See the current procedures for reserving seats and volumes (in Italian) >

Access to the libraries is usually reserved to scholars, researchers and university students preparing their final thesis, or in their third year of study. It can, upon request, be extended to anyone who, for reasons of study, is interested in the material and documents the libraries contain. Access requires registration. The regulations lay down that for registration, one must present a valid identity document and a letter of presentation showing that one needs to consult the library collections for study purposes.

The collections are to be consulted in the study rooms, in line with the procedures laid down in the regulations. There is no outside lending. To facilitate the work of scholars and researchers there is no limit to the number of manuscript or printed works that they can request for consultation.

The reading room can seat a total of 8. Readers may use their personal computers, for which power points are provided.

Staff are on hand to provide information and assist the consultation of catalogues, as well as to distribute the works requested for consultation. The on-duty librarian may be consulted for more detailed bibliographical information, assistance in the use of inventories and research via online catalogues.

Anyone wishing to make a suggestion regarding a purchase of publications or documents of particular interest, should pass the information to the on-duty librarian.

Readers may have material photographed, photocopied or microfilmed within the limits imposed by the need to conserve the material and the legislation regarding authors’ copyright. The costs of this service are to be found in the printed regulations and shall be borne by the readers.

For study purposes only, readers may – with the assistance of the library personnel – take their own photographic reproduction of materials. The application form for this is available in the Library.

As well as attending in person, readers and scholars may apply for bibliographical information regarding the Library’s collections via telephone, fax, letter or email: biblioteca.msn@fmcvenezia.it.

The online catalogue can be consulted in the Reading Room. A simple yet varied indexing system (by author, title, subject etc.) makes it possible to identify the publication desired quickly and easily. Also available: access to the catalogue and full-text documents of the LVDL – Laguna di Venezia Digital Library. Dedicated to the Venetian Lagoon, this is in the process of being set up within the Library and is the result of collaboration between the Natural History Museum, the CNR-ISTI in Pisa, the ‘Vallisneri’ Biblioteca Biologico-Medica (Padua University) and the Department of Environmental Sciences (Venice University). It is just one of the projects of the Osservatorio Naturalistico della Laguna.

• LVDL online. The Laguna di Venezia Digital Library can be accessed at the CNR-ISTI site: http://laguna.isti.cnr.it/indexit.php
• The online catalogue of additions and accessions can be consulted via the OPAC of the Sistema Bibliotecario della Pronvincia di Venezia (SBMP) at the following address: http://polovea.sebina.it/SebinaOpac/Opac