Registration

Use of the Centre is open to all and is free of charge. On your first visit to use archives you will be required to complete a research application form and to prove your identity. Acceptable forms of proof are university card, passport, driving licence, County Archive Research Network (CARN) ticket, or similar documents which together include your photograph or signature, and your address. You will then be given a copy of the research application form as your proof of registration. The Centre keeps its copy of the form to compile statistics relating to the use of the Centre, to remain aware of current research interests, and to maintain current contact details for its researchers. The forms are destroyed when they are ten years old. You will be required to complete a new research application form every academic year (August-July).

Searchroom rules

When using the Centre you must abide by our rules. We have these rules to ensure that the material which we hold, much of which is irreplaceable, is preserved for present and future researchers like you, and to maintain our searchroom as a place for quiet study. The rules require that you:

Do 

• Enter your details in our visitors’ book each day you visit.
• Leave your bag and/or coat in the lockers provided or with the searchroom supervisor.
• Only use pencil when consulting archives.
• Handle all material carefully.
• Use a book rest or cushion when consulting archival volumes.
• Keep items within files or bundles in the order in which you found them.
• Ask the searchroom supervisor for permission if you wish to take photographs of documents.
• Show consideration for other users by keeping conversation and other sound to a minimum.

 Do not 

• Have any food, liquid or smoking material with you whilst in the searchroom.
• Use ink when consulting archives.
• Lean on documents, or rest papers or notepads on them whilst making notes.
• Mark documents in any way.
• Use a mobile phone (except for silent texting).Use a tape recorder (except by special arrangement).
• Have more than 3 archival files or other items at your desk at a time (except with the permission of the searchroom supervisor).
• Take archive boxes to your desk (except with the permission of the searchroom supervisor).