SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies)

Archives & Special Collections Open Day

Sa-daik and Kammavaca, Buddhist ordination manuscript and chest, Burmese-Pali, 19th-20th century, MS 105489

Looking to discover first-hand insights? Improve your research quality & potential? Or just curious about SOAS's fascinating collection of archives & manuscripts?

Archives & Special Collections at SOAS Library will be opening its doors to all students and staff from 11am to 4pm on Wednesday 21st November.

Come along for a chance to view a showcase of material from our diverse and unique collection of archives and manuscripts, as well as the opportunity to take a "behind-the-scenes" tour of the archive service.

Every year around 3,000 people visit Archives & Special Collections at SOAS Library to undertake primary research using our collections in a wide-range of academic disciplines, from linguistics to development studies. Our collections have also been used by course-leaders to support and enhance group teaching and learning through hands-on sessions.

Did you know? Our collections:

• Document the British interaction with Africa, Asia, the Middle East and beyond, charting the transition from the colonial world to the globalised present
• Contain some of the earliest surviving written and visual accounts of languages, cultures and histories across the world
• Include the archives of missionary societies, NGOs and pressure groups, and commercial companies, as well as the papers of individuals, including academics, journalists, and writers
• Include over 7,000 individual manuscripts in over 100 different languages and thousands of rare books dating back to the 15th century

Our behind-the-scenes tours begin in the Special Collections Reading Room (Library Level F) and will be allocated on first-come-first-served basis at the following times: 11.30, 12.30, 1.30, 2.30 and 3.30.

"Fascinating to hear about what is available. Really enjoyed seeing how everything is stored. Great displays really gave a flavour of the material" (Open Day attendee, February 2012)

If you wish to visit us and do not already have a SOAS Library card, please see the our admission procedures prior to the Open Day.