Changes at the British Library

The British Library has updated its reading room policies at Boston Spa.  Here's the message we have received from them:

We are introducing major changes to the way Readers gain access to our Boston Spa Reading Room and use our collections. 

We are bringing Reader Registration and security measures at Boston Spa into line with those in place in the main Reading Rooms at St Pancras in London. Ordering will also undergo major changes.

The changes will allow you to access a much wider range of our collections.

From 10 September:

• You will need a full British Library Reader Pass (a photo-pass) to gain access to the Reading Room and order collection items.
• Online ordering via our online catalogue, Explore the British Library, will replace manual ordering. You will be able to use Explore to request the collection items that you wish to view in the Reading Room.
• Collection items you wish to view should be requested online 48 hours in advance.

After 10 September it will not be possible to enter the Reading Room without a Reader Pass. It will also no longer be possible to place a manual order for collection items.

Why is this happening?

The changes are necessary so that the newly-refurbished Boston Spa Reading Room can, for the first time, provide access to a wide range of print newspapers collected by the Library through legal deposit.

The British Library’s legal deposit collection contains many items that are unique, so increased levels of security and collection care are essential – hence the need for full Reader Registration.

Because these and other collections are held in environmentally controlled, fully automated storage systems, the transition to a fully automated process of ordering and retrieval is necessary.

What you should do next

• We strongly recommend that you pre-register for a full British Library Reader Pass, if you do not already have one. You can pre-register online, on the British Library website (www.bl.uk) click on Services then Register for a Reader Pass then follow the links.
  You can pre-register online now and complete your registration by coming to the Boston Spa Reception on, or after, 10 September. Please note: To complete your registration you will need an original form of identification (e.g. passport, driving licence) and a current proof of address (e.g. a utility bill). A full list of acceptable forms of ID is available on our web pages.
• Having pre-registered online, you should use Explore the British Library (http://explore.bl.uk) on, or after, 8 September to request in advance those items you wish to view when you next visit on, or after, 10 September.
  There is online help during the order process and help available from the home page of the catalogue: http://explore/bl.uk. Reader Service Enquiries can help you order, or order on your behalf, until you are familiar with online ordering.

Note: The benefit of pre-registering online is that you can request items in advance before you have completed the registration process. However, if you do not want to pre-register online you can register in person at the Boston Spa Reading Room from 10 September onwards. If you choose to register in person on, or after, 10 September you will not be able to request items to the Reading Room for delivery on that day.

How these changes will benefit you

These changes will allow you access to a much wider range of our collections.

In November, you will be able to access a range of items from the print legal deposit Newspaper Collection, which is currently being moved from Colindale in North London to the Newspaper Storage Building at Boston Spa. More details about the titles that will become available will follow during this autumn.

Once the newspaper material has become available at Boston Spa, access to some other legal deposit collections will be explored on a pilot basis.

Contact details

Customer-Services@bl.uk  +44 (0)1937 546060

Reader-Services-Enquiries@bl.uk +44 (0)1937 546363