FAQs
Here are answers to some of the questions we tend to get asked. They are organised into three sections – General, Library, and Membership.
If you can’t find the information you’re looking for, please don’t hesitate to pop in to talk to us, or email [email protected].
General
What exactly is the DEI?
The Devon & Exeter Institution is an independent historic library and vibrant cultural heritage charity that connects people, place, and collections through inclusive events, educational innovation, and community engagement – inspiring learning, creativity, and social good in our region and beyond.
How is the DEI funded?
The Institution is fully independent – our principal income streams are from membership, venue hire, and grant-giving bodies.
Membership only covers around 40% of our running costs, so our small staff team are active in creating funding opportunities through a variety of other means. In the past few years, we have been successful in securing grants from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England, the AHRC, Garfield Weston, and other smaller funders. We have a funded partnership with the University of Exeter, we run ticketed events, and we market our spaces for venue and location hire. Smaller amounts of income are generated through second-hand book sales, merchandise, and gift aid.
Donations and legacy gifts are very welcome, and all funds go directly to supporting our charitable aims of preserving 7 Cathedral Close and delivering public education. You can find out about ways to support us here.
Who runs the DEI? How is it organized?
The Institution is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and is governed by its constitution, which is available to read here. Strategic delivery and day-to-day running of the Institution is the responsibility of the Director and staff team, who are supported by 60 volunteers. Our Director is Emma Dunn. A Board of Trustees governs the Institution and supports the Director with strategic planning. There are two working groups within the Board, to support decision making and forward planning in specific areas. Our current working groups are the Finance Group and the Leadership Team.
Our Mission for 2025-2030 is to:
- Steward and activate our collections as living resources for research, learning, and co-curated interpretation – supporting access, inspiration, and discovery for all;
- Deliver a balanced, diverse, and inclusive programme that celebrates curiosity, fosters debate, and reflects our civic responsibility – across exhibitions, events, residencies, and outreach;
- Sustain and adapt our unique heritage building and gardens to ensure they are welcoming, accessible, and fit for the future – enabling deeper engagement with people and place;
- Empower our staff, volunteers, trustees, members and partners through investment in skills, collaboration, and wellbeing – fostering inclusive pathways into heritage and leadership;
- Expand our digital presence to connect more people with our collections and ideas – building meaningful hybrid experiences and global reach, with authenticity and accessibility at the core;
- Develop a resilient financial model that aligns income with purpose – growing diverse revenue streams to sustain our charitable mission and reinvest in innovation and charitable impact.
How can I find out more about the DEI’s history?
A good starting point is to attend one of our public tours, available on a drop-in basis every Wednesday, 1pm – 4pm.
You can also listen to the Exeter Stories podcast, where our Director Emma Dunn gives an overview of the Institution, the history of our building, the origins of the Institution and the extensive restoration work which has taken place in the last decade. During 2020-22 we conducted a major piece of research for our Conservation Management Plan and this document can be found in the library for reference on site. You can book a spot to review relevant materials from the Library and Archive.
We are currently hosting a PhD researcher, Amber Flood, who is writing a thesis on the social history of the Institution, which will be available in due course.
How can I get in touch with you?
The Institution is run by a small staff team supported by a large team of volunteers. We are not always able to answer the phone, as we are busy running the library and associated events and activities. The best way to contact us is via email and these are listed below.
To purchase membership, please click here. For tickets to DEI events, click here. Or you book in person at the front desk. We are open Tuesday to Saturday and our usual hours are Tuesday – Friday, 10.00am – 5.00pm, and Saturdays, 10.00am – 4.00pm.
Membership enquiries: [email protected]
Venue hire and tour enquiries: Please complete an interest form here or email [email protected].
Research and library enquiries: [email protected]
Finance enquiries: [email protected]
Our postal address is: The Devon and Exeter Institution, 7 Cathedral Close, Exeter, EX1 1EZ
Our phone number (not always manned but you may leave a message): 01392 437044
Can I hold a meeting or event in one of the DEI’s rooms?
