The Special Reading Room
The Special Reading Room is located on floor 6, upstairs from the entrance level.
Here you may study books and periodicals printed before 1830, as well as material that for various reasons is considered too fragile or unique to be handled in the Main Reading Room. These include newspapers printed before 1850, manuscripts, ephemera, maps, pictures, music prints and material from the official archive.
In the Special Reading Room there are also catalogues and a reference library for manuscripts, maps and images.
The staff will inform you when you place your request if this is where you will access the material.
Rules of conduct
The material you consult in the Special Reading Room is often particularly fragile or unique. Therefore, special conditions apply when you handle it.
- A valid library card and identification must be presented.
- Only a limited amount of paper and books may be brought to the study place. Lockers are available in the Special Reading Room.
- Materials brought in must be presented and checked at each exit.
- No material may be removed from the Special Reading Room, including reference books, without the permission of the desk staff.
- Only pencils may be used.
- The order of volumes and capsules must not be disturbed and the material must be handled with care. Loose sheets should, as far as possible, remain in their protective covers. Single sheets delivered in a plastic pocket should remain in it during the study.
- Material from the library's collections must not be used as a writing surface. It is not allowed to put hands or arms on text or images.
- Notes may not be made on the library's materials. Cotton gloves must be worn when studying photographs, glass negatives and photographic postcards.
- Photographic material must not be placed face down.
- Contact the desk before the break. The staff will then decide whether the material needs to be handed in or not.
- Photography with your own camera (for private use) is at your own risk in accordance with Lag (1960:729) om upphovsrätt till litterära och konstnärliga verk
External link. (the Act on Copyright in Literary and Artistic Works) - Study of particularly sensitive material may need to be supervised by staff.
