Request to view items in person

Information you need to make a request

Follow these steps to make a request:

1. Find file(s) or item(s) you want to view in Collection Search.
2. Gather the following information from each item’s record description:
   • title
   • reference code (F x-x-x-x; RG x-x-x-x; C x-x-x-x), call number or volume
   • location and ordering information
   • date of creation (optional)
3. Contact us or use our online form to submit your request to an archivist.

Personal information provided to the Archives through order forms or through email, phone or mail enquiry is collected under the authority of the Archives and Recordkeeping Act (2006) Chapter 34, Schedule A.  We only collect personal information that is necessary to address your inquiries or service requests, in accordance with section 38(2) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.  Personal information will be used only for the purpose of responding to enquiries and service requests, for statistical analysis and to send you surveys to solicit feedback that will help us improve the ways in which we engage with you. Contact us if you have questions or comments about anything in this Privacy Statement.

What to expect after submitting a request

Your request has been sent to a reference archivist to process.

We use the information you’ve provided to retrieve the matching containers or library item from our preservation vaults. We may reach out to you for clarification while working on your request.

We will notify you when your request is ready. You can book a workstation to have your items waiting for you when you arrive.

Note: a workstation booking is not required to view items in the Reading Room.

While you wait, you can prepare for your in-person visit by reading our Reading Room policies.

Retrieval times

Find standard retrieval times for different item formats.

Some items may not be available within our retrieval times, including things requiring conservation assessment.

We will notify you if an item you have requested will take longer to make available.