In order to use the Libraries’ click-and-collect book retrieval system or make appointments to view special collections materials, new users must attend an orientation. Library orientations are offered at 11:00 a.m. on the first Wednesday of the month. Please complete this form to request a G-Cal invitation.
Reading Room Access
Monday - Friday 9:00 - 5:00
Daily Paging
Items requested from Primo by 11:00 AM will be paged daily
Some items can take up to a week to be made available
Staff Reserve Access
Monday - Friday 9:00 - 5:00 items are held for six months or until returned
Reference Assistance
Available by email reference@artic.edu
Staff appointments available Monday, Thursday, & Friday 1:30 - 5:00
Archives Assistance
Available by appointment
Specials Viewing
Walk-in service at circulation desk; Monday - Friday 1:30 - 5:00
Stacks Access
Walk-in service at circulation desk; Monday - Friday 1:30 - 5:00
Up to 30 minutes, must be accompanied by a library staff member
Interlibrary Lending
Items can be requested from ILLiad
Items are available by staff circulation or as specials depending on the requirements of the lending institution
Scanning
Scans requested from Primo will be processed daily
Self-serve scanning equipment is available for staff in the Reading Room
Purchase Requests
Place requests for new physical or digital materials
*For general inquiries, contact circul@artic.edu
All AIC staff members, after completing an orientation, may request items through Primo. Signing in using your AIC credentials, you can search the catalog and request the book or a scan from the item record.
Library staff will pull the item from the shelves and determine whether it can circulate to onsite and home offices or if the item needs to be kept on staff reserve for library use only.
Staff Circulation
If an item is eligible for circulation to onsite and home offices, you will receive an email notifying you that items are available on staff circulation. These are found on the staff circulation shelf that runs perpendicular to the circulation desk. Items are filed by the patron’s last name and will be held for up to two weeks.
Please leave the receipt with your name on it in the tray next to the hold shelf.
Recalls
Staff may request an item that is checked out by another patron. When a recall is placed through Primo, the person who has the item checked out will get an email asking them to return it within seven days. When it is returned, the person who recalled it will be notified by email to pick it up.
Staff Reserve
Some items are not eligible for circulation and will instead be placed on staff reserve. Additionally, any temporary staff members will have all items paged to staff reserve. Once the item has been paged, you will receive an email notifying you that items are available on the staff reserve. These items are found on the shelves in the eastern alcove and are filed by the patron’s last name. Oversized items and pamphlet files are filed separately on the shelves next to normal sized items.
Items will remain on staff reserve for up to six months or until returned.
Specials
Some items, marked as ‘Specials’ can only be viewed while supervised. After these items are paged, the email notification will include a comment marking them as specials.
In order to view a special, ask for help at the circulation desk anytime between 1:30 and 5:00 on a weekday. A staff member will prepare the item for viewing, supervise your use, and either return it or place it back on hold for you.
Scanning
Scan requests placed through Primo will be processed within two days and delivered to you via email. Additionally, overhead scanning equipment is available in the reading room for staff use.
You are welcome to use your phone to photograph library materials. However, do not use a copier or flatbed scanner to make personal scans. Doing so can substantially harm the binding of the item.
Interlibrary Loans
Interlibrary loans are processed separately from items from our collection. When eligible for circulation, they can be found marked with a pink band on the table across from the staff circulation shelf. Some lending institutions require supervised use. These items can be accessed the same as specials, by speaking to a staff member at the circulation desk between 1:30 and 5:00 Monday through Friday.
Returning Items
Any item can be returned by being placed on the counter of the returns desk. If you have more items to return than can be safely carried, you can also contact circul@artic.edu to arrange a bulk return. A library staff member will come to your departmental office with a cart to pick up returned items.
The Research Center’s Franke Reading Room is a shared space in which staff members can:
Pick up requested circulating materials
Consult items placed on staff reserve
Work with the open shelf reference collection
Use scanning equipment
Return materials
We invite our museum colleagues to use the Franke Reading Room as a quiet space for focused reading and writing projects away from the bustle of the curatorial offices.
The front doors (next to the Grand Staircase) are always unlocked on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. If the front doors are locked, please use the staff entrance to the Research Center in the Photo & Media gallery 10 downstairs (next to the Thorne Rooms).
Search the Ryerson & Burnham Libraries and Art and Architecture Archives
Input a keyword into the box and click Search to begin searching the online library catalog, including content from the Art and Architecture Finding Aids, Digital Collections, and Oral History databases.
Unfortunately, Institutional Archives resources (including the Imaging Archives) are not yet searchable here; please visit this page for more information.
A list of online guides and bibliographies developed by Ryerson & Burnham librarians to assist research on a variety of art historical and architectural topics, including provenance research, building history, appraisal and preservation resources, Chicago neighborhood research, and the history of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Digital collection catalogs available freely online. Catalogs offer detailed art historical context, provenance history, and scientific analysis of artworks in the Art Institute of Chicago's collections.
Online catalogs and databases maintained by the Ryerson & Burnham Libraries and Art Institute of Chicago Archives:
Make requests for materials that are not owned by the Ryerson & Burnham Libraries:
Find library information:
Ryerson & Burnham Libraries
reference@artic.edu: for reference assistance, library orientation information, questions on interlibrary loan, and questions on library access and services. The following staff can also assist with these types of questions:
Violet Jaffe (x3-3665)
Jenn Smith (x7-7103)
circulation@artic.edu: for questions on circulation, offsite materials, bulk returns, and scanning requests. The following staff can also assist with these types of questions:
Abby Adams (x3-3667)
The Art Institute of Chicago Archives
For information on our collections, the history of the Art Institute and the School of the Art Institute, donation proposals, corrections, comments, and general questions, please contact Archives staff at archives@artic.edu.