ISS: Information Services and Systems

Visiting & using the Archives

• Who should I address my enquiry to?
• What do I have to do to consult original material?
• Where are we and when are we open?
  • Hours of opening
• Using the Archives
• Copying services
  • Photocopying - Researchers who have consulted material in person
  • Photocopying - Postal, telephone and email orders
  • Photographic copies
  • Microfilm copies
• Clearance for use of archives in publications

Who should I address my enquiry to?

by post

King's College London Archives
ISS - Information Services and Systems
King's College London
Strand, London WC2R 2LS
United Kingdom

by e-mail

archives.web@kcl.ac.uk

by fax

020 7848 2760

by telephone

020 7848 2015 (general enquiries and appointments)

Depending upon your enquiry, and before contacting us, you may find it helpful to refer to

• Frequently asked questions
• Historical notes about the College and its merged institutions
• Archive catalogues

What do I have to do to consult original material?

Readers wishing to consult College Archives and research collections (which are open) are required to provide adequate proof of their identity, normally a passport, a staff identity card bearing a photograph or a driving licence. All readers wishing to consult the Modern Greek Archive will require a letter of introduction from an academic supervisor or person of standing. Readers will be required to complete an application form incorporating a Reader's undertaking to abide by the rules governing the use of the papers, which include regulations with regard to publication.

For the purpose of serious demographic or social history research closed papers touching on the privacy of individuals, notably hospital case notes, may be opened subject to the agreement that the reader will not publish, record or disclose information capable of being used to identify named individuals. All readers permitted to consult closed records will be required to supply a letter of introduction which clearly describes the purpose of the research and to complete an additional Special undertaking to abide by the rules formulated to protect the privacy of individuals.

Readers should note that records touching upon the privacy of named individuals are closed for 80 years or in the case of medical records, one hundred years. The policy also covers the records of Queen Elizabeth and Chelsea Colleges and their predecessor bodies and all the predecessor bodies of Guys, King's and St Thomas's School of Medicine and Dentistry, and the Florence Nightingale School of Nursing.

• Reader's undertaking
• Special undertaking

Where are we and when are we open?

Location

The main entrance of King's College London is on the Strand beside Somerset House and opposite St Mary le Strand.

From the main entrance on the Strand take the lift to the third floor, turn right out of the lift and follow the signs. Ring the bell to the left of the door for admission.

Bus numbers: 1, 4, 6, 9, 11, 15, 23, 26, 59, 68, x68, 76, 77a, 168, 171, 172, 176, 188, 341, 501, 505, 521 and 748 all stop outside the Strand Building.

There is no parking available within the College, though parking space for the disabled and the delivery of documents can usually be arranged by giving advance notice. Please note, however, that this cannot be guaranteed.

Map of Strand campus

Hours of opening

The Archives close for the last two weeks of August for stocktaking. The College as a whole is closed on all public holidays and the days between Christmas and New Year.

Please note that no orders for documents will be collected between 13.00-14.00 although the Archive reading room will remain open for research and we welcome the placing of forward orders.

Using the Archives

Consultation of the archives and manuscripts is by prior appointment. Readers may consult records immediately after signing the reader's undertaking. Where there has been prior discussion either in person, by telephone, e-mail or letter about the specific nature of a reader's research interest every endeavour will be made to ensure that a selection of relevant material will be made immediately available. Casual callers should be aware, however, that certain of the archives material is housed off site and will take a minimum of three days to retrieve. Staff are always happy to advise on the use of catalogues and the Director of Archive Services is available to provide guidance, as far as possible, on the availability of material for research in particular topics.

Please note that an appointment to consult the Archives does not mean an appointment to see the Director unless specifically requested and arranged.

Lead pencil or quiet lap top computers should be used for taking notes and ample sockets are available. The use of tape recorders may be permitted at the discretion of reading room staff and with the agreement of other readers using the reading room at the time. The use of cameras, digital or otherwise, and hand-held scanners is not permitted.

