Please see important information below about requesting physical material if you don't have a Reader Pass

The University Library provides a free minibus service to the British Library at Boston Spa for our staff and students.

There is one trip on alternate Wednesdays throughout the year.

The pickup point is the corner in front of the Information Centre, at 9.30am (near the postbox). A member of Library still will be there to meet you. For the return journey, the minibus leaves the Reading Room at approximately 4.15pm.

All seats must be pre-booked no later than one week before your visit.

Please read the following information, then click Begin Registration and follow the instructions to book a seat on the minibus.

What is available at the British Library Reading Room at Boston Spa?

The British Library launched their new catalogue in December 2025. Find answers to some frequently asked questions here.

Not all services or collections are available at the moment, however some eResources are once again available to use in the Reading Room. Please make sure in advance of your visit that the material you wish to consult will be available for use. You can find this information on the British Library website.

Registration for a Reader Pass

You don't need to pre-book a study space, but you must have registered and been issued with a British Library Reader Pass (a photo-pass) to use the Boston Spa Reading Room.

If you don’t currently have a Reader Pass, registration will be done in person on your first visit. British Library staff will arrange this with you when you arrive.

Please ensure that you bring the correct ID. Full details of what you need to bring with you can be found in the Reader Pass FAQ section.
 

Renewing a Reader Pass

If you already hold a British Library Reader Pass but it has expired, you will also need to renew this in person on your first visit. Please ensure that you bring the correct ID.

Requesting physical material to use in the Reading Room

Physical material must be requested in advance of your visit to ensure the items you require will be available.
Find the items you wish to consult using the British Library’s catalogue

Please note, until further notice it is only possible to request material in advance if you have a Reader Pass which has been issued / renewed since 21 March 2024:

• Please request items online by following these instructions: How to request collection items
• This should be done no later than 48 hours before your visit.
• There is no longer a daily limit to the number of requests you can place.

If you do not have a Reader Pass, or it was issued / renewed before 21 March 2024:

• You will be unable to request material in advance, however, Reading Room staff may be able to retrieve material for you on the day, depending where it is located, but they can’t guarantee this will be possible.

You can find more information about the Reading Room on our webpages.

If you need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, please email us and we will arrange one for you.