Foreign Language Journals at RIBA

If you are studying in a School of Architecture as I am, you probably have access to a decent Architecture Library. Still, it is worth spending some time over at the RIBA British Architectural Library if you are doing research on Central (West) Asia or Northern India. For instance, if you wanted to read an archaeological report from Аркитектцра СССР at home, you would probably need to go through interlibrary loan to acquire it. At RIBA, you can sit and browse through back issues to your heart's content. Ditto for the even more obscure Аркитектура и Строительство Узбекистана. By the end of my first day there, I had articles from Architecture Australia, Parametro, Perspecta, Aujourd'hui Art et Architecture, Architectural Review, Domus, Bauwelt, and Archaeologia. Some of those are easily available in the U.S., but being able to simply sit and browse the others made the trip to that part of town worth the time.

Royal Institute of British Architects Library

From the RIBA Library site:

August closure 2008

The Reading Room at Portland Place will close at 5pm on Friday 1 August and re-open on Thursday 4 September at 10am. The 75 year old cork floor is undergoing refurbishment. The Library will continue to answer enquiries by telephone, email, fax or letter during this period. "

Regular Library opening times:

Monday: closed
Tuesday: 10am-8pm
Wednesday - Friday: 10am-5pm
Saturday: 10am-1.30pm
Sunday: closed

Members of the public can now access the RIBA Library at 66 Portland Place, London free of charge for reference purposes.

Access to non RIBA members is now free on production of proof of identity; e.g. driving licence, passport, student ID card.