The British Library accepts offered journal issues to fill gaps in its own stock, thereby enhancing the national collection; providing ongoing access onsite in the Reading Rooms or remotely via British Library On Demand.

Follow this process to de-duplicate your collections:

1. Libraries identify candidate titles proposed for de-duplication.
2. Contact us to register with UKRR and LARCH and start the submission process. Ensure that submitted information is both complete and accurate in order to assure a seamless process.
3. Submit the list to the British Library via LARCH.
4. We will contact you and let you know what to do next:
• Send requested items to the British Library as advised in the UKRR handbook (PDF format)
• Retain rare items. You may be able to send these for retention to one of the Principal Libraries (eg. Oxford Bodleian libraries or Cambridge University Library).
• Dispose of duplicate items. This is your responsibility, but we encourage environmentally friendly disposal or donation to charity

Any material sent to the British Library becomes a part of the national collection. The British Library will own the stock and our catalogue will record it as UKRR originating material.

You can access material held in the Research Reserve via the British Library’s On Demand service or the Reading Room.