Libraries
Our libraries are home to a wealth of resources, including internationally significant collections, covering dance, music and related subjects.
The Jerwood Library of Performing Arts
Our Jerwood library supports us in bringing together our community to train, collaborate, research and perform.
As a research library, it houses collections of international significance – including rare and unique items – all of which are available to study. Most of these collections include material that can be used as the basis for a dissertation or thesis, or for researching unusual repertoire. Recognised by the International Association of Music Libraries, the Jerwood Library is a four-time winner of the IAML’s (UK & Irl) Excellence Award for Music Libraries (2023, 2019, 2014 and 2010).
Opening Times
If you are an external visitor or alum, you must contact the library in advance of visiting. See our FAQ below.
If you are a current student or staff member, you can visit the library to study, browse and borrow items during the opening hours below.
Library Opening Hours (term-time)
Monday, 09:00 – 19:00
Tuesday, 09:00 – 19:00
Wednesday, 09:00 – 19:00
Thursday, 09:00 – 19:00
Friday, 09:00 – 17:00
Saturday, 10:00 – 15:00
Sundays and Bank Holidays, Closed
Facilities, Location and Access
Facilities
- Study spaces
- PCs including several modified for users with visual impairment and/or dyslexia
- All PCs have a suite of software including Microsoft Office, Sibelius, Auralia, and Musition
- Self-service photocopying, printing and scanning
- Training and assistance in using library resources and software
- Student email and file storage
Location
The Jerwood Library is located on the second floor of the East Wing of King Charles Court (the Music Faculty building). For directions to King Charles Court please see the Visit Us section of the website.
Access
Step-free access is available throughout the East Wing. An induction loop for hearing aid wearers is available at the library desk. If you have other access needs, please contact the library for advice.
Collections and Resources
You can use Jerwood Library Search to find physical items in the library, including books, sheet music and recordings, as well as online resources via the separate tab on the results page.
Quick links (Trinity Laban login required)
- Use our online research tool QuickSearch to find online recordings and research.
- Check your library account and renew your items on Jerwood Library Search.
- The Jerwood Library Information page on Moodle contains further information about the library and guides to research and using the library’s resources.
- To find out if the library holds a particular journal, check our Journal Finder tool. Printed and electronic journal subscriptions held by both the Jerwood Library (Faculty of Music) and Laban Library (Faculty of Dance) can be found on this list.
Jerwood Library Search contains information about everything in the main collection except some LPs and the contents of collected editions. The contents of several special collections are also included; please see the Collections and Archives page for details.
FAQ
Can I visit the library in-person if I have not studied at Trinity Laban, or am an alum?
Yes, our research collections are open to all those who are engaged in research of any type. The library is also open to alumni of Trinity Laban; reference only access to library collections is provided and you can continue to access many of our online resources within the library.
External visitors must make an appointment in advance, while alumni need to give a minimum 24 hours’ notice of visiting to both the library and reception teams. At present we can only receive visitors on weekdays.
Contact the Jerwood Library to make an appointment to access the collection and for details of requirements currently in place.
I attend another college / university; can I borrow items from the Jerwood Library?
If your institution is a member of SCONUL Access, you may be able to borrow a limited number of items from the library. SCONUL Access enables staff and postgraduate students to borrow from other higher education libraries within the scheme, and also allows undergraduate students to use other libraries for reference purposes. Register online for the SCONUL Access scheme in advance, then bring your institutional ID and a copy of your ‘SCONUL Access approved’ email when visiting us.
You must make an appointment in advance. Contact the Jerwood Library to make an appointment, with reference to our current opening hours. At present we can only receive visitors on weekdays.
If you have any questions about the Jerwood Library’s involvement in the scheme, contact Edith Speller, (020) 8305 4422.
May I borrow from the library?
Unless you are a current student or staff member of Trinity Laban, or an eligible member of SCONUL Access (see above), you cannot borrow items from the Jerwood Library. However, if there is a specific item you wish to borrow, you may be able to do so through the Inter-Library Loan scheme. Please contact your local public or academic library for more information.
As a visitor, can I access the library’s online subscriptions?
