Booking and Ordering Guide

This guide provides instructions for booking a visit to the SOAS Special Collections Reading Room and ordering materials using the SOAS Archive Catalogue.

Booking a Visit

1. Membership Requirements

Before you can book a visit or order material, you must have an active SOAS Library membership. This ensures that you are registered in the system and eligible to access Special Collections.

  • SOAS staff and students already have access. Use your standard SOAS login credentials, which are the same as those used for SOAS email, Moodle, and other institutional systems.
  • External researchers and non-SOAS users must apply for a SOAS Library Card before they can book or order materials.

It is strongly recommended that you apply at least 10 working days before your intended visit to allow sufficient time for processing and to avoid delays in accessing the booking system. If you are applying with less notice than this, please contact us directly at special.collections@soas.ac.uk. We will do our best to accommodate your booking where possible.

2. Signing In and Creating a Booking

  • Navigate to the SOAS Archive Catalogue homepage.
  • Click "Sign In" in the top navigation bar.
  • Enter your login credentials: SOAS staff and students: use your standard SOAS username and password.External users: use the credentials provided with your Library Card (e.g. l1234567@soas.ac.uk) and password.

Once signed in, your name will appear at the top of the screen, confirming that you are logged in.

To create a booking:

  • Click "Bookings" and then "Create Booking".
  • Select your desired visit date from the calendar interface.
  • Click "Add" to reserve the date. You will then have 30 minutes to complete your booking. This initiates a 30-minute lock period during which you must complete the booking process.
  • Confirm your booking details and click "Submit".
  • You will receive an on-screen confirmation message and a confirmation email.

Bookings must be made at least 24 hours in advance. Each day that you want to visit must be booked individually. If you need to arrange repeat visits, please contact us directly and we’ll be happy to assist.

3. Adding Materials to Your Booking

Once your booking is confirmed, you can begin adding materials. Only items marked "Orderable" can be requested for consultation.

To add items:

  • Go to "Bookings" and click "View/Amend" on your upcoming booking.
  • Click "Add/Remove Items" to begin selecting materials.

You may add items using one of the following methods:

Method 1 – By Reference Code

  • In "Add/Remove Items", select "Add by Reference Code".
  • Enter the full reference code of the item (e.g. PP MS 01/02/03 or MS 12345). The system will locate the item if it is orderable.
  • Click "Add to Booking" to confirm your selection.

Method 2 – From Saved Records

  • While browsing or searching the catalogue, click the star icon to save items to your account.
  • In your booking, go to "Add/Remove Items".
  • Select items from your saved records. Only those marked as orderable will be displayed.
  • Click "Add to Booking" to confirm your selection.

Method 3 – From a Catalogue Record Page

  • Use the search box to locate the relevant item you require.
  • Open the record page of the item you wish to consult.
  • Click "Add to Booking" on the right-hand navigation directly from the record page.

Only records marked as "Orderable" can be added. These typically include archival files, individual manuscripts, or rare books. Higher-level records such as collections or series are not orderable and are intended for navigation. Scroll down to locate child records (e.g. files, items) which represent the physical units available for consultation.

How to Order Archives

Archival materials are ordered via the SOAS Archive Catalogue. These appear under the Archives tab in search results.

To order:

  • Sign in to the SOAS Archive Catalogue.
  • Create a booking for your visit.
  • Locate the item using the search box or browse collections.
  • Open the catalogue record and click Add to Booking.
  • Alternatively, use the Reference Code or Saved Records method.
  • Only items marked Orderable can be requested

How to Order Manuscripts

Manuscripts are also ordered via the SOAS Archive Catalogue, and appear under the Manuscripts tab in search results.

To order:

  • Sign in to the SOAS Archive Catalogue.
  • Create a booking for your visit.
  • Locate the manuscript using the search box or browse the Manuscripts tab.
  • Open the catalogue record and click Add to Booking.
  • You may also use the Reference Code or Saved Records method.
  • Only items marked Orderable can be requested.

