Gladstone’s Library provides a range of services to help increase accessibility to our collections to those visiting the Library and those unable to visit.
New and Replacement Reader Cards
Our automated pass cards cost the Library at least £4.50 for each card produced, not including staff time
Whether you’re joining as a Reader for the first time, renewing your card, or visiting as a Researcher, we ask for a voluntary donation of at least £10. This supports the work of the Reading Rooms as well as Gladstone’s Library.
For replacement cards there is a charge of £10.
Search Catalogues
Self-Service Photography
Allows users to pay a small fee to take photos of collection items for their own personal research use with their own phones, tablets, or digital cameras without an external lens. Some collection items may be too fragile to photograph on your own, so please check with staff.
Self-Service Photocopying and Printing
Services are available in Library Services using our copier. Please note that all copying and printing is subject to copyright and you should also be sure that what you are copying is in good enough condition. Photocopies cannot be taken of archival items or printed items dated before 1950.
Digitisation Services
Can be requested by anyone who requires images of collection items for their own personal research use. Charges depend on a combination of the item’s condition, size, and digitisation status and are outlined below. For these purposes, Gladstone’s Library only releases images of up to 125dpi.
Licensing Services
Are for anyone requesting high resolution images for use in a publication or online database. Please note that if items are under copyright and Gladstone’s Library is not the copyright holder or capable of providing a copyright license, you will need to provide written permission from the copyright holder.
Research Services
Are for anybody who cannot visit Gladstone’s Library but has a relatively detailed enquiry that requires staff to conduct basic and intermediate collection research. This does not include undertaking research projects.
For more detail about each of these services please see below. For any enquires about these services, please email [email protected].
Photocopying any collection items older than 1950 is not permitted under any circumstances.
Instead, we permit self-service photography with phones or pocket cameras. Like any other form of copying self-service photography is subject to the usual preservation and copyright restrictions, so before taking photos please:
- Complete and sign a Self-Service Photography Form and submit to Reading Room staff via [email protected];
- Make payment at Reception by cash or card, or by charging to your room.
Self-service photography is charged for at a daily, weekly, or monthly rate, and the funds help to support the Library’s collections.
Please note that DSLR cameras are not permitted because the images they produce have a high enough resolution to be used in publications and many of our collections are under copyright. We also do not permit devices with loud shutter sounds due to the disruption caused in our silent Reading Rooms. If you cannot visit Gladstone’s Library then please contact [email protected]
Self-service photography charges (please note a self-service photography form must be completed and submitted to the Enquiry Desk or [email protected])
| DAILY: | £5.00 |
| SEVEN-DAY: | £10.00 |
| THIRTY-DAY: | £25.00 |
Photocopying any collection item older than 1950 is not permitted under any circumstances, and we encourage the use of camera phones and pocket cameras (see self-service photography, above).
However, for printing and copying of other documents a self-service photocopier can be found in Library Services. This takes cash and users should ensure they have sufficient change. Instructions on how to print and copy are found on the desks and noticeboards.
If you cannot visit Gladstone’s Library, please contact [email protected]
Self-service photocopying charges (please note that charges are per side, not per sheet of paper)
| Black and white A4: | 10p per side |
| Black and white A3: | 20p per side |
Before copies of any collection item can be made, users should:
- Submit a signed Printed Books Reprographic Request Form or a signed Archives Reprographic Request Form detailing the items they require to be scanned and acknowledging the copyright exemptions;
- Receive and accept a quotation;
- Pay the resulting invoice.
Allow 7 working days for the generation of an invoice for the costs of digitisation. Once payment has been received, allow at least 21 days for delivery of orders.
Unless there are compelling circumstances, we do not post prints of images. Staff will scan items and email copies to the client (or use a file transfer service in the case of very large files). No copies will be issued unless a signed reprographics form and acceptance of our invoice has been received. All copies will be in legible JPG (no more than 125dpi). All copies are in colour. Please note that staff will assess all items before scanning and reserve the right not to undertake any scanning. Not all items can be scanned, and preservation is our highest priority.
Quotations are generated per request based on a combination of item size, digitisation status, and the item’s condition. The minimum anyone will pay will be the charges dictated by an item’s size:
Item Size
| Up to A4: | £1 per image |
| Between A4-A3: | £2 per image |
| Between A3-A2: | £3 per image |
| Larger than A2: | £5 per image |
| Unusual or non-standard sizes may be subject to different charges | |
Digitisation Status
| Already digitised: | No additional charge |
| Phone (for those who cannot visit the Library in person): | £8 |
| Suitable for flatbed scanning: | From £10 |
| Microfilm scanning: | From £10 |
| V-cradle scanning (weights and other support extra): | From £15 |
| Specialist in-house equipment required (camera, tripod, lights, etc): | From £25 |
Item Condition (charge reflects the extra time involved with fragile items)
| Excellent or very good condition – no specialist care needed: | No additional charge |
| Requires more than one member of staff, extra support, etc: | £10 supplement per item |
| Extremely fragile; requires purchase of extra materials: | From £25 supplement per item |
Charges to licence images from the Gladstone’s Library collection that are under copyright. No permission will be given unless a signed Licensing Application form has been received. Rights management is not a simple process: please allow at least twelve weeks for enquiries. Please note that these are in addition to the reprographics charges for supplying the item:
| Processing staff fee (levied for all enquiries): | £25.00 |
| Reproducing image of any collection item within book or periodical, or within a blog or online post: | £25 per page |
| Reproducing image of any collection item on the cover of book or periodical: | £50.00 per page |
| Licensing for use (image, transcription, or citation, of any collection item) on a TV/online/radio broadcast: | On application, although £75 per page is the average |
| Reproducing any item from the Glynne-Gladstone Archive: | £75 per page |
Many items in the Gladstone’s Library collections may seem to be out of copyright but in fact remain in copyright due to the 2039 rule. If you want to use images of Gladstone’s Library collection items, we recommend that you contact us to be sure.
Please note that the Glynne Gladstone Archive is privately owned, and written permission must be sought from the estate before licensing can take place. Please contact [email protected] for details.
We aim to respond to initial collection enquiries (up to 30mins) within three working days, and for this there is no charge.
If you cannot visit Gladstone’s Library and your research enquiry is relatively detailed, staff can conduct basic and intermediate collection research for you, up to a maximum of two hours.
Gladstone’s Library cannot undertake research projects (i.e. offering interpretation of collection items or content) and we recommend that you engage a professional researcher in those cases.
To request these services, complete a Research Enquiry Form and email it to [email protected].
Research services result in the creation of a research report.
| Research fee: | £25.00 for each 30 minutes or part thereof |