Ask-a-Librarian: Special Collections

You can make multiple requests (with a maximum of 50 requests and loans on your account in total). How many Special Collections material you are allowed to consult at a time depends on the type of material and its condition.

General guidelines:

• Manuscripts: one or two manuscripts at the same time. Keep loose documents in their original order and handle one at a time.
• Printed books: up to 8 items at a time. Please use the cushions and supports provided.
• Maps can be consulted two at a time. It will take more time to fetch maps out of the stacks. You should therefore take a slight delay into account.
• Drawings, prints and photographs: we can hand over one box at a time.

The Special Collections contain mostly precious and fragile material. Therefore no material may be removed from the Reading Room. Only pencils and computers may be used for taking notes.

The staff at the desk in the Special Collections Reading Room will give you instructions and answer your questions.