National Aerospace Library

National Aerospace Library
Name	National Aerospace Library
Country	United Kingdom
Location	Farnborough, Hampshire
Established	1917
Type	Research library
Collection size	Approx. 300,000 items
Items collected	Books; periodicals; technical reports; patents; photographs; manuscripts; maps; drawings
Director	Chief Librarian

National Aerospace Library The National Aerospace Library is a specialist research library located in Farnborough, Hampshire that supports aviation and space engineering communities associated with Royal Aerospace Establishment, Airbus, BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce plc, and European Space Agency. It holds extensive archives tied to historical programs such as Concorde, Spitfire, V-1 flying bomb, Black Arrow (rocket), and industrial records from Handley Page, De Havilland, Hawker Siddeley, and Gloster Aircraft Company. The library functions as a national centre for aerospace heritage, serving researchers linked to institutions including Imperial College London, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Cranfield University, and Royal Aeronautical Society.

History

Founded in 1917 as a technical collection for the Royal Flying Corps, the library expanded through associations with Royal Aircraft Establishment and wartime research collaborations involving Ministry of Aircraft Production. During the interwar years the collection absorbed publications from private firms such as Short Brothers and records from pioneers like Sir George Cayley and Frank Whittle. Post‑1945 growth reflected Cold War programmes with materials from Avro and projects connected to Skylon (spaceplane) concept studies and the Black Arrow (rocket). In the 1960s and 1970s the library incorporated extensive periodicals and technical reports from British Aircraft Corporation and archives relating to the Anglo‑French Concorde programme. Later partnerships included exchanges with NASA, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, and European organisations such as European Southern Observatory. Preservation initiatives have aligned with conservation bodies like Historic England and archival standards advocated by The National Archives.

Collections and holdings

The holdings comprise monographs, serials, technical reports, manufacturer manuals, patent collections, and unique manuscript papers from figures such as R. J. Mitchell, Geoffrey de Havilland, Sydney Camm, Frank Whittle, and Hermann Oberth. Key named collections include corporate archives of Handley Page, design drawings from Supermarine, test data from Royal Aircraft Establishment, and oral histories with engineers who worked on Avro Lancaster and Hastings (aircraft). The photograph and image archive contains negatives, prints, and aerial survey plates tied to firms like De Havilland and research campaigns by Royal Aircraft Establishment. Technical report series span manufacturers and agencies including Rolls-Royce plc, BAe Systems, Airbus, ESA, and historical collections from National Physical Laboratory. The patent file covers inventions registered with UK Intellectual Property Office and references to international filings at European Patent Office and United States Patent and Trademark Office. Maps and aerodynamic drawings include wind tunnel data associated with Langley Research Center benchmarking and trials at Cranfield Airport.

Services and facilities

Services include reference and enquiry support for scholars from Imperial College London, industry researchers from Airbus and BAE Systems, and independent historians investigating topics such as Battle of Britain aircraft development. The reading room offers access to rare books, periodical backruns like FlightGlobal titles, and microform technical report sets from NASA Technical Reports Server collections. Preservation labs use conservation techniques promoted by Institute of Conservation and digitisation workflows compatible with standards from Digital Preservation Coalition. Special facilities host exhibitions tied to anniversaries such as the Dambusters Raid centenary and thematic displays on projects like Concorde and Space Shuttle comparisons. Interlibrary loan and document supply connect with networks including British Library and international partners at Library of Congress.

Research and publications

The library supports peer‑reviewed research connected to aerospace history, aerodynamics, propulsion studies referencing work by Frank Whittle and Hans von Ohain, and policy research drawing on records from Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom). It publishes bibliographies, catalogues, and occasional monographs in collaboration with publishers such as Routledge and societies like Royal Aeronautical Society. Staff contribute to journals including Aerospace (journal), Journal of Aeronautical History, and conference proceedings from ICAS and AIAA. Digitised collections have facilitated theses at Cranfield University and doctoral research affiliated with University of Manchester and University of Bristol on topics from jet engine development to satellite payload design tied to European Space Agency missions.

Outreach and education

Outreach programmes engage school groups with curricula linked to STEMNET initiatives and lectures co‑hosted with museums such as Science Museum, London and National Air and Space Museum. Public events include talks by historians of Battle of Britain aviation, displays commemorating pioneers like Amy Johnson and Sir Barnes Wallis, and partnerships with festivals like Wings and Wheels. Educational resources support apprenticeship schemes with employers such as Rolls-Royce plc and training courses run with Cranfield University on archival research methods and aerospace heritage conservation.

Governance and funding

Governance follows a trustee or advisory board model involving stakeholders from Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), Royal Aeronautical Society, and academic partners like Imperial College London. Funding blends core grants, endowments, and project‑specific support from corporations such as BAE Systems, Airbus, and charitable bodies including Heritage Lottery Fund and sponsorship from foundations linked to aerospace heritage. Collaborative grant applications have been made to bodies like Arts Council England and research councils including Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council for digitisation and conservation programmes.

Category:Libraries in Hampshire Category:Aerospace museums and galleries in the United Kingdom