External visitors
The Courtauld Libraries are open to external visitors by appointment only. Bookings must be made at least five days in advance. Please do not travel to The Courtauld if you wish to view exhibition catalogues, journals, sales catalogues, special collections or theses until a member of staff confirms they are available.
How to Book
You can book an appointment via our Booking Page
1. Choose the session that suits you
Each session lasts one hour and 45 minutes.
2. Share your details
We will only use your email address to confirm your booking and for visiting arrangements.
3. Tell us as much as you can about the material you would like to see
You will be able to browse the shelves at Vernon Square but we will need to recall theses and some exhibition catalogues from our remote storage. These can take 3-5 working days to arrive on-site. Please do not travel to the Library unless a librarian has confirmed your appointment.
4. Check your email for confirmation of your booking
We will send you a booking confirmation email and an automatic reminder the day before your booking.
If you need assistance or need to cancel your appointment, please contact us.
SCONUL Access Visitors
The Courtauld Libraries participate in the SCONUL Access scheme under ‘Band A’ (staff and postgraduate research students) and ‘Band C’ (full-time taught postgraduates). This means that visitors wishing to access the Courtauld Libraries through the scheme must be either full-time postgraduate students, PhD/research students, or staff from other institutions. Please note only Band A visitors have borrowing rights (up to 2 books).
SCONUL membership is a two-step process:
- Register online and wait for confirmation from your home institution.
- Bring your SCONUL confirmation email (showing your Band status and expiry date) and your home institution Library photo ID.
For more information, please see the SCONUL Access webpages.
Travelling to the Libraries
Please see our Getting Here page for details of travel to Vernon Square.