Visitors can access our online resources within the library as long as our licence for the resource(s) in question permits ‘walk-in access’. You can download or print material up to the usual copyright limits, but please note that charges apply for printing. If you would like to access an online subscription, please request assistance from library staff who can log you in with a guest account. Visitors cannot access any of the library’s online subscriptions remotely i.e. from home or elsewhere.
How can I find out what’s in stock at the library?
Use Jerwood Library Search. Viewing the details of an item will confirm whether a copy is currently available.
Where else can I go to borrow music materials?
Your first port of call should be your local public library. You can usually obtain materials through your local public library and best results can be obtained by planning well ahead and giving the library plenty of notice of your requirement. Materials not in their stock can normally be obtained on inter-library loan for a small fee.
We particularly recommend joining the Barbican (City of London) and Westminster public libraries if you are based in London. These have extensive music library collections (books, scores and CDs) and offer access to Naxos Music Library and other specialist music online resources.
Most public libraries also offer access to online resources including Grove Music (Oxford Music Online), Encyclopaedia Britannica, Oxford Reference, Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford English Dictionary, online newspaper archives, and many other resources.
If your public library is unable to obtain the materials you require, you could investigate getting a reader’s pass for the British Library, which is most likely to hold the scores and recordings you require but remember access to these collections is for reference only. Remember too that, aside from books, scores and manuscripts, the British Library also holds newspapers, journals and sound recordings. Check the British Library’s online catalogue to see what they have.
Other academic, special, and national library catalogues can be checked via Library Hub Discover and many of these libraries also welcome researchers to use their collections on a reference only basis or may charge modest subscriptions to allow borrowing.
We also recommend the following online resources:
- Cecilia – a guide to music collections in archives, libraries and museums in the UK and Ireland.
- IMSLP – a virtual library of public domain music. Double-check the UK copyright status of pieces before printing and using scores
Additionally, we maintain an online list of recommended resources.
Please speak to library staff if you would like any further guidance on sourcing materials.
Have a question which hasn’t been answered?
If your question isn’t answered here or elsewhere on the website, please contact us with your enquiry.
Contact the Jerwood Library
Enquiries
+44 (0)20 8305 3951
jlpa@trinitylaban.ac.uk
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Support the Jerwood Library
The Jerwood Library welcomes your support in the form of Financial Donations and Bequests.
We have in mind a variety of projects, large and small, which we are currently unable to realise, so your support is greatly appreciated.
The Jerwood Library has limited capacity to accept donations of items. The library can generally only consider materials which support the music faculty’s teaching and research needs and fall within the scope of the library’s Collection Management Policy.
If you’d like to donate, please contact us here.
Laban Library
Our Laban Library offers the largest and most varied open-access specialist research collection on dance and related subjects in the UK, covering many aspects of dance in a variety of formats and languages.
Opening Times
All external visitors and alumni must contact the library in advance of visiting. Please note that, on occasions, there may be short notice delays or closures. If you are planning a trip to the library, we recommend that you call us on 020 8305 9333 in advance of your visit.
We are accepting bookings for use of the library from Trinity Laban alumni and external visitors. Please contact the library by email to book a slot at least one working day in advance to allow us to inform reception of your arrival.
If you are a current student or staff member, you can visit the library to study, browse and borrow items during the opening hours below.
Library Opening Hours (term-time)
Monday, 09:00 – 18:00
Tuesday, 09:00 – 19:00
Wednesday, 09:00 – 19:00
Thursday, 09:00 – 19:00
Friday, 09:00 – 18:00
Saturday, 11:00 – 15:00
Sundays, 11:00 – 15:00
Facilities, Location and Access
Location
The Laban Library is located in the Laban Building, Creekside, London, SE8 3DZ
Access
Laban Building is on a traffic free site with automatic doors to the main entrance, and there is lift access to the library.
Collections and Resources
We have a vast amount of information on most aspects of dance, including ballet, contemporary dance, choreography, dance health and dance teaching. In addition, we have a growing collection of contextual material in support of the programmes of study at Trinity Laban. Subject areas include fine arts, sociology, education, philosophy and history.
The majority of our resources can be searched via our online Library catalogue. Our online full-text multi-database search tool QuickSearch can also be used to search Trinity Laban libraries’ electronic subscriptions and recommended free online resources along with the Laban Library catalogue.
Quick Links (Trinity Laban login required)
- Search the Laban Library catalogue for online and physical resources available from the library, including books, journals, and video recordings. Log in with your TL username and password to renew and reserve books.