The Institution’s rooms are available to hire and this is an important part of our revenue as a charity. Information can be found on the website here. We offer a fantastic central location, prestige heritage rooms, contemporary amenities and an unrivalled view over Cathedral Green. The Green Room, The Parlour, The Blue Room and the Garden Room can all be hired during our opening hours or evenings. The Libraries are only available to hire on a Monday or in the evenings, unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as a tight film location schedule. We welcome film crews. Please email filming requests to: [email protected].
Please note, these charges are also applicable if you are member and want to hold a business meeting or event in our spaces.
If you are a professional facilitator, business or charity that aligns with our values and you wish to propose a collaborative event or service, please get in touch [email protected].
Can I bring a group for a look around?
We welcome booked groups and private tours. Please contact [email protected] to find out how we can help you with your visit. Please note that any group visits outside of our usual free Wednesday tours are chargeable; the current fees are £5 per person.
I’m a member; can I set up a research group?
We do not generally accept ad-hoc event or group proposals from members, as free use of our space means that we are turning away customers for venue hire, which is an important part of our income as a charity.
How can I give a talk in the library?
We put out an annual Call for Papers every July for the forthcoming season of Evening Lectures, which runs from October – April. We ask for abstracts in response to a theme, which loosely overarches our entire programme for the academic year. Our season of talks is curated, which means that we do not accept every submission. We aim to bring a variety of different voices to the theme and welcome papers from people in the community and early career researchers, as well as academics and professionals. Find out about our current Evening Lecture series here.
Is the DEI part of Exeter Uni?
No, we are a standalone charity and fully independent of the University and the City Council. The University of Exeter and the DEI have a close working relationship, and we enjoy a long-standing and positive partnership. As well as through University membership, students and staff also join us as volunteers, interns, and through special projects and taught modules.
The DEI offers a limited number of complimentary University memberships for current students and serving academic staff. Administrative and Professional Services staff, and honorary or retired academic staff are not eligible for this type of membership. Find out more about University membership here.
Can I do work experience with you?
There are a limited number of work experience placements and internships available every year. Please contact [email protected] in the first instance. There is a high level of competition for these opportunities, but we also retain places for Equity in Education pupils, in line with our values as an educational charity.
What does volunteering with Green Shoots involve?
The Green Shoots gardening group began in 2020 and since then the volunteer team have created two beautiful courtyard garden spaces at the Institution. Volunteering means helping to maintain and develop these spaces, getting hands on with gardening, and using our horticultural collections as inspiration. Sessions are led by RHS-trained professional gardener Lorna McGougan. Contact [email protected] to register an interest.
Can I just visit the DEI without being a member?
Members of the public can access any of our public events, free exhibitions or join one of our free tours on Wednesday 1pm-4pm drop in, no need to book. If you are planning to use the facilities or spend an extended amount of time in the libraries or meeting rooms, please look at membership options which include day membership, week membership and trial membership.
I’m not a member; can I come and use the café?
The Courtenay Room café and its fabulous brunches, lunches and teas, is a benefit of membership. Members are welcome to bring guests to the café, and if you’re coming here for a talk or a tour you are welcome to sample the menu before or after your event. If you want to try the café, why not take out a Trial membership?
Library
I would like to look at a book in the library. How do I do that?
Our collections are available for all members to view. If you are not a member, you can purchase a £10 Day Membership, which you can pay for at the front desk when you arrive.
If you know which book you would like to look at, we would recommend emailing us at [email protected] to let us know which book/s you would like to look at, and when you would like to visit. We will then reserve you a table in the Inner Library and the book/s will be ready for you when you arrive.
If you don’t know what you want to look at yet, visit our online catalogue first, and then request an appointment by emailing [email protected]. You are also very welcome to email us for recommendations, based on your interests or research subjects.
If you have not made an appointment, we will do our best to accommodate your request on the day. We are a small staff team, so it is possible that there may be a delay in dealing with your request.
Our modern collections are browsable and you can retrieve books from the shelves yourself if you would like. Our staff and volunteers are also happy to retrieve modern books for you. Books from our heritage collections are retrieved by staff and volunteers only.
