Accessing the collections

Due to the limited amount of space in the Reading Room, the majority of the bfi National Library's collections are on 'closed access'. This means that, with the exception of the books and journals in the Reading Room, you will not be able to browse the shelves or retrieve the materials yourself.

To learn which materials the collection holds, you will need to check the book catalogue or SIFT database, and fill-in the appropriate request slips for items not available in the Reading Room. Please hand-in requests to a member of staff at the Counter. You will be limited to handing-in up to three requests at a time.

On average, it will take between 10-45 minutes for materials to be retrieved from the Basement stacks; however, when very busy, it can take up to one hour. We do not take requests in advance of your visit to the Reading Room, except when you are pre-ordering materials held off-site.

Important Notice

Please be aware that from April 2007, due to staffing shortages, on certain mornings we will only be able to operate retrieval runs to the basement at 11am and 12pm, when possible, and not upon request as normal.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. We will try to keep disruptions to your research to a minimum but this cannot always be guaranteed.

We would welcome any feedback on how this affects your research.