British Library

British Library Document Supply Centre (BLDSC), Boston Spa

The Boston Spa Reading Room, in Yorkshire, is open to all visitors over the age of 14.

Opening hours are Monday - Friday, 09:30 - 16:30 (requests must be made by 15:30)

Reference books, bibliographies and abstracting and indexing publications are available on open access.

You can also consult any of the seven million publications in the Document Supply collections at Boston Spa including:

  • Books (mostly in English back to 1801)
  • Journals (in most languages and subjects)
  • British and US doctoral theses
  • Music scores, reports, conferences and British, European and American official publications

Some of the BL's electronic resources are freely available on the Internet, others are only available in the reading rooms.

To help with your visit you can:

  • Request items in advance
  • Book a seat on our free minibus service

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Requesting items in advance of your visit

Use the British Library's Explore catalogue to find out whether BLDSC has what you want to read. You must include a stock location/shelfmark on the request forms and you can find this information on the Integrated Catalogue.

We strongly recommend that you request items in advance (up to a maximum of 16). Advance request forms are available from JB Morrell Library Help & Information and must be posted to the Reading Room. Requests must be made at least 6 working days in advance of your visit.

On the day of your visit you can have a maximum of 8 requests, in addition to any advance requests you have made. This is strictly enforced by the Reading Room. The aim is to satisfy 90% of requests within 70 minutes.

You will not be able to borrow any items. Use the Interlending Service to make requests.

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Free minibus to the Reading Room

The Library provides a free weekly minibus service to the British Library Reading Room at Boston Spa for staff and students. The 8 seater minibus runs on alternate Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year. It leaves from the car park in front of the Information Centre at 9.30am returning at 4:15pm.

All seats must be pre-booked online through the Library Catalogue. Search for minibus, login and select the date/s you want to go.

To cancel a booking, go to My Library Account, Bookings and cancel.

Minibus timetable
Wednesday Friday
  25 May
30 May 8 June
13 June 22 June
27 June 6 July
11 July 20 July
25 July 3 August

For more information see the BLDSC reading room website.

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British Library London Reading Rooms

The British Library in London welcomes researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs with a need to use their research collections.

From the Library's collection of over 150 million items you can view books, manuscripts, maps, newspapers, magazines, patents, prints and drawings, music scores, sound recordings, photographs, book bindings or stamps.

To use the London reading rooms, you must first apply for a reader's pass.

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University Library contacts

You can ask for help or make requests and bookings:

  • in person at JBM Library Lending Services from Monday to Friday, 09:00 - 17:15
  • by telephone to Interlending and Document Supply on +44 (0)1904 323876
  • by email to infodir-ilds@york.ac.uk.