Frequently Asked Questions

How do I access the Archive collections?

Access to the Archive collections is by appointment only. Please contact the Archivist by email or by telephone (020 7432 0996). Please note that non-members of the Society will be required to show ID. References may also be requested.

The Society reserves the right to refuse access to its archive collections or to individual items within them.

How do I find past Members/Fellows of the Geological Society?

The Society holds a virtually unbroken record of its Members, later Fellows, from 1807 to the present day, however membership entries are not individually listed in the Archive catalogue.

Please contact the Archivist who can provide confirmation of a Fellow’s election date (subject to the Data Protection Act). For more detailed information such as a transcript or digital photograph of an Admission Certificate, there is likely to be a small charge. The Index of Society Obituaries 1828 to date is also a useful resource.

Why can’t I find what I’m looking for?

Not everything in the Archives collection is fully catalogued but it may also be that information on a particular subject is held within a series such as the Society’s Committee Records which would not show up in a catalogue search. Please contact the Archivist for advice.

Why can I only see images of some of the documents in the catalogue?

Only selected items from the Archives collection are digitised. Where this is the case, low resolution images are attached to the catalogue records.

How do I obtain a digital copy of an image in the catalogue?

Digital images can be requested by contacting the Archivist, stating the title and reference of the image and your intended use – ie private research or for publication, broadcast, exhibition, website purposes. There is a charge for this service, please contact the Archivist for a quote. You can also request copies of items yet to be digitised.

Prints from across the Library’s collections can be purchased through our Picture Library.