BLreadingroom

British Library Reading Room

1. Navigating the British Library’s
Collections
An Introduction to the British Library and its
Science Collections and Services
Richard Wakeford
Reference Specialist - Science

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Introduction
•The British Library
•Using the reading rooms
•Science collections, print and digital
•Research tools for discovery

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The British Library
•Sites in London and Boston Spa
•Collection covers all subjects and all
formats
•Acquisition by legal deposit,
purchase, donation and exchange
•Exhibitions and events

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Reader Registration
•Pre-registration online option
•ID needed upon visit
•Registration interview and photo pass issued
•Max 3 years & renewable
•See registration details

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Using the Reading Rooms
•Conditions of use
•Create a user name and password
to use the catalogue for ordering
and accessing “My workspace” and
“My Reading Room Requests”
•Secure IT network blocks e-mail
access. WiFi is available

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Reading Room Opening Times
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun &
Public
Holidays
• Science
• Social Sciences
• Business & IP Centre
• Humanities
• Rare Books & Music
• News & Media
10:00-
20:00
09:30-
20:00
09:30-
20:00
09:30-
20:00
09:30-
17:00
09:30-
17:00
Closed
• Asian and African Studies
• Maps
• Manuscripts
10:00-
17:00
09:30-
17:00
09:30-
17:00
09:30-
17:00
09:30-
17:00
09:30-
17:00
Closed

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Origins of the Science Collection
•The British Museum Library, 1753
•The Patent Office Library, 1855
•National Lending Library, 1962
•The British Library, 1973
• St Pancras, 1998
•History of the British Library

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Research Resources - Printed
•Journals
•Books
•Grey literature
•Patents
•Official publications
•Technical standards
•Business Information, Rare books, Manuscripts, Maps, Stamps, Music,
•Sound Archive, and many other types of material

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Research Resources - Digital
•Journals & books
•Databases
•Research datasets
•UK Web Archive
•Theses via eThos
•Oral history
•Legacy digital formats, audio and video
recordings
… and other multi-format items

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Research Tools
www.bl.uk links to: e-resources
•Scopus
•Web of Science
•IEEE Xplore
•Engineering Village
•Catalogues
•Online guides

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Discovering the Collections
•British Library catalogue Explore
•“Details”
-Shelf marks
(Dewey, Science Classification etc)
- Holdings data
•“I want this”
- Order items
- Identify delivery times

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Collection Storage and Delivery
Print and Digital
•Open access - science books
and journals from 2009 -
•Delivery from stacks:
- 70 minutes - St. Pancras
basement
- 48 hours - Boston Spa
•Digital content via “Explore”
- In copyright only in reading
rooms
- Out of copyright available as
open access
,

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Onsite Free Reading Room Services
•Reference desks for face to face help
•Remote enquiries QuestionPoint
•Online Chat
•WiFi and eduroam
•Discovery sessions & 1-2-1 sessions
•Photography of print collections
within copyright limits

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Onsite Priced Reading Room Services
•Networked printers and printer accounts
•Digital scanning
•Copy counter assistance

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Offsite Priced Services
•On Demand Document Supply
•Inter-library loans of lending collection
•Imaging Services
•Images Online

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Contact Us
Science Reading Room
[email protected]
0207 412 7288
BL blogs
www.bl.uk/blogs
@britishlibrary
@BL_Ref_Services
@SciencesBL

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Thank you
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