All registered Library users are welcome to visit the Special Collections Reading Room on the first floor to consult all of the Library's Special Collections material, with the exception of Maps and modern printed music collections.
Opening hours
The Reading Room is open from 09:30 until 18.50 Monday to Friday, and from 09:30 until 16.30 on Saturdays.
Reader registration
You will need to register with the Library in advance of your visit. Temporary tickets valid for one week within any twelve-month period are free of charge. There is a £5.00 administration charge for 1 month, £15.00 for 6 months, £30.00 for 1 year or £90 for 3 years for applicants from non-UK universities and the public. Registration requires university or personal photographic ID and current proof of home address.
Ordering material
We recommend ordering in advance to ensure the items you wish to see are available. You can submit advance requests by emailing specialcollections@lib.cam.ac.uk including the 5-character code from your reader’s card (where applicable, e.g. VA123) and the classmarks of the items required. If you plan to visit within 5 days, it may be easier to order printed books online via iDiscover; you will receive an automated email to notify you when your books are available.
It is also possible to order material by phone (01223 333117) or in person in the Reading Room by submitting paper slips (one per item). Items are normally fetched within two hours, depending on time of day and level of demand. There is no fetching after 18:20 on weekdays or after 16:00 on Saturdays; items requested after these times will be fetched on the next working day.
Some low use material is stored offsite at the Library Storage Facility and at least 24 hours' notice is required to consult it. This primarily applies to Cambridge University theses, newspapers and periodicals, many of which are also available online. If your iDiscover search result shows the location "Order from Library Storage Facility (Not borrowable)", you may request the item online and an automated email will let you know when the material is ready and in which reading room to consult it.
Items fetched are kept for five days before being returned to the closed access stacks. When collecting your order, you must sign a receipt for each item; you are responsible for these items until they have been returned to Reading Room staff. When you leave the Room please return all items to staff at the desk, who will return your signed receipts to you. If you would like to continue to work with the material, please complete a reservation slip.
Staff are always available in the reading room to answer enquiries and to provide guidance on handling material.