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        M A I N   R E A D I N G   R O O M   R E G U L A T I O N S
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                      National Library of Scotland
                  George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EW
                         Telephone 031-226-4531
                              031-459-4531
                           Telex 72638 NLSEDIG
                            Fax 031-220-6662

Admission of Readers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Additional regulations for the use of the South Reading Room (Rare Books
and Manuscripts), the Scottish Science Library, and the Map Library are
printed on separate leaflets.

1.   The Reading Rooms are open daily, except on Sundays, 25 and 26
     December, I and 2 January, Good Friday, and one Monday in May
     (variable). There is a reduced staff on certain other public
     holidays which are detailed in NLS Services Information Leaflet 1.
     During the first week in October the Library is closed for
     stocktaking (see details in NLS Services Information Leaflet 2).

     The hours of opening of the Reading Room are: Monday, Tuesday,
     Thursday, Friday, 09.30 to 20.30 hours; Wednesday, 10.00 to 20.30
     hours; Saturday, 09.30 to 13.00 hours. Readers are requested to
     return books not later than 20 minutes before the Library closes to
     enable staff to examine them and to ensure that the Reading Rooms
     are vacated by closing time.

2.   The services provided in the Reading Rooms are designed for those
     engaged on research or reference work using the Library's
     collections. School children, college students, and undergraduates
     at ordinary degree level are not normally admitted.

     Admission is at the discretion of the Board of Trustees and the
     privilege of admission may at any time be suspended by the
     librarian or withdrawn by the Board of Trustees.

3.1  Anyone who wishes to be admitted as a regular reader should submit
     an application form in person to the Superintendent of Reference
     Services (but see 3.2 below for university or college students).
     Evidence of identity will be required: for example, a document
     bearing a photograph of the holder, or a banker's card.

     If the application is accepted, the applicant will be given a
     Reader's Ticket valid for 3 years. This ticket must be shown at the
     Enquiry Desk before entering the Reading Room, and at any other
     time when required.

3.2  A Ticket valid for 1 year, renewable for one further period of a
     year, may be issued to an Honours student at 3rd-year or more
     advanced level at a university or college who requires to consult
     material relevant to his course and not held in other Edinburgh
     libraries.

     The application form must be signed also by a professor or lecturer
     of the Department where the applicant is studying.

     If the applicant wishes to advance some exceptional reason for
     admission, he should state it in writing and submit it along with
     his application.  While a student should not regularly ask for
     books of which copies are owned by his university or college
     library, these may be supplied occasionally if the Superintendent
     of Reference Services is satisfied that they are required for
     subsidiary reference.

4.   A short-term ticket valid for a single visit or for a few days only
     may be issued to anyone requiring to use the Library. Applications
     for short-term tickets (for which evidence of identity is also
     required) should be made, in person, at the Enquiry Desk.

Use of the Main Reading Room
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5.   A call-slip must be completed and handed in at the Issue Counter
     for each book required, other than for those on the shelves in the
     Reading Room and the Catalogue Hall. Books are delivered to
     readers, except in the evenings and on Saturday mornings when
     readers are requested to collect them at the Issue Counter. All
     books issued should be returned to the Issue Counter not later than
     20 minutes before closure. Call-slips are not required for books in
     the Reading Room and the Catalogue Hall shelves, and these should
     be left on the tables after use. Readers should not replace books
     on the shelves.

6.   If a reader wishes to reserve a book for use later, a reservation
     slip should be completed and inserted in the book before returning
     it to the Issue Counter. Books will normally be kept on reserve for
     7 days.

7.   While special needs will be considered, the number of books
     supplied to any one reader in a day may be restricted to ten.
     (These will not include the reasonable number that may be kept on
     reserve from a previous day.)

8.   Call-slips should be handed in at least I hour before closing for
     delivery that day. Certain categories of material housed elsewhere
     require longer notice. Special Collection material cannot be
     fetched in the evenings or on Saturday mornings. Advance orders for
     Special Collection material should be made before 16.00 on the day
     of consultation.

9.   No book, document, manuscript, map, or other property of the
     Library may be removed from the Library. Readers must return to the
     Issue Counter all books issued to them whenever they leave the
     Library for however short a time, and no personal belongings may be
     left in the Reading Room.

10.  Readers must take the greatest care of all Library property;
     failure to do so may lead to the withdrawal of the reader's ticket.
     Readers must not write upon, damage, crease or mark any book,
     document, manuscript or map belonging to the Library, and they must
     not lay upon any book, document, manuscript or map the paper on
     which they are writing. Ink bottles and correction fluid may not be
     used, and care must be taken to avoid damage to or defacement of
     furniture. Clothing may not be placed on the tables; cases,
     umbrellas and wet coats must be left at the Cloakroom in the
     Entrance Hall.

11.  Silence must be observed in the Reading Room. Eating and drinking
     are forbidden in the public areas of the Library. Smoking is not
     permitted in any part of the Library.

12.  Applications for photographic orders including rapid copies may be
     made to staff on duty, who can advise on services and on copyright
     restrictions. The Library reserves the right to decline to
     photograph certain material.

13.  The use of personal cameras in the Library is not normally allowed;
     personal stereos and mobile phones must be left at the Cloakroom in
     the Entrance Hall.

14.  Special permission must be sought for the use of personal equipment
     requiring a supply of mains electricity, or for the use of any
     battery-operated equipment with a noise level likely to disturb
     other users. The Superintendent of Reference Services has the right
     to refuse the use of such equipment.

15.  No animals except guide-dogs are admitted.

16.  When the fire alarm sounds, the Reading Rooms and Library buildings
     must be vacated immediately. Readers should not return to desks to
     collect personal belongings. Library books, manuscripts, etc.,
     should be left on the Reading Room tables.

     Library staff will instruct readers which exit to use. Lifts must
     not be used to leave the buildings.

     Personal belongings deposited in the cloakrooms will not be
     available until the Fire Officer in charge has given permission for
     staff to return to their posts.

     Once outside, all members of the public should move away from the
     entrances to allow access by the emergency services.

17.  Complaints about the service provided should be made, in the first
     instance, to the Superintendent of Reference Services or, in
     writing, to the Director, Public Services.

Printed in Scotland for HMSO   Dd.8389220 C50 9/92 37907
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