Back to: HOME> Archives and Manuscripts> Services

Making Enquiries

Enquiries about the college archives, medieval manuscripts, personal papers collections, former members of Balliol and the history of the College should be sent to the Archivist, as below, as should requests to consult material in the Historic Collections centre.

Enquiries about the main library collections and our early and rare printed books should be sent to the Acting Librarian, Naomi Tiley: library@balliol.ox.ac.uk .

We encourage use of the College Archives and Manuscripts by any bona fide researcher.

Enquiries should be made in writing, whether by email, post or fax. When making an enquiry, please provide the following information:

• Your full name and preferred title
• Full postal address
• Title and contact details for your current relevant institution or affiliation, if any
• A brief summary of your research project
• Types of information you hope to obtain from Balliol Archives & Manuscripts

Please cite any relevant sources you have already consulted, including online, especially if you are drawing upon information from them to formulate your Balliol enquiry. This will help us to avoid suggesting to you resources you have already used.

Your research outline or proposal will help staff to understand better the types of information you are looking for. Providing a context for your research may mean that they are able to identify more relevant records or record series for you to use.

Whatever medium you use, please include your title and full postal address, as the best means of response may be to send you photocopies or other printed matter.

While we endeavour to answer all reasonable, limited, specific enquiries to a professional standard within 20 working days of receipt, the archivist is not able to carry out lengthy detailed research on behalf of enquirers. Specialist private researchers can be contacted via e.g. the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives.

Information about past members is extremely useful to the College from a historical perspective and we appreciate the generosity of our enquirers in sharing their research with us. We generally request that a copy of any publication using Balliol manuscript or archive sources be deposited with us.

Contact the Archives

Visit the Archives

- Anna Sander