Request to view items in person - Welcome to the Archives of Ontario

Archives of Ontario

  • Home
  • Request to view items in person

Request to view items in person

You can request most archival records and all library items to view in person in the Reading Room. Submit a request before your visit to ensure your items are available when you arrive.


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.
Submit a request

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.

Updated: October 16, 2025 03:51 PM
Published: August 27, 2025