Interloans and other libraries
Inter-Library Loans (ILLs) enable the Book Library to borrow material from other libraries in the UK and abroad. In return, we also loan to other libraries.
Note that material available elsewhere in London is not borrowed on ILL and should be consulted at the holding library.
To apply for an ILL, please fill out a request form, available from the Issue Desk, or contact inter.loans@courtauld.ac.uk
We are happy to advise readers on other libraries for your area of specialism. Many public, research and university libraries have now closed due to the Covid-19 outbreak. Please check individual libraries’ websites for the most up to date information about whether they are open and accepting external visitors.
Please ask at the Library information point or see our Other Libraries page.
Interlibrary loans
Books
Before making an ILL request, please check Library Hub Discover (replaced COPAC) first, to see if the item you need is held in another London library. Note that UK loans usually take at least a week, and that loans from abroad can take as long as 3-4 months. Note also that Inter-library loans may only be used within the Book Library.
Theses
The British Library has now launched EThOS – Beta (Electronic Theses Online Service). Registration is free and open to individual researchers only. Many UK theses are available for download on Ethos free of charge. The same copyright restrictions apply to unpublished theses as before.
The Courtauld Book Library may be able to borrow on inter-library loan unpublished UK theses which are not available through Ethos. They are sometimes supplied in the form of microfilm or microfiche, for which the Book Library has reading facilities.
US theses may be obtained relatively easily. Some (published) US theses are available to buy, and the Book Library may choose to add a US thesis to its collection rather than obtain it on loan.
Searches for theses from other parts of the world may not always be successful. Please enquire at the Issue Desk, or send your request to inter.loans@courtauld.ac.uk, stating when you need the thesis by.
Journals
Journals are not normally lent on ILL, photocopies of articles are supplied instead. Readers are sometimes allowed to keep these, for personal study only. As usual, enquire at the Issue Desk , or send your request to inter.loans@courtauld.ac.uk, stating when you need the journal article by.
Information for External Libraries
The Courtauld Book Library only lends material to other UK & Republic of Ireland academic libraries outside of London, and does not accept requests from individuals. Charges are set by the British Library Document Supply Services. Overseas libraries should make their request through the British Library Document Supply Service, although we are interested in initiating exchange schemes with other international art history libraries, so you may contact us with a suggestion at the addresses above. We accept payment in IFLA vouchers.
Please note that the following items are not available for inter-library loans: Closed Access/Special Collections; Reference/ ‘Not for Loan’; Short Loan; anything printed before 1900; fragile items (at our discretion); Oversize items; whole issues of journals.
Courtauld MA & PhD Theses
The Book Library holds second lendable copies of PhD theses submitted by students of The Courtauld Institute of Art. PhD theses can be loaned to other academic and research libraries except the ones written in 2008 and 2009 which are available for consultation within the library only. We do not lend our MA theses but they can be viewed by appointment within the library itself.
