View the online library catalogue at http://slk050.libertyasp.co.uk/ras
The Library consists of around 80,000 volumes. The geographical scope is all of Asia including the Middle East but there is also a certain amount of material on Islamic North Africa. The library does not have a major acquisitions budget and so the focus of the collections, with the exception of the journals, is historical rather than contemporary. Most of the books are in the area of the humanities. Sciences and ethnography are covered only peripherally. The Society's collection of Chinese books is deposited on permanent loan at the University of Leeds. A list of this material can be viewed here.
The Society also has significant collections of manuscripts, paintings, prints and drawings, personal papers, photographs, maps and coins which have been donated by Fellows, mainly in the nineteenth century. Major collections include the Tod collection of Indian manuscripts and paintings, the Hodgson collection of Buddhist Sanskrit manuscripts, the Ram Raz collection of architectural drawings, the Raffles and Maxwell collections of Malay manuscripts and the Howell collection of early photographs of China and Japan.
OPENING TIMES
- Tuesday 10.00-17.00
- Thursday 14.00-17.00
- Friday 10.00-17.00
Readers are advised to make an appointment in advance.
ACCESS
Fellows and other readers are welcome to consult material in the library by prior arrangement. Access to the collections is restricted to members of staff, but readers may select material by consulting the various catalogues and handlists (see list of catalogues below). A comprehensive on-line catalogue of the Society's collections is in preparation. Fellows may take books on loan (generally post-1900 books in reasonable condition) but certain categories of books may only be consulted in the library. There is no charge for library use.
PROOF OF IDENTITY
All readers, including Fellows, should bring proof of identity on at least the first occasion they visit the library. This may be one or more of the following:
- Passport (preferred)
- Driving licence (preferred)
- Credit card
- Staff or student card
- Utility bill
Students who are not Fellows should bring a letter of introduction from their tutor.
CATALOGUES
The RAS online catalogue, which includes records for books, manuscripts, paintings, drawings and photographs, can be viewed at http://slk050.libertyasp.co.uk/ras . Please note that this catalogue is incomplete, although work is in progress to add records for all items in the RAS collections. Details of the material included so far can be found on the home page of the catalogue.
The Society is grateful to The Mercers' Company for a grant received in November 2009 for the cataloguing of rare books.
The following published catalogues are also available:
Printed Books
Catalogue of printed books, published before 1932, in the library of the Royal Asiatic Society. London: RAS, 1940.
This can be searched online on Google Books by clicking here
Manuscripts
Codrington, O. Catalogue of the Arabic, Persian, Hindustani and Turkish manuscripts. Journal of the RAS, July 1892 pp. 501-569
Morley, W. H. A descriptive catalogue of the historical manuscripts in Arabic and Persian languages, preserved in the library of the Royal Asiatic Society. London 1854.
Ricklefs, M.C. and Voorhoeve, P. Indonesian manuscripts in Britain. Oxford University Press, 1977. [Malay and Javanese MSS].
Barnett, L.D. Catalogue of the Tod collection of Indian manuscripts. Journal of the RAS, II, 1940, pp.129-178
Cowell, E.B. and Eggeling, J.B. Catalogue of Buddhist Sanskrit manuscripts in the possession of the Royal Asiatic Society. Journal of the RAS, 1876, pp.1-52 [Hodgson collection]
Winternitz, M.A. A catalogue of the South Indian Sanskrit manuscripts, especially those of the Whish collection, belonging to the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. London: RAS, 1902.
Filliozat, J. Survey of the Pali manuscript collection in the Royal Asiatic Society. Journal of the RAS, series 3, no. 9 (i), 1999, pp.35-76.
Wenzel, H. List of Tibetan manuscripts and printed books in the Library of the Royal Asiatic Society. Journal of the RAS, July 1892, pp.570-579.
Paintings and drawings
Head, R. Catalogue of paintings, engravings and busts in the collection of the Royal Asiatic Society. London: RAS, 1991.
Robinson, B.W. Persian paintings in the collection of the Royal Asiatic Society. London: RAS, 1998.
REPROGRAPHIC FACILITIES
Photocopies within the limits of copyright law can only be made by library staff and at the discretion of the librarian. Large books, folded maps, manuscripts, prints and drawings and fragile material will not be copied. A charge will be made.
Microfilms. There are no in-house facilities for microfilming but the Society can provide a quotation on request for having a microfilm copy made by a commercial company.
Photographs, transparencies and digital images can be provided but the Society is likely to need the services of a professional photographer. If the Society already holds a suitable photographic reproduction, it can arrange for this to be copied by a commercial company. Estimates of the cost of these services should be requested before an order is placed.
Fellows are entitled to a discount on all reprographic services.
All enquiries about reprographic facilities should be addressed to the Librarian or the Director. A substantial number of photographs of works in the Society's collections are also available, for a fee, from the Bridgeman Art Library. Details can be found on their web site at www.bridgeman.co.uk