Tyndale Library

Guidelines

 Picture from Tyndale House
 

Admission & Membership

Tyndale House is a private Biblical Studies Research Centre funded by Christian trusts and individual donors. It is open to all bona fide scholars in Old and New Testaments or related subjects. As a community of scholars, we place the highest importance on our care and consideration for one another. The following guidelines set out the norms for our use of the Library as they have been established over the years.

Community activities include chapel services (Tuesdays at 10.30 a.m. in term-time), morning coffee and afternoon tea in the Common Room (every week-day at 11.00 a.m. and 4.00 p.m. respectively), and the occasional gardening mornings with a free lunch provided afterwards. Gardening mornings are good times of interaction, and enable us to buy more books for the library with money that would otherwise be needed to pay a gardener’s wages. All library readers present at the time set aside one morning in January, to undertake the annual Library stocktaking. Their commitment to this task avoids the need to close down the Library service for a whole week. The stocktaking is followed by a free lunch.

Library Desks

  • The smaller desks on the right-hand side of the main Library (nos. 15-37, odd numbers only) are available for day visitors.

  • The remainder of the desks, including all those in the Hexagon area, are rented to individual senior or graduate scholars. Speak to the Librarian if you wish to apply for a rented desk.

  • Rented desk holders are responsible for the security of their personal books and equipment. They should have insurance cover for these items, and must have a certificate of electrical safety for personal computing equipment. They should close adjacent windows before leaving the library, and draw the window blinds after dark.

Using books

  • At the back of each book or bound volume of journals there is a card in a plastic pocket. Write the date, your name and desk number on the card, and leave it on the shelf in place of the book.

  • Please always leave a card on the shelf for each item that you remove.

  • If a card indicates the book is at someone's desk, and they are not using it, you may remove the book to your own desk. Leave a red slip indicating which book has been removed, with your own name and desk number. Red slips are available on the cabinet near the Library entrance.

  • Scholars using rented desks may keep up to 50 library books at their desks.

  • Day visitors are asked to re-shelve books at the end of their visit.

  • Please take care to return each book to its correct location after use.

Guidelines

1. Admission to the Library is granted only after approval by the Warden.

2. If an applicant is accepted, they become a Member of Tyndale House, and are able to purchase a Reader’s Card and renting a desk. Out-of-hours access to Library facilities is also available.

3. Occasional readers purchase a Reader’s Card that gives them access to all facilities during opening hours (9.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Monday to Friday). Out-of-hours access to the Library is not normally granted.

4. Membership comes hand in hand with active participation in community events. Occasional readers, unlike participating members, are not necessarily expected to take part in such events.

5. As a charity with a limited budget, it is vital that all who use the facilities of Tyndale House should contribute to the cost. Prompt payment of bills for Readers’ Card and desk rental is greatly appreciated. 

6. Rented desk holders should notify the Librarian as quickly as possible of any changes to the dates of their arrival or departure, or periods of absence from the Library.

7. All books in the Library are for reference only and may not be taken outside the Library area. An electronic security system and video surveillance record any infringement of this rule.

8. Talking in the Library is prohibited - even whispering becomes irritating. The Common Room is available at most times for chats or discussions.

9. To prevent damage to books and equipment, there should be no eating or drinking in the Library. An area of the Common Room is set aside for this purpose. Books must not be marked in any way.

10. No unauthorized person, even a friend, may be brought into the Library. Permission must be sought from the Warden.

11. Swipecards are assigned individually to Members. Each swipecard must be used only by the person to whom it has been issued.

12. If a member’s spouse wishes to access Library facilities for the purposes of Biblical research, he or she may apply for a Reader’s Card subject to availability of Day Desks. Children should not be allowed into the Library except in case of emergency.

These guidelines are designed for the benefit of all readers, to make their stay here as pleasant and productive as possible. Any breach of protocol such as the marking of books, the removal of books from the Library, non-payment of bills, or verbal or other forms of abuse directed at staff members or other readers, may result in the cancellation of access to the Tyndale House Library and its facilities.

Quick Reference Collection

Journals

New Books

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