Guide to Accessing BBC Sound Archives
Begin at the British Library (BL) which, since 1997, has been designated as the main public listening facility for BBC radio programmes. Make sure you get a British Library reader pass.(https://www.bl.uk/research/#reader-registration)
Use either of two online catalogues
Cadensa More complete metadata, but you can’t save any of the links
BL Main Catalogue Not as comprehensive a search, but easier navigation and links can be reused
Caveat— The BBC donated the entirety of its sound archives pre-1992 to the BL in 1986, but only 40% has been catalogued to description level into the British library system.
The BBC archive online catalog used to be available to British library readers, but because of copyright issues the catalogue was shut down in 2007 and now has been strictly restricted for the use of a small number of British library staff
So if you want to find out what is in the rest of the BBC sound archives at the British library, consult the paper archives!
Highlight what you need, copy the programme number and input into Cadenza. If you are lucky, it will show up in the British library catalogue, already described and digitised and you can listen to it immediately.
But more often than not, it won’t show up online. From the paper archives, write down the programme number and any other data (it won’t have the BL accession number). Fill up this form (https://bl.libanswers.com/form?queue_id=2551)to send a request to the the BL's Listening Service (LS)
LS Staff will catalogue the material into the BL system
LS Staff will digitize the material for free, but it will take 6-8 weeks and you can request only 10 maximum at a time
An email will be sent to you once the sound file is available. Physically go to the BL and listen to the file in one of its computers with headphones
If the British library does not have the physical disc in the basement, get the programme number and request the LS to email the BBC sound archive at Pervale.(https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthebbc/2011/10/the-new-bbc-archive-centre-at.shtml) (10 requests at a time and you cannot contact them directly.)
BBC will digitize the file, and send it to the BL via the cloud.
Once notified, physically go to the BL and listen to the sound file. There is no playback in the special machines for these types of files, so you need to call on the red phone beside you and request LS to rewind. Sometimes they are kind enough to burn the sound into a CD, but you will go to hell if you download or try to copy. (you can’t anyway).
The BBC digitized sound file is expunged after your use, or if you want to use it again, you can request for it to be catalogued into the British library system for future users. BBC digitizing service is free and actually faster than the BL process - but you need to prove that the BL does not have the file in the basement.
The Written Archives
The BBC Written Archives are in Reading, UK, about an hour outside London.
Make an appointment. It will take months to get one. https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/bbc-written-archives-centre/zdy9scw
They will ask you to look at the very general finding aids, but there is no online catalogue for any of the materials
Pray that the person assigned to you is helpful as you need to request specific material which you have no way of knowing until you go through tons of paper documents.
If the material you want has not been vetted, they will let you know. Be prepared to go back after a month (or more). They will email you.
Take a lot of photos which you are allowed to do, but you need to acknowledge BBC copyright.