First Floor

Reading Room

From the entrance hall of the first floor you can walk into a common reading room for the Preservation Section. Materials from the Icelandic National Collection, Special Collections, Women´s History Archives and the Manuscript Department are only for use in the Reading Room. The Room has about 50 working tables, four of which have computers. The reference books collection is mainly aimed at Icelandic studies and furthermore there are the Supreme Court Rulings (Hæstaréttardómar) as well as Parliamentary records (Alþingistíðindi) and Official Government Proceedings (Stjórnartíðind). Visitors are requested to register their name in the guest book and leave their over-coats and bag in wardrobes or closets in the entrance hall before entering the Reading Room.

Icelandic National Collection

Requests for items for the Reading Room, can be sent through an electronic form or by filling out a request at the service desk and then the staff goes and picks up the material. The material forms a part of the Preservation Section and is therefore not for circulation.

Special Collections

The staff of the Icelandic National Collection delivers material from Special Collections upon requests which can be sent electronically, or users can fill out a form in person at the service desk of the Icelandic National Collection.

Women’s History Archives

The material is delivered to the Reading Room from the Icelandic National Collection at the National and University Library unless otherwise indicated. Documents can be ordered from the staff member of the Women’s History Collection by telephone, by email or in person.

Manuscript Department

Items can be ordered for loan to the Reading Room by telephone, email or in person. Material is fetched to the safety vault twice a day and orders must be delivered before 9:30 or 13.30.