Archives & Manuscripts
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Welcome to SOAS Library Special Collections
SOAS Library holds an important and expanding collection of archives and manuscripts relating to Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Two thirds of these comprise archives and papers documenting the activities of a number of major British missionary societies, and of individual missionaries, making SOAS the leading centre in the United Kingdom for mission studies. There are significant holdings of business archives; a substantial number of collections relating to East Asia; rich African language and literature holdings and an immense range of manuscripts and scholarly papers relating to East Asia, South and South East Asia and the Pacific.
The SOAS Archive Catalogue is available for searching online. This currently includes over 35,000 records, including collection descriptions for all of our catalogued archive collections.
Location & opening hours
SOAS is located on Thornhaugh Street just off Russell Square and is a short walk from Euston, Kings Cross and St Pancras mainline stations and the following tube stations: Goodge Street (Northern Line), Russell Square (Piccadilly Line) and Euston Square (Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan Lines). A map is available.
Archives and manuscripts are consulted in the Special Collections Reading Room, situated on Floor F of the Library, which is located in the main (Philips) SOAS building. Opening hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday,Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Please note that the Special Collections Reading Room is closed every Wednesday.
Opening hours may vary, but the Library will endeavour to publicise any changes as soon as they become known.
Access to the collections
You are welcome to make full use of the SOAS Library archive, manuscript and rare book collections if you have a borrowing ticket, reference ticket, or archives ticket.
Visiting academics and UK research students
- A free reference ticket is available to academic staff from UK and overseas universities, and you should bring evidence of status e.g. Institutional ID card.
- UK PhD and MPhil research students can also apply for a free reference ticket, and should bring evidence of status e.g. Institutional ID card.
Other researchers
- Other researchers, including students from overseas institutions, and private researchers can apply for a free archives ticket, but you will need a letter of recommendation.
- Students should bring a letter from their supervisor explaining their needs.
- Private researchers or members of the public will need a letter from the appropriate depositor (in the case of the missionary and organisational archives). Please Contact us for further information.
- Archives tickets allow full access to the archive, manuscript and rare book collections, but not the main library collections. If you need to use these materials you should apply for a reference ticket, and there may be a charge.
- Archive tickets are valid for one year. If you would like to renew a ticket, please discuss your requirements with archive staff.
Day membership
- If you hold day membership to the Library, you are welcome to use the theses and rare book collections, as well as handlists to archives and reference sources in the SCRR. Day membership will allow you reference access only, so materials must stay in the SCRR.
- The archive and manuscript collections are unique and fragile, and there may be restrictions on their use, so day membership holders are not able to consult these collections. If you do need to use these materials in your research, then please apply for an archive ticket or reference ticket as appropriate.
Contact details
For general enquiries about Archives and Manuscripts, please contact us using the details below.
E-mail: docenquiry@soas.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7898 4180
Fax: +44 (0)20 7898 4189
Post: Archives, Manuscripts and Rare Books Division, The Library, SOAS, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG, United Kingdom
