RCO announces new Curzon Loan Collection library arrangements

RCO announces new Curzon Loan Collection library arrangements


The Royal College of Organists is pleased to announce the Curzon Loan Collection, the first in a series of new arrangements allowing members to better access holdings in the RCO Library & Archive collections.

An agreement has been reached with Birmingham City University for collections of sheet music and books to be housed at the Curzon Library, the University’s brand new library on its Curzon Campus in the heart of Birmingham.

With over 3,000 items from RCO holdings, the collection at the Curzon Library (the ‘RCO Curzon Loan Collection’) is open to RCO members for browsing and borrowing. The arrangement means that RCO members, at no charge, will:

1. Have unlimited access to the RCO Curzon Loan Collection (and other Curzon Library collections) during opening hours
2. Be able to borrow up to four items from any BCU loan collection at a time (this includes the RCO Curzon Loan Collection and the extensive loan collections of the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire)
3. Be able to access study space during opening hours

Additionally, College members will be able to request facilitated interlibrary loans via the British Library (a charge will be levied for this service).

To take advantage of this service, College members should use the following link and follow the instructions: http://libguides.bcu.ac.uk/visit/home

Applications will be processed within 5 working days. After your application has been approved, you will receive an e-mail from the Curzon Library inviting you to visit within 2 weeks during staffed hours to complete the registration. On this first visit you will need to bring two forms of identification with your current address on, dated within 3 months. You will be issued with your library card and PIN on this visit and will be able to borrow items immediately. Please be aware that once you have completed your registration you will need to bring your library card and proof of ID with you every time you visit in order to enter the building.

The collection of library and archive materials began soon after the College was founded in 1864. Now comprising comprehensive holdings of sheet music, books, recordings, and archival material (general and institutional), the RCO Library and Archive Collections boasts tens of thousands of items, many of which are available for loan and all of which are available for reference to RCO members.

The College works in collaboration with a number of partners to maintain its collections, and the RCO Curzon Loan Collection is a first step in a wider re-organisation. News will be published in due course about arrangements for gaining access to RCO material housed at the Royal College of Music in London.

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