but a Reader Pass is required. For details of how to apply for a
Pass, see http://www.bl.uk/readerpass.html
For details of the collections, select from the menu of collections pages listed at http://www.bl.uk/collections/listings.html and follow the links.
For on-line catalogues of the collections, select from the same menu at http://www.bl.uk/collections/listings.html and follow the links to the relevant collection pages. These pages also provide details of other catalogues and finding-aids that are not available on-line. Both on-line and hard-copy catalogues can be consulted in the Reading Rooms free of charge.
The collections pages also give details of the range of guidance material that is available to help readers to use the collections.
Some of the collections are on permanent or temporary display in the Library's
galleries: http://www.bl.uk/onlinegallery/whatson/whatson.html.
Collection material may be available for loan or reproduced through
the remote document supply service. There is a fee for this: http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/atyourdesk/docsupply/productsservices/index.html
A few collection items may be closed because information in them
is exempt information under the Freedom of Information Act. Closures
are usually indicated in the catalogues and will be reviewed by
the relevant department on request. There is no charge for this
review.
