Opening

Opening times

Archive searchrooms

The Borthwick's archive searchrooms are open Monday to Friday 9:15 - 16:45. To contact the searchrooms telephone (01904) 321166. Although an appointment is not essential we do get very busy sometimes, especially in the microform room. We advise booking if you want to guarantee a space, especially if you are travelling a distance to visit us. We are also occasionally closed for meetings, training and stocktaking, so we do advise that you check our News page and ring ahead to check that we will be open. If you haven't visited us before do take a look at our visiting check list.

Evening visits to use archive material in the searchrooms are possible by arrangement. You will need to give at least two weeks' notice, and order archive material in advance of your visit since it will not be possible to get out additional material from the strongrooms during the evening. If you would like to make an arrangement to use archives in an evening please email us at bihr500@york.ac.uk , to discuss how we can help you.

Document issue times are 9:45, 10:45, 11:45, 13:45, 14:45 and 15:45. If you wish to pre-order material so it is available on your arrival you will need to do so before 15:45 on the previous working day, or, if you are planning to arrive over lunch time and would like material available on your arrival, you will need to contact us by 11:45.

Please note that if you are using photographic material or material from the Atkinson Brierly Collection you will need to give us at least 24 hour notice. This is so we can allow time for acclimatisation, in the case of photographs, and time for conservation assessment in the case of the Atkinson Brierly material.

Printed volumes from the University's Research and Special Collections can also be consulted in our searchrooms, with an order system very like that for archives.

Microform room

The microform room is open during the hours of the archive searchrooms and additionally until the closing time of the main JB Morrell Library. Please click here for details of the JB Morrell Library's opening hours. Please note that after the Borthwick's searchrooms have closed there will be no members of staff available to assist you with research in the microform room. We strongly recommend that you visit us during our normal opening hours before using the microform room when assistance is not available.

Please note that we close on Bank Holidays and for a period between Christmas and New Year, for a period of stocktaking in the first week in January and for a few days around Easter. Please confirm details of our opening for these periods.

We do not have a readers' card system but all readers will be expected to abide by the terms and conditions of searchroom use.

Exhibition area

The exhibition area is open during the hours of the main library. It is situated on the third floor. For information about exhibitions see our News page.

Travel

Directions & travel

The Borthwick shares its entrance with the JB Morrell Library (JBM) and the Raymond Burton Humanities Research Library (RBL). On coming through the main library entrance bear to the right and either go up the stairs, or use the lift situated at the far end of the corridor, to the first floor landing. The archive searchroom reception is on your right. During our searchroom opening hours please introduce yourself to a member of staff on the desk on your arrival.

If you are using the microform room out of opening hours you will need to enter through the door straight ahead of you (this door is locked during main searchroom opening hours).

The Lifelong Learning Rooms, Exhibition Area and staff offices are located on the third floor.

Travel by car

For information about getting to us by car please refer to the campus map.

The closest car parks are Campus Central or Campus North. Campus South car park is a short walk away but often has free spaces when the others don't. All are Pay and Display. If you have a disability badge, there are two parking spaces directly behind the Borthwick. See the accessibility tab, above, for more details.

From Campus Central car park you will need to find your way onto the Library bridge which crosses University Road. There is a ramp onto the bridge and also a lift.

From Campus North car park you need to find your way down the steps between the Library's J.B. Morrell and Harry Fairhurst buildings, and then follow the path around to the left to get to the Library's main entrance.

From Campus South car park you will need to follow the Wayfinders: first follow the directions to other buildings, then, when the Library appears on the Wayfinders, follow directions to the Library.

All car parks have disabled parking spaces.

Travel by rail

York is on the main East Coast Line from London King's Cross to Edinburgh. Fast trains leave from both north and south at frequent intervals. There is also a direct service across the Pennines between York, Leeds and Manchester Airport. The University is two miles from the railway station and you will need to get a bus or taxi to campus

Buses

You can reach York by coach from many destinations around the country. National Express buses stop at the railway station.

A number of companies operate buses to the University: services 4 and 44 depart from the railway station. The scheduled journey time from the railway station to Heslington is 20 minutes. Other services are the 27, 28 and 29. The main bus station is at Rougier Street. There is an online journey planner for local bus services.

When the bus reaches the University campus you will need to alight under the large concrete bridge on University Road. To reach the Borthwick Institute either take the stairs from the bus stop or cross the road then re-cross it using the large concrete bridge. The University Library and Archives are in the large building straight ahead of you.

Taxi

A taxi journey from the station takes about 15 minutes. There is a taxi rank directly outside the station. Ask the driver to take you to the Information Centre at Market Square. You will need to follow the line of shops and turn left onto the bridge which leads over the road. The University Library and Archives are in the large building straight ahead of you.

Accommodation

Accommodation

Some short stay accommodation is available on campus. See the University's Bed & Breakfast pages for information.

Refreshments

Eating on campus

The campus has a wide variety of places where you can get refreshments or a meal. Close to the Borthwick are Freshers Cafe Bar (entrance at the far left of the Library building) and Cafe Barista in the Seebohm Rowntree building (just over the white bridge). Details of opening times of cafes and bars, including service alterations during vacations are available.

Please note that for the safety of archives, no food or drink is permitted in the Borthwick's searchrooms. There is however, an Open Zone on the Library's ground floor, where you can eat and drink and use your phone.

Accessibility

Accessibility

A lift is available to the searchrooms and teaching rooms. Within our searchrooms and microform rooms we have adjustable height tables.

If you have a mobility impairment and are coming by car we recommend the use of Campus Central Car Park, where there is a lift to take you onto the Library Bridge, or Campus North Car Park, where there is a route suitable for wheelchair users through the Computer Science Building. If you are at all uncertain about the route, please telephone (01904) 321166 to let us know when you intend to visit and if necessary we can arrange to meet you at your car. We also have two parking spaces behind the Borthwick for registered disabled users (you will need to display your permit) - though of course we cannot guarantee they will be empty when you get here! To get to these spaces you will need to take the Morrell Way turning (near the main Library bridge over University Road.) These spaces are at the back of the Library, so you will need to use the buzzer at the rear Library glass doors to gain entrance. Please note that due to building work behind the library, access along Morrell Way is very limited at the moment.

An induction loop is installed in our lifelong learning rooms.

Accessible toilets are available on the ground floor of the Raymond Burton Library - the entrance is just by the stairs to the Borthwick searchrooms.