AA Library and Archives
Founded in 1862, the Library holds more than 40,000 volumes on the history of architecture, architectural theory, contemporary architectural design, building types, interior design and landscape design. In addition to the most up-to-date architectural publications, it also houses special collections of material on the Modern Movement, international expositions, and the Garden City movement. The Library receives 110 current periodicals and holds a substantial number of important historical magazines, including Wendingen and L’Architecture Vivante.
The AA Archives consist of 500 cubic feet of documents and in excess of 2,000 architectural drawings, paintings and works on paper. It documents the administrative and educational history of the AA and acts to preserve examples of the Association's material culture and graphic output. The process of gathering together and listing all surviving material was started in 2007 and work has just begun to catalogue the complete holdings and new accessions. For further details regarding admissions, opening hours etc, please visit the AA Archives webpages.
Library Policies
The Library's loan, reference and information services are available to staff and students of the AA School and members of the Association. Please see the AA Membership webpage for further details.
New User Guides
Downloadable Library Guide
Shelf Locations Plan
Loan Policies
Undergraduate students - 10 items
Graduate students - 12 items
Staff - 12 items
Members - 8 items
Loan items can normally be borrowed for a period of up to three weeks. Programme books can be borrowed from 4pm Saturdays until 12pm Mondays.
Book Reservations
Books can be reserved in person at the library issue desk, by telephone, email or via the online catalogue. Only those books which are currently out on loan can be reserved. An email or letter of notification will be sent when the reserved item is available for collection. Reserved items will be kept for 10 working days at the issue desk.
Library Bookstore Collection
Bookstore items requested before 1pm should be available the same day after 3pm. Books requested after 1pm will be available after 3pm the following week day. Please note there are no bookstore collections on Saturdays. Online bookstore requests take 24 hours.
Book Renewals
Books can be renewed in person at the library issue desk, by telephone, email or via the online catalogue.
The only exceptions to this rule are:
1) If someone else has reserved the book.
2) If you have already renewed the book twice consecutively.
3) If you owe more than £5 in estimated fines.
Overdue Books
Overdue material is charged at the following rates: loan items 10p per day, per item; Programme Books £5 per day (deadline for return: 12pm Mondays). Overdue notices will be sent out on Mondays by email. It is the responsibility of students and members to ensure that the AA Registrar or Membership Office holds their current email and street address.
Lost Books
If a book has been lost, it is important that the Library be informed of this as soon as possible. The normal overdue fines and proceedure will apply to lost items if the Library has not been informed of the loss. It is the user's responsibility to replace any lost items to a time schedule set by the Library, otherwise a processing fee of £50 per item will apply.
