A GUIDE TO HISTORY LIBRARIES AND
COLLECTIONS IN LONDON

QUEEN MARY, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON, LIBRARY

NAME AND ADDRESS

Main Library, Queen Mary, University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS

EMAIL

library-enquiries@qmul.ac.uk

WEB SITE

http://www.library.qmul.ac.uk/index.htm

TELEPHONE NUMBER

(020) 7882 3327

LOCATION

The Main Library is a self-contained building situated on the east (Mile End station) side of the College site and is accessible from Mile End Road, through the gate near the QMUL bookshop.  Nearest tube stations: Mile End and Stepney Green.

History books and non-current journals are located on the 2nd floor.

HOURS OF OPENING

Please check the web site for up to date information.

Term and Easter vacation

Opening hours are subject to alteration – please check web site for up to date information.

Christmas and Summer vacation

May be open later during some of the Summer vacation – please phone to check.

ACCESS

University of London intercollegiate students are allowed to borrow 6 books altogether, 4 of them can be one week loan.

Readers who are not members of the College, but with a genuine need to use the collections, may do so for reference purposes; identification will be required.

University of London academic and academic-related staff and research postgraduates may borrow, again subject to identification.

During term-time visitors from outside the University of London can only use the Library on weekdays after 1700 (no restrictions during vacations or on term-time Saturdays and Sundays).

Handicapped readers should find no problem in access - there is a lift to reach the upper floors.  There are toilet facilities for handicapped people.

For full details of admission check here

READER PLACES

There is no specific seating for the History Collection.  There are approximately 1000 reader places in the whole library.

LIBRARIAN IN CHARGE OF THE HISTORY COLLECTION

Eilis Rafferty,  Subject Librarian - Business and Management, Economics, Geography, History and Politics

EMAIL ADDRESS

e.p.rafferty@qmul.ac.uk

STAFF AVAILABILITY

There are normally staff available to help with enquiries on weekdays until 1700.  After this time and at weekends there is a restricted ‘issue desk only' service.

CATALOGUES

There is an on-line public access catalogue (UNICORN), enabling author-title searching, as well as subject searching.  Some older books are still in a card catalogue.

Periodicals holdings can also be checked on the UNICORN OPAC terminals.

There are no separate catalogues for History.

Search the library catalogue

CLASSIFICATION

Library of Congress

STOCK

Approx. 40,000 volumes.  The stock covers in particular British and European history, including economic and social aspects.  The Medieval period is a particular strength, as is the history of East London.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS OR STRENGTHS

People's Palace Archive; extensive Westfield college archives which have proved of interest to students of women's education; a large collection of letters to and from Sir Neville Lyttelton and his wife and family; an extensive collection of works, including some contemporary memoirs, on the counter-revolutionary revolt in the Vendée.  Good collections on British and European History.

ADDITIONAL FACILITIES

Self-service photocopiers, coin-operated.

Refreshments are available in the Catering Building near the Library, although not throughout opening hours. There are cafés and pubs in close proximity.

Back to History Libraries and Collections in London list of libraries.