Holy See (Vatican City) - Obtain Readers Pass (Vatican Apostolic Library)

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Procedure

Obtaining the Reader's Pass

• Make sure that you are eligible to obtain a reader's pass.
• Gather all necessary documents you will be needing to apply for the procedure.
• The act of accepting the readers pass and signing the form indicating their personal details in the Admissions Office, means that the pass holder agreed to observe the Librarys Rules and Regulations.
• In case of loss or theft, readers are required to advise the Librarys Admissions Office as soon as possible, and to present a copy of the report filed with the competent authorities.
• The readers pass allows consultation of printed books only; specific authorization is needed for the consultation of manuscripts.

Accessing the Library

Upon arrival:

1. Proceed to the Reception Desk
2. Present your readers pass to the porter who will electronically register your arrival.
3. Receive from the porter the number of the electronic key for your locker
4. Place in the locker all your personal belongings which are not pertinent to study

In the Reading Room (Manuscripts, Printed Books or Periodicals):

1. Electronically register your arrival at the distribution desk.
2. Enter your name (in block capitals) on the daily register, opposite your key number.
3. Choose the place where you would like to sit.
4. Return to the distribution desk and enter the number of the place they have chosen next to their name.

Leaving the Library (This rules applies even if you intend to return later in the same day):

In the Reading Room:

1. Return the manuscripts or printed books you have requested from the stacks and request the exit authorization from each of the Reading Rooms where they have requested materials; alternatively, if they have not requested any materials from the stacks, they may request the exit authorization from any of the Reading Rooms.

At the Reception Desk:

1. Show any books of belonging to the library which you will be carrying with you.
2. Remove your personal belongings from the locker.
3. Electronically register your departure with the porter.

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Required Documents

• Valid identification document, which will be left at the Police Office at the SantAnna entrance to the Vatican City State.
• Reference letter or a valid document proving appropriate academic qualifications
• For students, a Letter of Surety, printed on institutional letterhead and signed by their dissertation supervisor.

Office Locations & Contacts

Vatican Apostolic Library
Cortile del Belvedere
V-00120 Vatican City
Phone: +39/06698.79411
Fax: +39/06698.84795
Archivist and Librarian of the Holy Roman Church
His Excellence Most Reverend
Msgr. Jean-Louis Brugus, O.P.
Contact Person (for the Reader's Pass): Dr. Joseph Ciminello
Phone: +39 / 06698.79403
Email Contact Form
From Monday to Friday: 8:45am to 12:00nn
Tuesday and Thursday: 3:00pm to 4:00pm
Other Contact Numbers
Website

Eligibility

The library is open to:

• Researchers and scholars with appropriate qualifications and/or relevant scientific publications.
• Teachers and researchers from Universities and other institutes of Higher Education
• Graduate students (laureati) who are pursuing research for a doctoral dissertation
• In some cases, undergraduate students who can demonstrate that they need to gather material which is available only at the Vatican Library.

Note: The library is not open to High School students, nor, as a rule, to undergraduate University students.

Fees

Explain the fees structure which is required for obtaining the certificate/document.

Validity

The annual library pass is valid from the day it was issued until the following annual closing of the Library.

Short-term library passes are valid for a fixed number of days, as determined by the Admissions Office. In any case, access is granted only until May 31 for undergraduate students and until June 15 for graduate students.

The pass can only be used by the person it was obtained for and non-transferable; it replaces the readers identification document while the holder is in the Library.

Documents to Use

Letter of Surety Form

Sample Documents

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Processing Time

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Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications. 
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Please remove the "&" inside the tags during implementation.
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sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
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Instructions

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e.g. The state office holds birth records since january 1908.

Required Information

A list which displays the kind of information which is required to complete the procedure.
e.g.
1. Date of Birth.
2. City or County of Birth.

Need for the Document

The Vatican Apostolic Library is one of the oldest library in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. To be able to acces some sections in the library, you will need to obtain a Reader's Pass.

Following are procedures on how you can obtain a reader's pass from the Vatican Apostolic Library.

Information which might help

Readers admitted to the Library are required to:

• Observe Rules for Readers in the Vatican Library
• Carry their readers pass with them at all times
• Handle all materials, particularly manuscripts and old printed books, with the utmost care and extreme delicacy, preventing any type of damage on the said materials.
• Provide the Library with a copy of any publications relating to materials consulted or received by way of reproduction, especially if the Library does not subscribe to the collections or periodicals in which they appear.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

• Vatican Apostolic Library:

http://www.vatlib.it/home.php?pag=criteri_di_ammissione

• Rules for Reader's of the Vatican Library:

http://www.vatlib.it/home.php?pag=regolamento&ling=eng&BC=11

Others

More information which might help people.