Main public areas
The main public areas in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) are outlined below, indicating locations and what can be accessed where.
- Reception
- Search room
- Reading room
- Self-service microfilm room
- Lecture room
- Canteen
- Toilets
- PRONI floorplan
For further information on using PRONI and what you can and cannot do, see our dos and don’ts section.
What can I do here?
All visitors must sign into the visitors book when they arrive and sign out when they leave (so we know who is in the building in the event of an evacuation)
Visitors must be logged onto the computerised document ordering system when they arrive and logged out when they leave.
You can request copies of PRONI policy documents (for example guidance for public consultation of PRONI records (112KB) 
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What will I find in this area?
- PRONI help desk
- copies of all of PRONI’s paper catalogues
- printed copies of all PRONI leaflets
- guides and indexes
- document ordering computers
- electronic allocation board (this tells you when the documents you have ordered are ready for collection and what table to use in the reading room).
- selected internet site access computers
- Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission digital archive
- access to the Centre for Migration Studies Emigration Database website
- some printed sources (e.g. Street directories and Griffith’s valuation)
What can I do here?
- Consult PRONI staff regarding your research
- Research and identify the documents you wish to view
- Order documents
The search room is usually the first stop for newly registered visitors. A member of staff will speak with you and help you begin your research.
Here, you can consult PRONI’s catalogue, guides, indexes and leaflets in order to identify the documents you would like to see.
You can also discuss your research with staff or other researchers. If you have any questions or problems, you can speak to a member of staff at the help desk.
Is this a silent area?
It is not a silent area, however we would ask that customers respect the needs of other researchers and keep noise to a minimum.
What will I find in this area?
- PRONI issue desk (where you collect and return the documents you have ordered)
- Numbered tables – when you order a document in the search room you will automatically be allocated a table in the reading room.
- Numbered microfilm reader booths – if you order a microfilm which is not available in the self-service microfilm room, you will be allocated a booth in the reading room.
- A small collection of reference books
What can I do here?
- Consult the actual documents held by PRONI
- Make notes from the documents (in pencil or on a laptop – ink and biro pens are not permitted in the reading room)
The reading room is where the documents you have ordered in the public search room can be viewed.
Reference books and documents issued must not be removed from the reading room (except by a member of staff) under any circumstances.
Is this a silent area?
Yes, this is a silent area.
What will I find in this area?
- Many of PRONI’s most popular microfilmed archives
- Circa 25 microfilm readers
- Self-service microfilm room issue desk
- Copies of PRONI’s paper catalogues relating to archives on microfilm/microfiche
- Guides and indexes relating to archives on microfilm/microfiche
- Calendars of Wills
- PRONI reference library
What can I do in this area?
- Research and view microfilm/microfiche archives
- Microfilms can be personally retrieved from the cabinets on completion of a document request form
- Microfiche must be retrieved by a member of staff
Having the most popular microfilms available on a self-service basis means more time can be spent on research, rather than on waiting for documents to be produced.
See the Self-Service Microfilm Room webpage for further information.
Is this a silent area?
Yes, this is a silent area.
Lecture room
Where is it located?
First floor of the main building – can be accessed via stairs or lift.
What can I do in this area?
- Attend talks and lectures organised by PRONI
- View exhibitions on display at PRONI
Opening hours
- Monday to Wednesday & Friday - 8.45am – 4.45pm
- Thursday - 8.45am – 6.45pm
What’s available?
- Tea, coffee and snacks available throughout the day
- A range of hot and cold meals are available between 12pm and 2pm
- Vegetarian options available
- Healthy options available
- A disabled toilet is located in the reception area of the main building
- Male and female toilets are located in the search room