Why can’t I help myself to some of the books on your shelves?
Members are welcome to help themselves to books in our modern collections. Our staff and volunteers are very happy to retrieve books from the heritage collections for members, and there are no books that we would not retrieve.
Heritage books are only retrieved by staff and volunteers:
- To ensure that they are retrieved in a way that does not cause damage to these often fragile and historic books;
- As a security measure: it is considered best practice across heritage organisations that access to historic materials takes place under supervision, in a designated reading room, in our case, in the Inner Library;
- To ensure that books are returned to the same place that they were retrieved from, so that they can be found for other researchers in the future.
We are always striking a balance between access for researchers in the present and preserving these collections for future generations.
Can I access the galleries in the library?
Galleries are only accessible to staff and volunteers, and not to the general public. This is for reasons of health and safety, and for security and safe handling of the historic collections.
Are the books just about Devon and Exeter?
We have many modern and historic books about Devon and Exeter, but these only make up around 20% of our collections. The majority cover a wide range of subjects and reflect the interests of the nineteenth century proprietors of the Institution. Particular strengths include early science, natural history, voyages and travel, and arts. Find out more about our collections here and view our full catalogue here.
How do you decide which books to keep in your collections?
Our heritage collections are designated as a permanent collection and will be kept in perpetuity. Our modern collection, which largely consists of reference books about the South West, will remain here for as long as they are deemed useful to our members.
Can I donate books to the library?
Please email [email protected] with a brief description of the books that you would like to donate, and the Librarian will get back to you. We are often able to accept books about the South West if we do not have them already. We can occasionally accept books for our heritage collections if they are in keeping with our existing collections and fill a particular gap.
If they are not suitable for our collections, you might like to consider donating books for our next second-hand book sale. These take place around 4 times a year. If it is just a bag or two, please just drop these to the front desk. If it is a larger collection, please email ahead before bringing them in.
Is it OK to talk in the library?
Yes, our library is not a silent space, although we do ask for consideration to be shown to researchers, especially in the Inner Library.
Can I use my laptop in the library?
In the Inner Library, desk space is primarily reserved for members who are using the collections. These members are welcome to use laptops while consulting books, as long as this does not cause any damage. There are spaces to use laptops throughout the building, including the Blue Room, the Green Room, the Parlour and the Outer Library. When the desk spaces in the Inner Library are not needed for research on our collections, you are welcome to work on a laptop.
Can I take photographs?
You are welcome to take photographs of our collections, and we do not charge for this. We ask that you do not use flash when photographing our historic collections. Normal copyright restrictions apply.
Please feel free to photograph our beautiful historic library, but please be careful not to photograph individuals without their permission.
If posting on social media, you can tag us @dexinstitution
Can you send me photographs of a page or pages in a book?
We can photograph collections for you, and this is charged at £10 per 20 minutes of staff time. Please be aware that photographs will be taken on a phone. Please email [email protected] with your request.
Can I publish images from your collections?
Please email [email protected] if you are interested in using our images in any public way. The Devon and Exeter Institution is not the copyright holder for the vast majority of images within its collections. It is the responsibility of the person using the image to seek permission from the rights holder and to ensure that their use does not infringe copyright.
Are there computers I can use at the DEI?
Yes, there are two computers for members to use in the Inner Library. These are accessed on a first come, first served basis. We have access to Ancestry and to a large number of online databases through the London Library, including the British Newspaper Archives, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, JSTOR, and Eighteenth Century Collections Online.
Is it OK to bring food and drink into the library?
We ask that you do not bring food and drink into the Libraries, to protect the historic book collection.
Do I need to book an appointment?
We recommend booking an appointment in advance by emailing [email protected] with details of what you would like to look at, and when you would like to visit.
If you have not made an appointment, we will do our best to accommodate you on the day. We are a small staff team, so it is possible that there may be a delay in dealing with your request.
There’s just one book I need to look at, so it’s not really worth my becoming a full member. Can I just come in for a day?
