Filming and photographing for public production
To film or photograph at the National Library for a public production, special permission is required.
If you wish to film or take photographs of materials in our collections for public distribution, e.g. for a documentary, you must complete a request form below. We can not guarantee that your request will be approved. Several factors are taken into consideration, such as the condition of the material, timing, and available staff resources.
Please be aware that we generally decline requests that do not have a clear connection to our collections.
We need your request at least three weeks in advance for photography and at least two months for filming.
- Decisions on how the collections may be handled during filming or photography are made by our staff. We also assess whether the material is in suitable condition and can be safely used without risk of damage during recording.
- Much of the material in the National Library’s collections is protected by copyright. It is your responsibility to check whether the material you wish to photograph or film is subject to copyright and to follow the applicable regulations.
Read more about copyright. - The library is intended to be a quiet space for study and research. Therefore, any filming or photography must take place outside of our regular opening hours.