Services
Borrowing
Fetching
Handling of items
Introduction
Maps for sale
Ordering
Photocopying, tracing, photography, self-service photography
Recommendations
Reservations
Transfer of material
Introduction
The Map Room is open to readers from 09.30 to 17.10 Monday to Thursday, from 09.30 to 16.50 on Fridays and from 09.30 to 12.45 on Saturdays.
Entry to and exit from the Map Room is via a staff-controlled barrier.
Please note that there is no fetching of material between 12.45 and 14.00 Monday to Friday and that the Department is not always fully staffed on Saturdays, so it is advisable to order material in advance. Closure of the Map Department on Saturdays may be necessary if suitably experienced staff are not available. In the event of an unscheduled closure, material requested or reserved in advance will normally be made available in another reading room.
Ordering
There is no open access to the collection. Items required are fetched in response to completed order forms handed to the Map Department staff. Orders cannot be accepted within 20 minutes of the time of closing.
Readers must show a valid Reader’s Card or University Card when submitting order forms.
Fetching
Items fetched are kept for three days before being sent back to the shelf.
When collecting their order, readers must sign a receipt for each item on the appropriate part of the order form.
Readers are held responsible for all items fetched until they have been returned to the Staff Desk.
Readers returning maps or books must wait at the Desk until staff have checked the items against the signed receipts, which will then be handed back to them.
Reservations
Readers who wish to reserve items for their further use must hand them to a member of the Map Department staff with a completed reservation slip validly dated. Unless prior arrangement is made, items may not be reserved for more than three days.
Transfer of material
Items may not be removed from the Map Room without permission. It may be possible to make arrangements, on application to a member of the staff of the Room at least 20 minutes prior to the time of closing, for the transfer of books (but not maps) to another reading room for use there after the Map Room closes.
Borrowing
Borrowing of certain books and atlases is permitted subject to special procedures. Applications to borrow must be made to a member of staff of the Department at least 20 minutes prior to the time of closing. Sheet maps may not be borrowed.
Photocopying, Tracing, Photography and Self-Service Photography
Imaging Services
The Library offers a wide range of imaging services including digital photography and wide-format scanning. For further information contact Map Department or Imaging Services staff.
Copying is permitted subject to the restrictions of copyright and limitations imposed by the age, fragility or size of the original. Orders must be placed in writing (in person or by post, fax or email); telephone orders cannot be accepted. Orders submitted or despatched by post will incur a minimum charge and the time taken for an order to be completed will vary depending on the service required and the quantity of material involved.
Self-Service Photography
Readers may use their own cameras to take still photographs of material in the Map Room. If you wish to take your own photographs you must first speak to staff on the desk and read the information sheets on self-service photography and copyright provided. Photographs may be taken for non-commercial research or private study only.
General photography (e.g. of people, locations, reading rooms) is not permitted.
Cameras and camera phones must be hand-held, and must be capable of being set to 'silent'. SLRs, tripods, 'mini-pods', hand-held scanners and flash photography are not permitted.
Please note also that some collections are subject to restrictions and may not be photographed; staff will provide guidance on this.
Please see our full guidelines for further information.
Tracing
Facilities are available for tracing but permission must first be obtained. Readers should provide their own paper and pencils and must use the transparent sheets provided. The Map Room has a light table for use by readers.
Recommendations
Forms are available for recommending the acquisition of maps and atlases not already held.
Handling of items
Readers are reminded that all Map Department items should be handled with the greatest of care. Book-rests are available and should be used, particularly with large volumes. Open volumes should not be placed on top of one another and should not be leant upon. Maps must be laid flat on work surfaces and should not be folded or creased. Transparent acetate sheets are available to be placed over maps and atlas pages if intensive examination is anticipated. Only pencils may be used in the Map Room.
The Map Room - the Map Department's Reading Room - before the Refurbishment in 2007/08