Essential Information

Location
National Maritime Museum

06 Aug 2008

During the period 2009 -12 there will be changes to operation of the Library due to redevelopment of the Museum's South-West Wing. On completion, this wing will include a new and enhanced modern research and reading room, and greatly extended archive and library storage.

The South-West Wing at present houses a considerable quantity of this material, which must be moved off-site for the rebuilding work. The Caird Library will be entirely closed from early/mid-spring to early summer 2009, while this move takes place: exact dates will be confirmed as soon as possible.

When the Caird Library reopens in summer 2009, opening hours and days will temporarily change. We will then be open to readers by appointment only, Tuesday to Thursday, 10.00 - 16.45, and on the first Saturday of every month, 10.00 - 13.00 and 14.00 - 16.45. These altered opening times will continue until the new research and reading room comes into use in 2012.  

From Caird Library re-opening in summer 2009, readers will need to order material in advance as well as making an appointment. This is because none of the archive and library collections will be on the main Museum site, except books shelved in the present reading room and rare books store. Further details on how to make appointments, requirements for advance ordering, and the number of items that can be requested at one time will also be widely publicised as soon as possible.

We are sorry for the inconvenience this will undoubtedly cause in the short term, but the long-term gains will be immeasurable. The South-West Wing project will provide entirely new, modern and extended library provision and vastly increase the proportion of the Museum's paper-based collections of all sorts readily available to readers and users at all levels.

Eleanor (Head of Archive and Library)