We have 11 Reading Rooms in London and one in Yorkshire. These are quiet, dedicated spaces where you can access items in our collection. You can also use the Reading Rooms for personal study even if you’re not using any collection items.
Anyone over 18 can use these rooms, you just need a free Reader Pass.
Each Reading Room has a different speciality, and some items can only be consulted in certain rooms. We also have specialist staff – our Reference team – in each room who can help you consult our collection.
In our rooms you can:
Our Reading Rooms
| Asian & African Studies, St Pancras, Floor 3 |
In this Reading Room you can consult published, manuscript and visual material from and about Asia and Africa, including unrivalled genealogical sources for Europeans in South Asia. The Print Room is located inside this Reading Room. Please contact the Visual Arts team to make an appointment to consult material in the Print Room. Find out more about our resources for Asian & African studies |
| Business & IP Centre, St Pancras, Floor 1 |
Our business and intellectual property collections can help you start, run and grow your business, protect your ideas and research your markets. |
| Humanities 1 and 2, St Pancras, Floors 1 and 2 |
Our two humanities rooms provide access to our collection of post-1850 printed books and journals. Floor 1 covers all humanities subjects, including history of science and technology. Floor 2 covers librarianship, information science and recorded sound. |
| Manuscripts, St Pancras, Floor 2 |
In this Reading Room you can consult our western language manuscript collection (i.e. written by hand, not printed). The collection includes literary, historical manuscripts and private papers. |
| Maps, St Pancras, Floor 3 |
Here you can consult our extensive map collection, mainly printed maps of all parts of the world dating back to the 15th century. Please note there is a large collection of manuscript maps in the Manuscripts Reading Room. |
| Rare Books & Music, St Pancras, Floor 1 |
In this Reading Room you can consult pre-1851 printed books in English and other West European languages, as well as most printed music, music manuscripts, and music archives. The Listening and Viewing Service for our sound and vision collection is located inside this Reading Room. Please contact us to make an appointment. Find out more about our rare books collection |
| Newsroom, St Pancras, Floor 2 |
The Newsroom provides access to our major collection of British and overseas newspapers. The collection also include popular magazines, trade papers and comics. |
| Science 2 and 3, St Pancras, Floors 2 and 3 |
Our two science rooms are where you can consult our collection related to science and technology. On floor 2 is medicine and life sciences, and on floor 3 is physical sciences and engineering. |
| Social Sciences, St Pancras, Floor 1 |
In this Reading Room you will find recently published books and journals, and can get expert advice about accessing our collection of research reports, official publications and electronic databases. |
| Boston Spa, Yorkshire | Find this Reading Room at our site in Boston Spa, near Wetherby in Yorkshire. You can consult millions of items including books, periodicals, newspapers, microfilm and sound recordings. |