Ronald Duncan Reading Room

Please see our LibGuide for details on visiting the Reading Room and using our booking form to reserve a desk. If you have any questions please email libspc@exeter.ac.uk

The Ronald Duncan Reading Room is open during term time Monday – Friday.

Heritage Collections is closed during bank holidays and University closure periods (Christmas and New Year). Please enquire in advance for precise closure dates if you plan to visit during these times of year.

‌We welcome research enquiries and visits to Special Collections. To arrange a visit please read the information below and get in touch if you need any help or advice:

• Please book in advance of your visit so we can ensure the material you need is available.
• If you are currently a student or member of staff at Exeter you will need to bring your student card with you.
• If you are not a member of the University you will be asked to register by completing the External reader registration form; please bring photo ID such as a driving licence, or passport.
• You may use paper and pencil or your own laptop or tablet for taking notes. Pens are not allowed in the reading room.
• Food and drink including bottled water is not allowed in the reading room.
• There are lockers available for personal belongings while you are using the reading room. All material held at Special Collections is for reference use only.
• Photocopies, photographs and scans can be ordered at the discretion of staff. Conservation and copyright considerations will be taken into account.
• Signing the Reading Room diary signifies full compliance with the Reading Room Regulations and Handling Guidelines.

Please request items in advance of your visit to Special Collections and the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum 

Books and Journals

Requests for books and Journals can be submitted in advance via our booking form. If the items you are requesting are from the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum please email bdc@exeter.ac.uk. For rare and fragile material the Reading Room supervisor will advise on handling and care.

‌Archives, Manuscripts and Artefacts

Please provide as much advance notice of your intended visit as possible, book at least 48 working hours in advance, with full details of your research needs and the items you wish to consult. You can check our archives catalogue and book catalogue for information on what we hold. All archives, manuscripts and artefacts have a unique reference number to identify them which you will need to quote. Data Protection restrictions and Freedom of Information exemptions also apply to some archive collections, meaning that access must be arranged well in advance of your visit.

‌Handling Archive and Rare Books

We ask that all our users follow the basic handling guidelines outlined in the film below, made by our colleagues at Penryn, when using our Collections:

https://vimeo.com/fxarchives 

The Ronald Duncan Reading Room is located in the Old Library. There is a campus map available, the Old Library is building no. 7.

Directions to the University of Exeter by road and rail and a map of the Streatham Campus are available on the How to find us pages of the university website.

For information on parking please go to our website here.