ABOUT 

The National Aerospace Library is one of the world's most extensive libraries devoted to the development of 
aeronautics, aviation and aerospace technology.
Opened as a public reference library in January 2008, the National Aerospace Library at IQ Farnborough 
(the former Royal Aircraft Establishment building) houses a comprehensive selection including over 20,000 books and much more. A guide to some of the key collections held at the National Aerospace Library is available as a series of PDFs from the Special Collections section.  

An informative 30-minute podcast on our collections, based on an interview with Chief Librarian, Brian Riddle, is available at the following sites: 

 "Xtended" aviation programme

iTunes 

This recording provides a useful guide to the various historic collections held within the library, followed by a discussion of the Library's importance as an aviation archive.  Note that the NAL feature begins approximately halfway through the programme, following a discussion of Airbus' latest projects.

Highlights of the Library collections are listed below:

• Extensive runs of the Society's prestigious publications, The Aeronautical Journal, Aerospace International and The Aerospace Professional.
• 1000's of back-issues of key aviation journals from around the world including  bound runs of Flight, The Aeroplane, Interavia, Air et Cosmos, Aero Digest,  Flying, Aircraft etc. 
• Numerous other journal titles including all journal publications from the AIAA (and  its  predecessors), many of these titles held as bound runs for reference.
• Over 40,000 technical reports from aeronautical research establishments from around the world from 1909 onwards, including AGARD / ARC / ARL / DLR / ESA / ESRO / FFA / ISAS / NACA / NASA /  NLR / NRC / ONERA / TAE / UTIAS and some of the major Royal Aircraft Establishment  (RAE) technical report series.
• Extensive holdings of Air Publications, ATA handling notes and air accident reports.
• The Air Pilot/UK Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) from  August 1948  through to 1999/The UK Topographical Air Charts from the mid-1950s.
• A complete set of Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft, plus other volumes from the Jane’s series.
• Historically important  past minutes of the Society of British Aircraft  Constructors/Aerospace Companies (SBAC) Council and its various committees  committees dating from 1916 - 2000.

Expert staff are available to assist enquirers.  For further details on the Library and its collection, please contact us on:

Tel: +44 (0)1252 701038 / 701060
Email: hublibrary@aerosociety.com

The National Aerospace Library is open Tuesday to Friday from 10am - 4pm

Visitors to the Library will also have the opportunity to use the facilities of The Aviators licensed cafe bar and see nearby the striking restored metal structure of a former airship hangar.