Consulting the collections

You can use Library Search to look for maps in the Library's collections. There is a guide to finding maps using Library Search available to help you.

• Use Library Search

You can request maps to view in the Maps Reading Room using our map request form. Alternatively, staff can advise you on relevant maps for your research during your visit to the Maps Reading Room.

• Book an appointment

The following reference material is available on open shelves in the Maps Reading Room for immediate access and browsing.

You may remove items from the reading room shelves, but please do not remove anything from drawers — do ask staff for assistance. Please do not return items to the shelves, unless you are certain where they should go.

• Atlases, particularly national atlases
• Gazetteers
• Cartographic reference books
• Guidebooks
• Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 current maps of Great Britain

Most maps are kept in closed stacks and are fetched in a few minutes by staff when requested. An enquiry desk and experienced staff are always on hand and we recommend that you ask staff before consulting map catalogues and lists.

A small number of maps, books and manuscripts of particular cultural significance have restricted access for preservation reasons:

• These items are available for consultation only for research which needs the originals and cannot be undertaken using existing surrogates
• You must give us 48 hours' notice that you wish to consult the item(s)
• If permission is agreed, you can make an appointment to consult the item(s)  in the Maps Reading Room, which is open from 10.00-13.00 and 14.00-17.00, Mondays to Thursdays. Please note that consultation of restricted access items ends half an hour earlier than that for other collection items.

All readers must take utmost care of items in the National Library of Scotland's collections. We will immediately withdraw the library card of anyone who damages our material. Details about the care of the collections are available in the Library's terms and conditions.

We use CCTV monitoring to ensure good handling and security of the collections.

Before you enter the reading room:

You must leave the following items in a lockers outside the Maps Reading Room:

• Outdoor coats and jackets
• Wet outer garments and umbrellas
• Bags larger than 29cm x 21cm (A4)
• Any items of food or drink.

In the reading room:

• You can only use pencil to write with, for the protection of collection items
• Please be careful not to write on, lean on, mark or place working papers on top of any Library material
• You should ensure that your hands are clean before handling Library materials
• Wherever practicable, you should read material on the book supports provided — we can give you weighted beads to hold volumes open
• Please report any defect, damage or unopened pages to a member of staff.

Maps Reading Room main page