• What is Naomi Symes Books?
• How do I search for books?
• How do I order a book?
• If you don't have the book I want, how do I find it?
• How many different ways can I pay?
• Is it safe to send credit card information over the internet?
• But what if I still don't want to submit my credit / debit card details over the internet?
• What happens if I wish to return a book ordered through Naomi Symes Books?
• I don't understand some of the terminology used in the book description. What should I do?
• I'm outside the UK, and not familiar with sterling prices. Do you deliver worldwide? Can I see the prices in my own currency?
• What terms do you offer libraries and institutions? What is the purchasing procedure for libraries and institutions?
• What is the Resources page?

What is Naomi Symes Books?

Naomi Symes Books is a secure bookselling service, established in 1994, for academics, collectors and enthusiasts in the field of social history and women's history. Click here for our terms of trade. We supply out-of-print, antiquarian and in-print titles to individual customers and academic institutions worldwide.

To search for the book(s) you require, simply type one or more keywords into the box above (separated by a space or a comma) and click "go". Keywords may be the author's name, title words, ISBN or general subject words eg. Victorian, socialism, labour, women writers, Ireland, North West England, education, housing, philanthropy, medieval, eighteenth century, witchcraft, France, motherhood, religion, Edwardian, London, First World War, rural, autobiographies.

When entering keywords, it may prove fruitful to think laterally and try a variety of words which have the same or similar meanings. For example, when searching for nineteenth century, try as alternatives, Regency, Georgian, Victorian, British Empire, Romantic, industrial, etc. For Poor Law, try poverty, poor, pauper or pauperism. For suffragettes, try suffrage, women's movement, Votes for Women, women and politics, suffragists. For United States, try American, America, United States of America, USA. Think of plurals instead of singulars, and vice versa, as this will produce a different, but no less relevant, set of results.

How do I order a book?

After successfully locating the book(s), you can place each one into your basket by clicking on the link "Add this book to my basket". Once the books are in your basket, you can easily return to where you were by clicking the link "Return to search". If at any time you wish to delete any title(s), just click "Remove" to the left of each book in the basket. Each time you add or remove a book, the subtotal is calculated automatically. To complete your order, simply click the "Checkout" link to proceed to the delivery and payment screens. Delivery costs are extra, and a range of delivery prices and speeds (worldwide) are offered at the Checkout. Please ensure that you enter your address and payment information as fully and as accurately as possible to minimise processing errors. Once you're happy with your order details, hit the "Submit" button to send the order to us securely. We do not store any credit / debit card details on our server for security reasons, and all data is submitted via universally accepted, secure encryption techniques. At the point of submitting your order, the books will be reserved automatically and you'll receive an immediate email confirming the full details. Your order will be dispatched as quickly as possible and you'll be informed of this in a second email.

If you don't have the book I want, how do I find it?

If you've searched for a book on our system and found no matches, you'll be presented with a link to our "Wants" page. If you wish, simply enter the title(s) you need so that we may try to locate them on your behalf. If our search is successful, we'll notify you by email. This service is free and there's no obligation to buy. You may also enter our "Wants" page from the navigation menu on the left of any screen.

How many different ways can I pay?

We accept payments by Visa, Mastercard, Switch / Maestro, American Express, Diners Club International, Eurocard, Solo and JCB. Our automatic ordering system is secure (SSL) for credit/debit card transactions and fully-automated with shopping basket facilities.

We're also happy to accept your payment by sterling cheque, US dollar cheque or cheque in Euros, made payable to Naomi Symes Books, or through Paypal. If you wish to follow any of these methods, please email us at reservations@naomisymes.com ,stating which book(s) you'd like to order (authors, titles & order numbers) and your geographic location. We'll then send you a pro forma invoice, and reserve the books for you pending receipt of payment. If you'd prefer to initiate an electronic bank-to-bank transfer, simply let us know the currency in which you wish to pay when you email us, and we'll provide our full bank details with the pro forma invoice. We operate bank accounts in sterling, US dollars and Euros.

If you're a library or an institution, or an established customer known to Naomi Symes Books, please take advantage of the payment options offered at page 3 of the Checkout, ie: "This is an institutional order and we wish to pay by invoice on receipt of the books"; OR "I am a regular customer and pay by invoice on receipt of the books".

We automatically include a fully-itemised paper invoice / receipt with your book(s).

Is it safe to send credit card information over the internet?

It's absolutely safe to send credit card information to Naomi Symes Books over the internet, through our secure server. We do not store any credit / debit card details on our server for security reasons, and all data is submitted via universally accepted, secure encryption techniques.

But what if I still don't want to submit my credit / debit card details over the internet?

Please feel free to phone or fax us instead on: +44 (0)1925 602898. If you'd prefer to pay by sterling cheque, US dollar cheque, cheque in Euros or by Paypal, simply email us at reservations@naomisymes.com, stating which book(s) you'd like to order (authors, titles & order numbers) and your geographic location. We'll then send you a pro forma invoice, and reserve the books for you pending receipt of payment. If you'd like to initiate an electronic bank-to-bank transfer instead, please let us know the currency in which you wish to pay when you email us, and we'll provide our full bank details with the pro forma invoice. We operate bank accounts in sterling, US dollars and Euros.
If you're a library or an institution, or an established customer known to Naomi Symes Books, please take advantage of the payment options offered at page 3 of the Checkout, ie: "This is an institutional order and we wish to pay by invoice on receipt of the books"; OR "I am a regular customer and pay by invoice on receipt of the books".

What happens if I wish to return a book ordered through Naomi Symes Books?

Items not conforming to the catalogue description may be returned within seven days of receipt, and a full refund will be provided. Please be sure to contact us at refunds@naomisymes.com before you post the book, stating reasons for the return.

Naomi Symes Books will not accept liability for any loss or damage once a parcel has been dispatched.

I don't understand some of the terminology used in the book description. What should I do?

Please refer to our "terms" page for a detailed glossary of all the terminology we use in the catalogue.

I'm outside the UK, and not familiar with sterling prices. Do you deliver worldwide? Can I see the prices in my own currency?

Yes, we deliver worldwide and offer a range of delivery speeds, air and surface. You may convert the sterling prices on our website to other currencies by selecting an option next to each book entry. When placing an order, if you wish to see the total cost in your local currency, simply click the "Convert Currency" button on page 3 of the Checkout.

What terms do you offer libraries and institutions? What is the purchasing procedure for libraries and institutions?

We're happy to invoice libraries and institutions both within the UK and overseas with credit terms of 30 days. Librarians and institutional customers are invited to take advantage of the special payment option offered at page 3 of the Checkout, ie: "This is an institutional order and we wish to pay by invoice on receipt of the books". If you have any particular ordering requirements or requests, such as the recording of official purchase order numbers, please enter these in the designated box on that page. We're able to accept your payment in sterling, US dollars or Euros - by cheque or directly by electronic bank transfer - as you wish. For further details, please email us at reservations@naomisymes.com.

What is the Resources page?

The Resources page (History Resource Centre) connects you to other important sites in the field of women's history and social history worldwide. The links have been carefully compiled to present a one-stop, time-saving and valuable collection of research pathways.