House of Commons Library

Where to Look

Details of Commons Library courses are shown on the Library’s training page

You can look at The schedule of forthcoming Library courses

The Library What’s On page shows listings for Library training, Library talks, and other events in Parliament.

Courses are open to Members of both Houses, their staff and parliamentary staff, unless otherwise stated on the course schedule.

Individual arrangements can be made for constituency staff.

If you are a new member of staff then you need to set up your access as an MP’s staffer.  Phone the Parliamentary Digital Services on x2001.

Introductory tours of the Derby Gate Library

The Derby Gate Library may be used by MPs and their staff, offering a range of information services.  This includes access to Library briefings, and a quiet place to work. Library staff are on hand to answer enquiries.

Introductory tours of the Members’ Library and the Derby Gate Library are available for Members and their staff, respectively.

Tours are run on:

• Mondays 2.15-3.15pm
• Thursdays 10.15-11.15am

If you are unable to attend one of the scheduled sessions, we may be able to organise a session to fit around you, subject to trainer availability.  Please call 020 7219 3666 to book.

Fewer tours are run in recess.  Contact the Commons Library for more information or to book a place.

For further information, please see the House of Commons Library intranet page.

Training examples

Want to learn about the information resources available to you via the Parliamentary Intranet?  Need to get to grips with documentation and basic procedure?  The Commons Library runs two training programmes that can help:

1. The Library’s Find It programme looks at a variety of information resources – both Intranet and Internet – and how to use them to locate what you need online.
2. The Parliament: Introduction and Documentation programme provides a basic introduction to parliamentary functions, procedures and documentation. Training sessions will introduce you to key sources of information and how to use them.

Navigate:  tailored/one-to-one training from the Library

Formal courses don’t suit everyone, so the Library also offers a one-to-one / tailored training service called Navigate.  You can request a training session at a time and a location on the Parliamentary estate that is convenient for you, looking at whichever Intranet information resources interest you.  Navigate sessions are open to Members and their staff: please call 020 7219 3666 to request an appointment.  There’s further information on the Navigate page.