Advance ordering of material

You can order material in advance of your visit to the Library's Reading Rooms by:

• Contacting Reader Services Enquiries
• Remote requesting from the Integrated Catalogue

Reader Services Enquiries

You can order:

• Up to four items by phone
• Up to six items by fax, email or letter.

Advance requests must be received a minimum of four days (excluding Saturday and Sunday) before the date required.

When ordering, you must state:

• Your name
• Your Reader Pass number
• The shelfmarks of the items you wish to order (one item can be ordered without a shelfmark)
• Author / title details
• The date you require the items
• Which Reading Room you would like the items delivered to
• Your telephone or fax number if placing orders by fax or letter (in case there is a problem with your order).

We do not send automatic responses to confirm your order.

Contact details

The British Library
Customer Services
Boston Spa
Wetherby
West Yorkshire
LS23 7BQ
Tel: +44 (0)20 7412 7676
Minicom (for the use of the hearing impaired) +44 (0)1937 546860
Fax: +44 (0) 1937 546321
Email: reader-services-enquiries@bl.uk

Office hours:

Monday - Friday 08.30-17.00
Saturday 10.00-16.00

Remote requesting

Readers can log on to the Integrated Catalogue remotely, via the web, and request items in advance of visits to the St Pancras Reading Rooms; using the same interface as in the Reading Rooms.

The remote request system works in the same way as when you request items when in our Reading Rooms:

• From the Integrated Catalogue Results list, click the ‘Add to List’ link alongside the item you require
• Click on the Request List button to display your Request list

For any item you wish to request:

• Change the date required to the date of your intended visit:
• Click the date in the 'Date Required' column
• Choose the date required in the new window and click on Go
• The new date will be displayed
• Click on Request, under the Action heading.

From the Document Details screen:

• Select a Reading (Room) Location from the drop-down box
  NB: Some material can only be viewed in certain Reading Rooms
• Order multiple parts/select specific issues, if applicable
• Ignore the Seat Number box
• Click 'Go' to submit your request.

You are returned to the Request list screen and the Status of the submitted request displays 'Requested'.

Note:

• Delivery times may vary; delivery information is provided during the requesting process.

• Before you visit us, you can confirm that your requested items have been delivered to the Reading Room by contacting Reader Services Enquiries.

• We are piloting an extension to remote requesting hours. Readers can now remote request from:
  Monday – Sunday, 08.00 – 22.00 UK local time.
  We are looking at options for extending these remote requesting hours even further.