Collection access and item requesting suspension

We are suspending item ordering and access to our entire collection from Monday 1 - Sunday 7 December while we prepare to launch our new catalogue. Find out more about how this may affect your research.

We’re launching a new version of our main catalogue on Monday 8 December. You’ll be able to search our collection, place requests and check the status of your order, all in one place. We will also be relaunching our Archives and Manuscripts catalogue around this time, although this will have a different ordering process initially.

To keep our collection safe while we transition to these new catalogues, we are suspending item ordering and access to our entire collection from Monday 1 – Sunday 7 December 2025.

Frequently asked questions

When will item consultation be suspended in the Reading Rooms? 

You can consult items in our Reading Rooms as usual until 17.00 on Saturday 29 November, when all items will be recalled to storage. Please ensure you allow enough time to consult the item you need before this time.

When should I make my request to ensure I can consult the item I want before the suspension? 

For items stored in St Pancras to be delivered to St Pancras Reading Rooms: request by 16.00 on Saturday 29 November
For items stored in Boston Spa to be delivered to Boston Spa Reading Room: request by 12.00 noon on Wednesday 26 November
For items stored in Boston Spa to be delivered to St Pancras Reading Rooms: request by 12.00 noon on Wednesday 26 November
For items stored in St Pancras to be delivered to Boston Spa Reading Room: request by 12.00 noon on Wednesday 26 November.

The collection item request form will be switched off at 16.00 on Saturday 29 November.

What if I’ve already requested to consult an item during this time? 

Any existing requests to consult items between Monday 1 – Sunday 7 December will be cancelled and you will be notified by email. All items that are still on reserve on Saturday 29 November at 17.00 will be returned to storage and will need to be requested again from Monday 8 December.

Can I order items in advance, to consult after the suspension? 

No. To consult items from Monday 8 December you will need to request them via our new catalogues,whichwill be available to use on Monday 8 December. If you have made a request to consult an item after the suspension this will be cancelled and you will be notified by email. We recommend you keep a note of the details of the item you want to consult so that it is easier to re-request it via the new catalogues.

Will the Reading Rooms still be open during the suspension? 

Yes, all our Reading Rooms will be open for personal study.

What can I expect after Monday 8 December and how do I use the new catalogues and requesting system? 

On Monday 8 December we’ll be launching a new version of our main catalogue and an integrated requesting system. This catalogue will include records for most of our published collections up to October 2025. The new system will allow easier access to these collections, real-time availability data and the ability to track your request. We’ll share detailed instructions on how to use the new system soon. From when it’s available on Monday 8 December, our team will be able to support you to use the new system and make requests.

We will also be aiming to launch a new catalogue for our Archives and Manuscripts collection around this time which will be a snapshot of the collection as of October 2023. There will be a different requesting process for those items initially, and we’ll share more details soon.

Will the interim catalogue still be available during the suspension period?

Our interim catalogue will still be available and the search functionality will be enabled but the collection item request form will not be available. The new version of our main catalogue will then be launched and requesting reopened from Monday 8 December.