Cambridge University Library

Services

SkylightOrdering books in the Reading Room

Books which have the direction 'Order in Reading Room' in Newton or on the Finding list are fetched to the Room by a member of staff upon completion of either an online Stack Request or a Fetching Slip.

We do not generally accept requests made by phone, letter or email. Occasional exceptions can be made for readers from outside Cambridge coming a long distance for a short time. Email requests should be sent to reference@lib.cam.ac.uk.

Book fetching

Items will be fetched as quickly as possible, but delays are inevitable at certain times of day (especially 12:30–14:15 and 17:15–18:20) and during busy periods. Generally fetching times fluctuate between 30 and 120 minutes, depending on demand. The current estimated fetching time is always displayed both in the room and whilst placing an online Stack Request. Orders submitted after 18:20 (16:00 on Saturdays) will be fetched on the next working day.

Once fetched, books are placed on a stand behind the staff desk area. Books are held for the remainder of the day they are fetched and one full working day thereafter before being returned to the shelves. On the second day books are placed on a shelf along the back of the staff desk area.

If you wish to order more than ten books at one time, please consult staff before placing your order.

Reservations

Readers wishing to reserve items for future use should complete a red Reservation Slip, available on all the tables, and leave the slip clearly visible in the book(s) to be reserved. Books may be reserved on the tables for three working days. Please note that reference books (R100-R900 and Ref) may not be reserved.

Borrowing

Items fetched to the Reading Room (classes 9000-9999, C200-C205 and certain 3-figure classes) may be taken from the room and, if you have borrowing rights, borrowed in the same way as open-Library material.

Reference books are not borrowable.

ceilingTransfer of material

It is usually possible to arrange for the temporary transfer of reference works to another specialist reading room for use in conjunction with material fetched there.

Readers may occasionally be directed to the Rare Books reading room to consult older reference works formerly shelved in the Reading Room.

Returning items to the shelves

Items from any location in the Library that have been read in the Reading Room can be left on the table marked 'Returned Books', adjacent to the 'Books Fetched Today' stand for reshelving by staff.

Photocopying, etc.

Items fetched to the Reading Room may be taken from the room and used in any other part of the Library, including the photocopying rooms, without need to ask staff.

Information and advice concerning the reproduction of material from reference works can be obtained at the staff desk. Generally speaking, if the reference work is in good condition staff will permit photocopying using machines in the West Room. However staff will advise on alternative methods of reproduction, if the work is fragile, large or antiquarian .

Details of all reproduction services offered by the Library are available on the Imaging Services webpages.

Self-service photography

For a trial period from Tuesday 4 October 2011, readers may use their own cameras to take still photographs of material at a designated table in the Reading Room. If you wish to take your own photographs and have not already registered to do so, you must first speak to staff at the desk, read the information sheets on self-service photography and copyright provided and complete an application form. For conservation reasons, staff must check each item before photography. Photographs may be taken for non-commercial research or private study only.

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 see our full guidelines for further information.

Uncatalogued Book Searches

Enquiries concerning recently published books that do not appear in Newton should be made at the Enquiry Desk. Staff will check whether the books have been received and, if so, whether they can be made available for temporary use.

Such books must be consulted in the West Room, where they are held at the Central Desk. They must not be removed from that room nor left unattended on the tables but must be returned to the Central Desk where they may be reserved for further use, if accompanied by a completed reservation slip. Alternatively such books can be sent for urgent cataloguing and the enquirer notified once this has been done.

Rose detailLaptops

Laptops may be used at the north end of the Reading Room provided they cause no disturbance to other readers and are run on their battery. Readers wishing to connect their laptop to the mains electricity supply should use the tables at the north end of the West Room which are equipped with sockets.

The south ends of both the Reading Room and West Room are laptop-free zones.

Enquires

Enquiries concerning reference works, books fetched to the Reading Room and other aspects of the Library's work, policy and procedures may be made in the Reading Room at any time. If the question cannot be answered immediately, an appropriate specialist can often be found to provide further assistance.

Enquiries are welcome in person, by telephone or via the Library's enquiry form.