The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

The Museum Library... A Brief History

	Founded in 1882, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Library is the oldest art library in Canada. Originally known as the "Reading Room" of the Art Association of Montreal, the Library was moved several times before being established in its current quarters in the Liliane and David M. Stewart Pavilion. Over the years, its collection has grown through the generosity of its donors, judicious annual purchases and the establish- ment of an exchange programme with the world's major museums. Today, it is recognized as one of the most important art libraries in Canada. Mandate The primary mandate of the Museum Library is to meet the Museum's documentary needs by locating, organizing, circulating and conserving information related to the Museum's various activities. Collection The Museum Library has an imposing collection of works, primarily in the following fields: Egyptian, Greek and Roman antiquities, Pre-Columbian art, European art, Canadian art, Inuit and Amerindian art, contemporary art, decorative arts and photography. The collection includes over 84,500 mono- graphs, 63,200 auction catalogues (Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Hôtel Drouot, Hôtel des encans de Montréal, etc.), 18,000 files on Canadian artists, 930 serial publications (periodicals, annual reports and newsletters from various museums around the world, etc.), over 200 videos, CD-ROMs and DVDs. Catalogue Part of the collection is listed in AMICUS, the collective catalogue of the National Library of Canada. Inter-library Loan Service The Museum Library lends to other libraries exclusively, (certain conditions may apply.) Several documents cannot be lent: reference works, periodicals, auction catalogues, catalogues raisonnés, artist’s files, audio-visual documents and rare documents. All loaned documents must be consulted on site in the borrowing library. · Photocopies: $15 for a maximum of 20 pages + $0.25 for each additional page · Loan of documents: $15 per document	Services The Museum Library is not open to the public, but offers researchers a reference service. Request must be sent in by mail, fax or e-mail. Requests will be answered within four (4) weeks. Service Fees Service fees for research will be charged at the following rates: · Photocopies: $0.25 per copy · Photocopies from the microform and microfiche reader/printers: $0.25 per page · Print-out of a computer document: $0.25 per page Mailing Address: Library The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts P.O. Box 3000, Station "H" Montreal, Quebec H3G 2T9 Information: Fax: 514-285-5655 E-mail: biblio@mbamtl.org