Copying services

Photocopying Guidelines

Photocopying - Researchers who have consulted material in person

1. Photocopies from original documents are supplied at the discretion of the Director of Archive Services. Readers should complete and sign the Application Form and Copyright Declaration. Copies are supplied solely for the purposes of research and private study. Applications to quote from or reproduce documents in any format should be referred to the Director of Archive Services.

2. Photocopy orders are subject to an annual limit of 200 pages per reader or 300 per collaborative project and usually take up to two weeks to process. They are priced at 30p [100p = one pound sterling] per sheet, and orders should normally be paid for in advance. Cheques should be made payable to King's College London and backed by a cheque guarantee card. Non sterling cheques attract a surcharge of £10 (ten pounds sterling).

3. Loose papers and photographs requested for copying should never be removed or extracted from files. Coloured paper is provided for marking the required pages in volumes or files.

4. Photocopying will not be permitted where there may be risk of damage to the item(s). This is likely to include:
   
   • Photographs.
   • Any document of marked fragility.
   • Items too large to fit on the template of the photocopier (eg volumes larger than A3 size [297 mm by 420 mm] when opened).
   • Bound volumes which do not lie flat when open, and are likely to sustain damage to the spine and leaves.

5. The College reserves the right to require written evidence of copyright permission prior to accepting substantial requests for copies of diaries, memoirs, reminiscences and private correspondence.

6. Photocopies of published microforms may be made by the readers themselves at 20p per sheet and without limit in numbers provided that copies are made for research use only.

7. Photographic copies and microfilm copies may be supplied as appropriate provided there is no risk to original documents. Readers are invited to enquire about costs.

Photocopying - Postal, telephone and email orders

1. Photocopies from original documents are supplied at the discretion of the Director of Archive Services, subject to the conditions listed above for researchers who have consulted material in person.

2. Researchers who have not registered with the College Archives may be required to complete a Reader's undertaking , and to provide a letter of introduction from an appropriate referee.

3. Researchers should apply for copies using our Application form for photocopying

4. Before you can order any type of copy you will need to know the catalogue reference of the material to be copied. If you do not know this information please consult our Archives catalogues.

5. We will provide an estimate of the cost of copying. The charge for the estimate is £10 (ten pounds sterling), payable in advance. We will aim to complete the estimate within ten working days of receipt of payment. If your estimate comes to less than £10 then your copy order will be started as soon as payment is received, and there will be nothing further to pay. If the value of the order is over £10 the estimating charge will be deducted from the cost. The charge is not refundable if a customer decides not to proceed with the order. Prices quoted in estimates are valid for three months.

6. An additional handling charge of £20 will be added to any order requiring special attention or document handling.

Photographic copies

Copies of photographs will be supplied subject to the same general conditions as photocopies. The work is undertaken by a contractor who requires between 2 to 4 weeks to process orders. If the order is urgent, however, please tell us. Some images can be digitised more quickly. All photographic orders attract a minimum handling fee of £15 (fifteen pounds sterling) plus individual print copies of £3, £4 or £5 each, depending on size.

Microfilm copies

Copies supplied on microfilm will be supplied subject to the same general terms as photocopies. Microfilming is contracted out and subject to individual quotation based upon the complexity of the work as well as the number of pages.

• Application form for photographic / microfilm copies

Clearance for use of archives in publications

Readers wishing to publish a manuscript deriving from or quoting from any records or manuscripts must seek the College's permission prior to publication. For a small number of brief quotations a letter addressed to the Director of Archive Services explaining the nature of proposed use and giving the title, name and date of publication will suffice. For more substantial works, especially biographies or those which include major treatment of aspects of the College history, the College reserves the right to require the submission of relevant portions of the text before publication. This includes theses since these are made available for public consultation after acceptance for a degree. All readers who have been given access to closed records will, as a matter of course, be required to submit relevant extracts of their texts prior to publication. Texts should be forwarded to the Director of Archive Services in the first place who will refer them as may be appropriate, to the College Secretary and other officers of the College or owners of collections.

General acknowledgements for permission to use papers in the College Archives should be made to King's College London. Footnotes should equally include reference to the College and employ references in use in the Archives, eg KAS/GC2/F9 or Underhill 1/2.