If you wish to use the British Library for reference purposes please read this guide carefully. Your application may be delayed if you do not follow the correct procedure when applying for a ticket. You are advised to take this guide with you when you first visit the British Library. The British Library is a national collection in the humanities, sciences and social sciences.
Access is generally limited to postgraduates and academics.
It may be useful to conduct a search of the British Library catalogue prior to applying for a pass. Reader passes are issued for one month, one year or five years depending on individual assessment of research needs. To apply for a reader pass, please fill in a British Library Reader Admission form available from the Enquiry Desk or direct from the British Library. Students at undergraduate level Students at undergraduate level are not normally given access and should have tried other academic and local libraries before applying to the British Library. However, students in their final year who are preparing a dissertation may be issued with a short-term pass.