Reading Room (Rare Books and Special Collections (IKB)) Capacity: 16

Overview and Instructions

Description 

Starting September 1, 2025, Rare Books and Special Collection (RBSC) and University Archives (UA) has moved to appointment-based Reading Room visits. This change allows us to continue to provide library patrons with consistent service during ongoing facilities projects and issues with accessing collection materials from the Library’s automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS).

Appointment bookings for the Reading Room must be made at least 24 hours in advance, during weekday business hours. We encourage library patrons to provide as much advanced notice as possible for their requests. As our business hours do not include weekends, please select Tuesday as your earliest appointment date when booking an appointment after 2pm on Friday.

We will be unable to accommodate walk-in visits until further notice, but if you have an urgent research request or are unable to schedule an appointment using our online booking system, please email rare.books@ubc.ca or call 604 822-2521.

Directions

The RBSC / UA Reading Room is located on level 1 of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre at 1961 East Mall. Enter through the East Mall side of the building and keep to your right down the short set of stairs to find our reading room entrance (look for the eagle statue).