Collections

The Science Museum Library's collections of books, periodicals, microfilms and other material amount in total to at least 500,000 items.  The coverage is broad in scope and includes a considerable proportion of foreign language material reflecting the international nature of scientific and technical research literature. The printed collections are broadly divided into Primary Literature (i.e. original scientific and technical books, periodicals, reports and other literature from all periods of the last 500 years, and therefore including incunables and other rare materials) and Secondary Literature (i.e. historical, biographical, sociological, explanatory and descriptive treatments of science and technology).

The primary literature collections are now housed and made available at SML Wroughton, along with the Archives Collection.

The secondary literature is held in the Science & Technology Studies Collection, and is housed and made available at SML London.

Reference Works such as bibliographies, directories, dictionaries and encyclopaedias are included with both collections according to usage.

• Primary Literature
• Secondary Literature
• Reference Works
• Trade Literature
• Exhibition Literature
• Archives Collection
• Rare Books Collection
• The Watt Collection
• The Comben Collection