Preparing For Your Visit

It is always advisable to make an appointment before visiting. Bookings can be made by email, telephone or letter. If you would like to visit within the next day or two please telephone, as emails that come in are not dealt with until the next working day.

• We will advise you whether to reserve a table or microfilm reader, depending on which records you wish to consult.
• If you arrive without having made a booking we will of course make every effort to accommodate you, but we cannot always guarantee that we will have space for you.
• Please also bear in mind that some records are stored off-site and we may require 3 - 10 days' notice if you want to consult them.

Preparing yourself

If you have never visited before, why not just come in to browse our catalogues, indexes and books? Staff will be happy to help you find your way around, and you will be better prepared for your next visit.

• Gather as much information as possible before a visit and bring copies of relevant documents to help staff advise you. We provide clear plastic wallets to house your documents and notes while you are in the searchroom. 
• Look at our website, our catalogues and databases and A2A
• If you think about the questions you want to ask us, this can save a lot of time when you visit.
• Please leave plenty of time for your visit, as identifying the records you need and searching for the required information can take longer than you think.
• Please do not bring large items of luggage with you (eg large briefcases, rucksacks, suitcases) as we do not have facilities to store them.
• Please bring proof of your identity if this is your first visit to register for a CARN readers ticket. This needs to be proof of name and current address, so a driving licence, or a utility bill and bank card, would be ideal.  Please note that a passport does not include your address.