William Ready Division of Archives and Research Collections

We are located on McMaster's Main Campus in Mills Memorial Library on the Lower Level.

Elevator number 2 and the central stairwell next to that elevator will take you down to our lobby and exhibit area.

Please enter through the wooden doors into the Reading Room and a staff member will greet you.

Sticking points: the wooden door into the reading room is not intuitive, turn the handle and push (we still have a hard time with this). There is no automated button, if you are carrying a number of things, or are using a mobility device, this door may be difficult. Please don't hesitate to let us know you are coming and we will prop the door open. Or wave at us through the the window.

Note: September-December 2024, we will be closed Mondays. We will return to our regular hours in 2025 as stated below.

Monday to Friday, 10am - 4pm (1000-1600). Please submit retrieval requests 3-5 business days in advance. This allows us to retrieve any material that might be offsite and check the material for handling concerns. Please fill in this form to request the materials.

We close for all statutory and university holidays and for two weeks at the end of August. When planning your visit, please consult the Hours or contact us to confirm.

We have a great guide to how to search for a request material. When you have found what you are interested in, please fill out the materials request form or if you need more help contact us at archives@mcmaster.ca.

For archives please identify the title of the Archive you wish to look at and the box numbers by consulting the finding aids linked from the Archives Database.
eg. I would like to see the Vera Brittain fonds, boxes 34-38, and 40.

For books, please provide title, author, and call number or the link to the catalogue record to the book or books you would like to view.

You are welcome to take your own photos for reference after you leave the archives. Note that you are responsible for securing copyright if you wish to use these beyond reference purposes.

For personal scanners, it depends on how they operate. Please contact us to confirm.

There are some general Reading Room Rules as well as Handling Guidelines. In addition, we've tried to cover other sorts of things here:

Noise level - the reading room is a relatively quiet space. While it is not a silent area, we do try to maintain a respectful level of audio, aware that researchers can only look at the material here. We have ear plugs available, but if you are sensitive to noise, you may want to bring your own headphones or other devices. There are often small groups conducting research together, tours, or classes passing through the area.

Food and drink - no food or drink (including water) can be permitted at the reading room tables. If you bring such items with you, we ask you to keep them in your bag and take them outside the reading room to consume.

Lunch - But you will need to eat! There are food and beverage vending machines on the second floor of the Library. If you are looking for places to eat on campus, the library is directly adjacent to the busy Student Centre (MUSC), which has a cafeteria and other options. There is also the campus pub (the Phoenix) and a variety of other options on campus. There are a number of options off campus. Head East along Sterling St, and enjoy a 10-15 minute walk through the residential neighbourhood around campus to Westdale, with a variety of shops and places to eat (or a very short bus ride - see buses to the library under 'Getting to Campus'). Or a slightly shorter walk South through campus and across busy Main Street where there is a Starbuck's, Subway, William's, Pinks Burgers, and other options.

Drinking fountain and washroom facilities - These are located one level above the archives on the ground floor. The fountain has a bottle filler as well as a spout.

Electrical outlets and computer terminals - The tables are equipped with outlets on the table top as well as usb ports for powering and charging your devices. There is a single public terminal for accessing finding aids and the library catalogue.

Wifi and Internet access - You can use wifi through Eduroam or we can set you up a guest account. The latter may take some time, and we would appreciate it if you could let us know in advance to avoid delay.

Temperature - Typically, the Reading Room is on the cool side, however it can fluctuate in either direction. In the summer, it can be quite cold, especially compared to the hot and humid air outside. We recommend that you bring an extra sweater and that you dress in layers to help keep yourself comfortable regardless of the temperature.

Personal belongings - We ask you to leave your personal belongings in the coat rack located next to the reference desk. If you bring your bag to your desk, please keep it on the floor.

Note-taking - Please bring your own personal computer or paper to record your notes in. We have pencils and a sharpener, but you are welcome to bring your own. We ask you not to use pens, markers, or similar while working with our material as they cannot be removed if accidentally marked.