Content
Mission and purpose
The Kunsthaus Library is an academic library specializing in the art history from the nineteenth to the twentyfirst century. As a museum library it supports the museum, as a public institution the library serves everybody who needs information for his or her scientific, artistic or journalistic work as well as for education and training. During the openeing hours the collection of the library may be used by everbody free of charge and without registration in the reading room.
Registration and user cards
Anyone wishing to borrow books, periodicals or other media for use outside the premises must first register as a library user. Only individual persons can become members of the library. Registration implies acceptance of the library's user regulations and fees and charges. Persons under 18 will also require the signature of a parent or guardian by way of guarantee in the event of loss or damage to the library's resources.
User registration also constitutes admission to membership of the Zurich Art Society. As a member of the Zurich Art Society you can not only borrow books and other media from the library but enjoy also free entrance to the permanent collection of the museum and to all exhibitions in the Kunsthaus Zürich. Furthermore you receive discounts when you buy somthing in the museum shop, you get the musuem journal four times a year and will pay reduced entrance fees for events and vernissages in the museum. Membership is for one calendar year. For membership fee information, please refer to the library's fees and charges.
When registering as a library user, an official document confirming the holder's current address must be presented. Persons who do not live in the Zurich region are only allowed to borrow, if they are always able to return borrowed media when necessary. The library is to be informed of any change of address without delay.
The user authorizes the Zurich Art Society to store his or her personal data for internal membership administration purposes. Data pertaining to persons belonging to special user groups (as defined in the following
section) will only be stored by the Kunsthaus Library. All personal data will be deleted when the membership of the library and the Zurich Art Society is cancelled, unless there are outstanding debts.
Special user groups
- On presentation of a valid ID card from the relevant educational establishment, schoolchildren and students may be registered as library users for the duration of said card.
- On presentation of a valid press card, journalists may be registered as library users for the duration of said card.
- ICOM members with a valid membership card are entitled to borrow library resources free of charge.
Persons belonging to special user groups will also be required to provide proof of their current address. The enrollment at the library on the basis of the provisions on special user groups does not include membership of the Zurich Art Society.
Using the library
The holdings of the library are kept in closed storage rooms and must be ordered from the catalogue. Users do not have access to the stocks. The reference works, handbooks, bibliographies and journals in the reading room can be used directly.
Using the library in the reading room
Any of the works in the library's possession may be ordered for use in the reading room. Users who are not registered members of the library have to provide a passport or a deposit as security when they request items from the stacks. The copy machines of the library allow the production of black and white as well as color copies by self service. At least 10 orders of a user are issued immediately. Further orders may only be available later the same day or the next working day depending on how busy it is. In the case of particularly valuable and / or poorly preserved documents the use of the original items may not always be possible due to conservational requirements. The library may keep personal data about the use of such rare items for some time even after they have been returned. For the use of archival material and libri rari it is necessary to arrange an appointment in advance.
Lending
Registered users are entitled to borrow items and take them home. The maximum number of titles which can be borrowed per person at a time is 30. Individually a higher maximum can be agreed upon on request. The following items can only be used in the reading room and are not for loan:
- the reference library in the reading room
- all items published before 1900
- catalogues raisonnés and historical-critical editions
- video tapes
- the current journal issues on display in the reading room
- books with photographs or prints glued in
- artist books, signed copies and other libri rari
- fragile items, whose conservation status does not allow any further tension