How to Order Rare Books

Rare books are ordered via the SOAS Library Catalogue, not the Archive Catalogue.

To order:

  • Go to the SOAS Library Catalogue (https://soas.on.worldcat.org)
  • Search for the rare book by title, author, or classmark.
  • Open the item record.
  • Navigate to the Access Online section.
  • Open this section and click Request to view in the Special Collections Reading Room.
  • Sign in to the SOAS Archive Catalogue and follow the prompts to complete your booking.

NB: Rare books may also be added directly from the Books tab in SOAS Archive Catalogue search results, using the same booking process as for archives and manuscripts.

How to Order Serials, periodicals, and multi‑part items

Follow the steps above for rare books. For serials and other multipart works, you may see additional fields (e.g., Volume/Issue/Part, Date) when placing an order. Fill these in so we can bring the specific part you need.

How to Order Objects

Artworks and objects are not orderable via the catalogue system. They typically appear under the Objects tab in search results.

To request access:

  • Email gallery@soas.ac.uk with details of the item and your intended visit date.
  • Include the object accession number
  • Staff will advise on availability and access arrangements

4. Order Limits and Retrieval Times

When you order material through the SOAS Archive Catalogue, you are requesting items that are typically physically stored in boxes or as bound volumes. Each box may contain one or several files, folders, or items. These containers are what staff retrieve from the store, and they form the basis of the order limits applied to your booking.

When you place an order, the system groups your requested items by the container they belong to. Even if you select multiple individual files, if they are all housed in the same box, they count as one item for retrieval purposes.

The system applies limits based on these containers, not the number of individual files. This means

  • You may pre-order up to three boxes or volumes in advance for each booking.
  • You may request up to three additional boxes or volumes per retrieval session during your visit.
  • Retrievals take place at two fixed times: 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
  • Items are typically delivered to the Reading Room approximately 30 minutes after the retrieval time.

For example, you can pre-order three items, you can then request three more for collection at 11:00 AM (expected delivery by 11:30 AM), and another three for collection at 2:00 PM (expected delivery by 2:30 PM). This allows a maximum of nine items per day.

Understanding container limits To see which boxes or volumes are included in your order:

  • Go to the Bookings tab and click View next to your upcoming booking.
  • Your item list will show the Reference Code for each archival item and whether it is contained within a box or volume.
  • Rare books and manuscripts will typically appear as “Volumes”.
  • To check which box an archival item belongs to, open the catalogue record and look for the “Container” field. This identifies the physical container in which the file or item is located.

Managing Your Booking

Viewing and Editing

  • Go to "Bookings" and select your booking.
  • You will see the booking date, the list of requested items, and the status of each item.

Status definitions:

  • "Items in order" means your material request has been submitted and is awaiting retrieval.
  • "Prepared" means your requested material has been retrieved. These items cannot be changed.

Making Changes

  • To remove items: open your booking, click "Add/Remove Items", and remove items from the list. This is only possible if the status of the items is not yet "Prepared".
  • To change the date: open your booking and click "Change Date". You will be prompted to select a new date and confirm the change.
  • To cancel the booking: open your booking and click "Cancel". This will release the date and remove all associated item requests.

If you encounter any issues when making changes to your booking, email special.collections@soas.ac.uk for assistance.

Ordering material in the Reading Room.

  • Log in via a personal device or use the Reading Room catalogue PC.
  • Go to "Bookings" and select your booking for the current day.
  • Click "Add/Remove Items" and materials in the same manner as when making a booking.
  • Add up to three items per retrieval session. You may do this twice per day, at 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM.

If you do not have a personal device with you, you can use the dedicated PC in the Reading Room to log in and manage your booking. Staff at the Supervisor Desk are also available to assist with locating catalogue records, adding items to your booking, or resolving any technical issues.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

For further assistance, contact:

This guide is maintained by SOAS Library Services. Last updated: November 2025.