You can purchase Day Membership for £10. We would recommend emailing ahead of your visit and we will make you an appointment. The payment can then be made at the front desk.
Am I able to take conference calls / phone calls at the DEI?
No, we do not welcome Zoom, Teams or other conference calls anywhere in the building. This is for the comfort of other users, the availability of Wi-Fi for all and the atmosphere in the libraries and reading rooms. We are not a co-working office space, but a quiet space to read, write, create and think. Phone calls may be taken off site or – on a quiet day – in the garden room.
Membership
What do you get out of being a member of the DEI?
Join us as a member and you will become part of a unique community of readers and writers, united in supporting Exeter’s oldest library in its original setting and preserving 7 Cathedral Close for public education and enjoyment. We offer a beautiful, tranquil reading, writing, and meeting space right in the centre of Exeter, with magnificent early 19th century galleried libraries for research and relaxation. To find out about some of the other things you can look forward to benefitting from as a member, click here.
How do I become a member?
It’s easy to join the Institution. You can either:
a) Sign up in person: pop in during opening hours and fill out a form at the front desk.
b) Sign up online: visit our website here to select the type of membership you require, set up a membership account, and pay your membership fees by Direct Debit or in instalments.
Once you’ve signed up and your payment has gone through, you’ll receive an email from us officially welcoming you to the Institution. All our new members receive a Welcome Pack, which contains all sorts of helpful information about how to make the most of your membership, use our facilities, and access our resources, plus a brief orientation from one of our helpful front desk volunteers.
Can anyone become a member of the DEI?
Yes! Everyone is welcome. To get an idea of the wide range of people who work, study, and relax in our beautiful spaces, click here.
How can I pay my membership fees?
We encourage new members to sign up online and opt to pay their fees by Direct Debit, as this has a number of benefits both for you and us. We do also take payments by card or cash in person, or by card over the phone, and we currently still accept bank transfers and cheques.
When does my membership start?
Your membership starts from the date that we receive payment of your membership fees and joining fee, if relevant. NB Direct Debit payments can take up to 10 days to go through, and similarly it can take a while for bank transfers to appear on our statements. We understand that members who pay by these means may wish to start using the DEI immediately, though, and this is absolutely fine, but please note that you won’t receive your official ‘Welcome’ email until your payment has been confirmed.
How do I renew my membership?
If you have set up a Direct Debit to pay your membership fees, then your membership will renew automatically (you’ll receive notification from our Direct Debit provider when a payment is going to be taken). If you pay by another means, then we will contact you (usually by email) about 2-4 weeks before your membership is due to expire to remind you to renew. At that point, you can either click on the link in the email to pay your fees online, or you can pop in to pay by card or cash in person. We do also still accept bank transfers and cheques.
Please note that late renewal of your membership does not extend your membership’s length. For example, say your membership expires on 31st July, but you don’t get round to renewing it until 3rd September. The following year your membership will still be due for renewal on 31st July.
What happens if I don’t renew my membership on time?
We will send you another reminder to let you know that your fees are overdue. If your membership lapses by over two months, then you will be required to pay another joining fee of £15 (if applicable to your membership type) when you do renew. If your membership lapses by over 3 months, then in order to comply with General Data Protection Regulations we will remove all information we hold about you from our system.
Do I need to prove that I’m a member when I come in?
We do not issue membership cards. All our members have active accounts on our membership database, WebCollect, which records the start of their membership and their renewal date, and logs their payments. We do regularly check the Visitor Log on the front desk against WebCollect to make sure that everyone signing in as a member does have a current membership.
NB University members are asked to present their University ID card when they come in for the first time.
Help! I’m finding signing up online a bit tricky!
Sorry about that. The site that manages all our memberships isn’t always that user-friendly. Email our Membership Officer if you need a hand, or pop and talk to one of us in person.
Why do you charge membership fees? And what do you spend my membership fees on?