- Use QuickSearch for Trinity Laban libraries’ electronic subscriptions and recommended free online resources along with the Laban Library catalogue. IT login required.
- View programme reading lists on the Laban Library catalogue.
- View class recordings, and student and professional performances on our video streaming site, eStream. IT login required.
- The Laban Library and Archive Moodle pages contain further information about the library and guides to research and using the library’s resources. IT login required.
Please see the Collections and Archives page for further details on our resources.
FAQ
I’ve graduated from Trinity Laban. Can I still use the Laban Library?
Trinity Laban alumni are welcome to use Laban Library free of charge on a reference-only basis. This means you can consult the books, journals and DVDs, and many of our online resources within the library. You will not be able to borrow items, including AV/IT equipment, or access online resources from home.
To use the library, please contact us in advance, confirming the date and approximate time of your arrival. On the day of your visit please go to Reception at the faculty and let them know you would like to use the library. You will be asked to sign in.
May I borrow from the library?
Unless you are a current student or staff member of Trinity Laban, you cannot borrow items from Laban Library. This includes AV/IT equipment such as cameras and laptops. However, if there is a specific item you wish to borrow, you may be able to do so through the Inter-Library Loan scheme. Please contact your local public or academic library for more information.
If you are a current student or member of staff at another Higher Education institution, certain bands of SCONUL Access visitors may be able to borrow a small number of items from Laban Library. Please visit the SCONUL Access website for further details.
How can I find out what’s in stock at the library?
Search the Laban Library catalogue. Viewing the details of an item will confirm whether or not a copy is currently available.
Can I make photocopies or scans?
- Material can be copied for study purposes within the limits of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and our Copyright Licensing Agency licence.
- Guest copy cards are available from the library’s service desk for alumni. We recommend that you bring a form of ID with you, which will act as a deposit for the guest copy card.
- Charges per side of printing are 6p (A4) and 12p (A3) for black and white copies. Colour prints are 40p (A4) and 80p (A3) per side of printing.
- Free scanning to email is available using our Multi-Function Devices.
- Visitors can use their own devices to take images, in line with the copyright restrictions above.
I’m an alum: how can I get hold of a video (i.e. a student performance I was involved in) from a previous year?
We retain student performances from 2012 onwards indefinitely and we also have recordings of some earlier performances, which we may be able to provide to alumni for a fee. Please read the following information on how to request a file of your performance.
I’d like to donate some books to Laban Library. Is this possible?
We are grateful for book donations. Please email a list to us. We will add suitable items to stock, and may sell any items we do not add, then invest the income into further resources.
May the public use the Laban Library?
Yes, the research collections of the Laban Library are open to all those who are engaged in research of any type and the library is also open to alumni of Trinity Laban. Reference only access to library collections is provided. External visitors must make an appointment in advance of visiting.
If you are a student or member of staff at another UK University, the most efficient way to arrange a visit is via the SCONUL Access Scheme. For some categories of students, such as current PhD students, this may also include the ability to borrow books. For further information, see the ‘What about members of other colleges and universities?’ section below.
We will do our best to accommodate visits but will prioritise those who wish to consult unique or rare, dance-related materials that are not available at other public-facing institutions, such as the British Library https://explore.bl.uk/. We may restrict external visitor appointments during busy times.
Researchers wishing to consult material from the Laban Archive should email us at least two weeks in advance. They will be able to access the Laban Archive’s catalogue (available on-site) and select specific resources that they would like to see during a follow-up appointment. The requested material will then be retrieved in advance of their second visit. We will also provide one additional retrieval on the day of visitors’ appointment.
We regret that we cannot undertake research into the Archive on enquirers’ behalf, and in many instances do not have details of the rightsholders of items in the collections, which may limit the ability to produce copies.
Contact the Laban Library Labanlibrary@trinitylaban.ac.uk to make an appointment to access the collection and for details of requirements currently in place.
Have a question which hasn’t been answered?
If your question isn’t answered here or elsewhere on the website, please contact us with your enquiry by emailing us or calling +44 (0)20 8305 9333.
Contact Laban Library
General enquiries
labanlibrary@trinitylaban.ac.uk
+44 (0)20 8305 9333