Anybody got any stories...not from the archives...but of them?

Some of us might be missing archive visits...and we'd love to hear any tales or tips about your research trips..

We'll start with a short parable about how the most irritating numpties can save your bacon...

It was the first trip to the manuscript reading room @britishlibrary for one of our PhD students...she was flustered and confused, and desperately trying to look like she belonged there, when she finally found the locker room...

After the 5th attempt at remembering all the items she might need in her clear plastic bag she was trying to stuff her bag and coat into her 8th locker choice when she was bumped by a very large fellow who had decided to put his huge backpack in the locker RIGHT next to hers...

Despite the fact there were dozens free all down the aisle and he really could have done with one if the bigger lockers for his Behemoth Go-Bag/Emergency parachute set-up...

He accidentally knocked into her twice and she internally tutted about his lack of awareness... but soon forgot about it, emersed in the glory of the original manuscripts and her £20 cheese sandwich...

Until she returned to the locker room already late for her train back to Berkshire and realised her rookie error of NOT PHOTOGRAPHING THE LOCKER DOOR or even writing the number down...

In her initial flappiness she couldn't even remember roughly where it was...She strode down the aisle trying to look confident and completely sure of her destination.

Twice.

And then she saw it. A strap from Mr. Annoying's EnormoPack was hanging out of his locker...and was obviously RIGHT NEXT to hers. She almost shimmied with relief that she wasn't going to have to look very dodgy trying her number in every single locker while missing her train...

So she sends out a big thank you to whoever that fellow was. And she hopes his Everest climb went well.