House rules
You may consult special or fragile materials in the Reading Room and Map Room. To protect these materials, rules apply to the use of the rooms and the handling of the materials.
- Report to the desk before entering the Reading Room or Map Room. Here you can collect the material you have requested for viewing.
- These items are not allowed inside the Reading Room or Map Room:
- Food and drinks
- Coats and bags
- Pencils
- You can use a locker on the 6th floor. Ask for a locker key at the desk on the 6th floor.
- You may only take notes with a pencil in a notebook or on a laptop, tablet or telephone.
- Always consult with the desk clerk about where to sit.
- Only use the rooms to view material from the Special Collections.
- You may not use the rooms to study. You are welcome to use the rest of the library for this purpose.
- Please respect the silence in the rooms when others are present, do not talk and put your phone on silent so that others are not disturbed.
- Wash your hands before and after consulting material from the Special Collections, to protect yourself and the material.
- Please handle the materials with care. Library staff will supervise this. Both rooms are also equipped with video surveillance.
- Do not leave the material unattended.
- Place books on the cushions provided in the Reading Room.
- Are you viewing material with loose pages? Never change the order of these pages.
- You may take material from the open display yourself.
- Do not open the filing cabinets with plan cards or the revolving door cabinets with folded cards yourself. Only library staff are allowed to do this.
- Do not remove the cards from their protective covers.
- Have you finished viewing the material?
- Place the maps at the end of the table. Do not return the material to the cabinets yourself.
- Return books to the service desk.
- Return items from the open display to the same place. Ask a member of staff for assistance if necessary.
- Would you like to take photographs? Please ask for permission at the desk first. You can also request scans.
- Never use a flash.
- You can borrow a camera and a special scanning tent at the desk.
- Do not press down on the material, even when taking photographs.
Do you have any questions about handling materials?
Please feel free to ask a member of staff at the desk.