Using the Archives

Access and Use

Please find within this section further information on how best to make use of our archival collections here at the University of East London.  For any further help or assistance, please contact the Archivist.

Visiting the Archives

The Archives at the University of East London are open to anyone with a genuine interest in researching our Collections.  We welcome enquires from both staff and students at the University of East London, as well as external academic researchers and members of the public.

Whilst we endeavour to provide a drop-in service for UEL students and staff during our published Opening Hours, we would strongly recommend that all our readers, and especially external readers, contact us in advance in order to make an appointment.  This way we can insure that the Archive will be open on the day you wish to visit, with a member of staff available to assist as needed.  This is especially important now that we have Archive collections held at both our Docklands and Stratford Campuses.

Opening Hours

At present, our Docklands Archive is normally open Monday to Friday 1pm until 6pm whilst access to our Stratford Campus Archive is by Prior Appointment Only.  Full details can be found on our Opening Hours page.

Make an Appointment.

If you wish to make an appointment, please contact us in advance of your trip on library-archives@uel.ac.uk or please complete the online request form.

If this will be you first visit to the UEL Archives, you will be asked to:

  • Complete a copy of our new Reader Registration Form (PDF file).
  • Bring with you a form of photographic identification, (e.g. student card, passport, driving licence, etc.)

All visitors to the Archive are bound by the Archive’s Rules and Regulations governing access.  Further details can be found on our Rules and Regulations page.

When making an appointment, it is useful for us to know, where possible, the extent of the material that you would be interested in researching.  Detailed finding aids for our Collections can be found on our Archives Hub pages and also via our own Library Search tool.

Access Restrictions

Whilst we will try and make our Archival Collections as accessible as possible, there may be occasions in which this may not possible.  Sometimes exceptions will need to be made on the grounds of conservation or preservation and we will also respect the access restrictions placed on collections by our depositors.  Access to some materials may be restricted by the conditions of the Data Protection Act 1988 and further details can be found on our Data Protection and Freedom of Information Acts pages.

Using your own laptop

Readers are welcome to use their own laptops or netbooks within the Archive, and plug sockets are available for connection.  Please note, wireless internet connection will be possible for Readers who have access to the EDUROAM (educational roaming) scheme through their host organisation.  Further details can be found on our EDUROAM page.

Facilities Available

Please contact us in advance if you require a parking space on campus as there are a limited number of visitor parking spaces available at each campus. Please refer to our Visitor Parking page for further information.

Refreshments are available from several outlets on both our Docklands and Stratford Campuses, and the New Stratford Library also includes a small refreshment area with tables and chairs.  Hot and cold drinks and snacks are also available via a vending machine service.