Services for researchers and the public
The College possesses one of the finest historical medical collections, including many rare and unique items, recognised as a Designated Collection by Arts Council England. The collections are particularly strong in anatomy and surgery, with comparative anatomy and natural history well represented.
You are welcome to use our collections for research. To make an appointment, please email library@rcseng.ac.uk. We are usually open for appointments 10am-5pm, Tuesday to Thursday. Please provide at least three working days’ notice of your preferred dates, so that we can make sure staff and resources are available on the day of your visit.
When you make an appointment, please be as specific as possible about the collection items you would like to see. For any books and journals you want to see, please provide the title, author, classmark, and barcode numbers if they are listed. You can find all of the above information in our Heritage Collections catalogue.
To access the Library collections, you must register as a researcher. To do this, you must bring two documents: one photographic ID (e.g., a driving license) and one proof of address (e.g., a recent bank statement). You will not be able to view collections without registering first.
The rarity and condition of some items may restrict access and copying, but we will do our best to meet your needs.
Family history research
If you are researching your family history and believe that an ancestor was a member, we are happy to help. Please email library@rcseng.ac.uk.
Fellows’ obituaries are now available online at Plarr’s Lives of the Fellows.