The Institution was established in 1813 as a proprietary library, museum and lecture space. Our founding aim was – and remains – ‘to promote the general diffusion of Science, Literature and the Arts’. In 1814, the DEI had 200 founding members (or ‘Proprietors’), and by 1831 they were each paying an annual membership fee (or ‘subscription’) of £2 to enable the Institution to carry out this work. Today, too, our members are supporters of our charity, and their membership fees go directly towards helping us to fulfil our charitable objectives of ‘preservation’ and ‘public education’. More prosaically, they enable us to open our doors and turn on the lights every day, so that we can serve our community and look after our building and collections.
Membership fees are a vital income stream for us. Full individual membership for one year costs just £120, which can be paid for in monthly instalments of £10. This is the equivalent of about £2.50 per week, i.e. less than the price of a nice cup of coffee. By way of comparison, an annual subscription to Guardian Digital costs £149. We know that our membership fees are excellent value for money, and we also know that for many of our members this value lies in things that are a bit harder to pin down, such as the quality of the environment, the spirit of community, and preserving something which will bring value to the region for years to come. Many of our members, too, are happy to support us to continue to thrive, even though they may live internationally or only be able to make it here a few times a year. We would encourage all our members, new and old, to make their own definition of value and to share it with us.
How can I find out more about what it’s like to be a member of the DEI before joining?
We now offer Trial Memberships so that anyone who’s interested in joining us can take us for a test drive first. Trial Memberships cost just £10 for one day and £25 for one week (5 consecutive days, not including Sunday or Monday), and this cost is redeemable against the price of a full membership, if you decide to join us within 1 month of your trial. Find out more here.
Can I be a DEI member for less than a year?
Most DEI memberships are annual, which means that they run for and are renewable after 1 year. This includes memberships that can be paid for in instalments (i.e. even if you wish to resign your membership after, say, 5 months, you will still need to pay the remaining 7 months’ fees.) We do, though, also offer Trial and Temporary Memberships. You can try out the DEI for 1 day or 1 week with our Trial Memberships, or join us for just 3 months with a Temporary Membership, if you know you ‘ll only want to access our spaces and resources for a limited period of time. You can find out about all our membership options here.
Can I speak to someone in person about membership?
Yes! Feel free to pop in at any time to chat to one of our friendly and helpful volunteers on our front desk. We also have a Membership Officer who is on hand 3 days a week to answer any membership-related queries, and who can be reached on [email protected].
I’m a member; can I bring visitors to the DEI?
We love it when our members bring their friends, family, and colleagues to the DEI to show them our beautiful spaces or treat them to lunch in the Courtenay Room. As with everyone coming into the building, they will need to sign in and sign out at the front desk. Should your visitors wish to stay longer, use the library, or study in our spaces, then temporary day- or week-long memberships are available. And if you’re planning to host a business meeting or use one of our rooms for extended purposes, please note that venue hire charges apply.
Do you offer any discounted memberships?
We understand that our full membership fees are not accessible to everyone, and this is why we have a number of discounted memberships available. Standard Individual Membership of the DEI costs £120, plus a one-off £15 joining fee. We offer discounted fees for under 18s (Junior Membership: £12), 18 – 25-year-olds (Youth Membership: £60), and those in receipt of Universal Credit (Lower Income Membership: £60). We also offer University of Exeter Membership for current undergraduate or postgraduate students and serving members of the academic staff. This membership type is subsidized by the University as part of a partnership agreement and is just subject to the one-off joining fee of £15.
It is also possible to pay most membership fees by Direct Debit in monthly instalments to spread the cost over the whole year. You can find out about all our membership options here.
I’m a University student, but not at Exeter Uni; can I still become a University member?
I’m afraid not. Only University of Exeter students and staff are eligible for our University membership. If you are aged 18 – 25, though, you are eligible for our Youth membership, which costs £60. Find out more here.
Can I give someone DEI membership as a gift?
Yes! Membership of the Devon and Exeter Institution is a unique gift that will last all year. Find out more here.
Is a Trial Membership or Research Pass right for me?
Research Passes are usually for people who would like to visit the library to view a particular item from our collection for a specific purpose or project. Trial Memberships are for anyone who’s considering becoming a member of the DEI and would like to get a bit more of a feel for it in order to help them make the decision.