Visiting Southwark Archives
Safety and security
- keep your belongings out of the way, tucked under your seat, the searchroom desk, or a seat next to you
- the filing cabinets and map cases are heavy and can be sharp: ask staff for help using them
- if you're using a laptop, make sure nobody can trip on your power cable or other equipment
- we placed the furniture and equipment in the searchroom to give staff clear sightlines; please leave it where it is
- if you cannot access collection material, please let a member of staff know
Looking after your belongings
The searchroom does not have not much storage space. We recommend leaving bulky items like suitcases at home. If you have to bring them, please let us know when you book an appointment, so we can help. Southwark Archives accepts no liability for loss, theft, or damage. Keep track of your own belongings: staff cannot watch them for you. Take valuables with you every time you leave the searchroom.
If you lose an item in the searchroom, contact us. Staff put found items into the building’s lost and found. You can claim lost items at the reception desk of John Harvard Library. You may be asked to describe or otherwise prove you own valuable items.
Security of the collections
This is an archive. All our documents are reference-only, and many are unique and irreplaceable. If you choose not to follow our rules, we will ask you to leave. If you damage documents, we reserve the right to refuse you access in the future. We will treat all unauthorised removal of collection material from the searchroom as theft, and act accordingly.
Page last updated: 15 September 2023
