• JHIA is a facility that is freely open to researchers. Readers using our facilities continuously for up to (but not more than) seven JHIA working days or intermittently for up to (but not more than) thirty JHIA working days in a year are given temporary reading rights for free after they have completed a readers’ form. Those using our facilities continuously for over seven JHIA working days or intermittently for over thirty JHIA working days in a year have to register as readers for one calendar year and meet the cost of registration and issuing of a reader’s card, which is normally 1,000.00 Kenyan shillings (about 12.00 US Dollars).
  • Students working on a specific research project will be required to provide a reference from the project supervisor at a recognized academic institution.
  • Every day they visit JHIA, readers must sign in, providing details of their home institutions and research subjects.
  • Readers may not bring their own reading material into JHIA. While writing material and personal computers may be taken into the reading room, bags and other personal items must be safely placed in the provided lockers before readers can enter the reading room.
  • JHIA endeavors to make efficient use of a very limited space. No discussion or any form of talking to fellow readers is allowed within the JHIA premises. There is no space for smocking or eating, and drinking is not allowed in the reading room. There is a water dispenser at the far end of the corridor where drinking water is made available.
  • Readers must not attempt to access restricted areas, which include the main library, the archives and special collections room, and the staff common room.
  • With the exception of a few reference material in the reading room, books are not on open stacks. Readers can search the online catalog and order books at least two JHIA working hours before their arrival at JHIA. While in JHIA premises, readers may order books by filling in an appropriate request slip, which can be submitted to the reading-room supervisor. Please allow for up to thirty minutes before books can be delivered to you.
  • Readers may use or reserve up to five items at a time and each single item may be reserved for up to seven
  • No one is given borrowing rights at JHIA. Books and other items must not be taken out of the reading room. If a reader wishes to reserve a book for use on another day, he or she must keep a completed request slip within the book and return it to the reading-room supervisor.
  • After use, books marked “RARE” on the spine and any archival material must be returned to the reading-room supervisor. Other books may be left on the reading tables.
  • Not every item in the JHIA collection is immediately accessible to readers. Some items in delicate condition can only be issued under certain conditions or used under supervision. A few items are time-barred, and a few more (for example, some dissertations in the Africa Thesis Bank) require their author’s explicit permission for access.
  • Washrooms are located at the extreme end of the corridor. The ladies’ washroom is fixed with disabled access facilities and, if needed, can be used by any readers with physical disability.
  • There is a fire exit on the right side towards the end of the corridor. Should the fire alarm go off, please leave the building using the main stairs or the fire exit, but not the lift. Fire assembly point is near the car parking area in front of the main building.
  • JHIA administration reserves the right to terminate a person’s reading rights if it is deemed that the person has persistently ignored these access terms and conditions even after a warning.
  • JHIA administration reserves the right to amend these access terms and conditions anytime it deems it necessary to do so.
  • We hope you enjoy our services. We always appreciate feedback from our readers, and we look forward to your collaboration in the vision and mission of JHIA, not least by donating a copy of your research findings to our collection