New regulations for accessing the Museo Reina Sofía Library and Central Archive

General Information

Until further notice, to consult the Library and Central archive prior appointments must be made by writing to:


Regulations

  • The Library Card must be used to access the Library (except for Space D), and using the digital Library Card is recommended.
  • Face masks must be worn inside the facilities and correct respiratory etiquette must be observed at all times. The failure to comply with these policies will result in you being asked to leave the reading room.
  • Safe distancing must be upheld.
  • The use of drawers, touch screens and sofas in the control area has been temporarily withdrawn.
  • To access facilities, Library members must go to the control area, where a locker is provided to deposit their belongings and unauthorized objects in the reading room, and a plastic bag in which to place the materials needed to access the Library. The Museo is not responsible for personal objects members leave inside the Library.
  • Upon entering and leaving, the bag will be checked by the security scanner.
  • In order to guarantee the conservation of the collections, the Library cannot be accessed with food or drink, umbrellas, and pointed or sharp objects.
  • Mobile phones must be set to silent mode.
  • We recommend frequently washing your hands/gloves with hand sanitiser, which in turn must have evaporated before documents are handled to avoid them being permanently damaged.
  • Self-service photocopying is temporarily unavailable in the reading room. The reproduction of previously photocopiable documents can be made with Library members’ mobile phones, duly informing the librarians of the number of pages photographed, and without exceeding 10% of the work in question.  
  • The reproduction of materials and special collections is still managed through the Document Access Service, with the corresponding email address: sacd@museoreinasofia.es
  • Direct access to collections in the reading rooms is temporarily unavailable. The service is also managed by prior appointment in order to guarantee the availability of holdings given the obligation to place consulted materials in quarantine. 
  • The use of iPads has been temporarily suspended
  • The reading room has the following a capacity:
    · Floor +1: 23 reading spaces general users, until full capacity is reached during morning and afternoon/evening time slots (prior appointments not required).
    · Floor -1: 10 spaces for researchers, until full capacity is reached during morning and afternoon/evening time slots (prior appointments not required)Also, 14 spaces to consult holdings, to be booked during morning and afternoon/evening time slots by prior appointment at biblioteca@museoreinasofia.es.
  • All holdings consulted will enter a 24-hour-quarantine period and cannot be used again before this time period has concluded. The service to reserve copies to be consulted over a number of days has been suspended.
  • The meeting room will have a maximum capacity of 4 people, the use of a mask is mandatory, and it will be necessary to reserve it in advance at biblioteca.sala@museoreinasofia.es. The use of this space will be oriented preferably to meetings related to contemporary art projects and to the preparation of Museum activities.
  • Guided visits to the library will be made upon request for an appointment at biblioteca@museoreinasofia.es and with a maximum capacity of 9 people/group (the last Friday of every month).

Photographing with mobile devices in the Library’s reading room

By virtue of the licence undersigned by MNCARS and CEDRO, photography using mobile devices will be allowed under the specific conditions stipulated below.

For conservation purposes, the use of mobile phones to take photographs of the Library’s holdings will only be permitted for free-access books in the reading rooms (Floors +1 and -1) and books conserved in repositories with the reference codes MAN, DUP, SUPERMAN, Box Booklets, Large Booklets, VAR* and CS.

The use of mobiles for this purpose is subject to the following regulations:  

  • Photographs must be taken in the designated place at the table for consulting special collections, in front of the Library staff’s table.
  • This authorisation does not cover (and, therefore, does not allow photographs of) sheet music, and graphic or photographic creations.  
  • A maximum of 10% of the work can be photographed.
  • Members must fill out and hand in the corresponding form to Library staff, indicating the reference code, barcode and the number of pages photographed/item (for the purposes of fulfilling the CEDRO licence by MNCARS).
  • Photographing parts so that the total constitutes a unit or compendium is not authorised. 
  • The use of photographs will only be in a personal capacity and for study/research purposes.
  • The terms and conditions outlined in the CEDRO licence will be available to Library members.
  • General Information
  • Regulations
  • Photographing with mobile devices in the Library’s reading room

  • Library
    From Monday to Friday - from 9am to 2pm and from 3pm to 9pm
    Floor +1: 23 reading spaces for general users, with no prior appointment required, and available until full capacity is reached during morning and afternoon/evening time slots
    Floor -1: 10 reading spaces for users with researcher card, with no prior appointment required, and available until full capacity is reached during morning and afternoon/evening time slots
    14 spaces remain open to consult the Library’s holdings, and can be booked by prior appointment (biblioteca.sala@museoreinasofia.es)

    Central Archive
    From Monday to Friday - from 9am to 2pm
    archivo@museoreinasofia.es

    Space D
    From Monday to Friday - from 9am to 9pm
    Guided tours: Thursdays – 7pm
    (the room will be cleared 15 minutes before closing).
    Capacity: 15 people
    Guided tours: biblioteca@museoreinasofia.es