Public Services

Information Request

Due to the relocation for major works of the Régence building, library services are suspended until October 2024. We thank you for your understanding - (Please do not hesitate to contact the library, preferably by e-mail).

bibliotheque@conservatoire.be
+32 02 500 87 25

Registering at the library

It is free for students and teachers at the Conservatoire royal de Bruxelles and the Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel to register at the library. For all external people, registration costs 7€ per year.
It is possible to complete an initial registration online. Registration then must be confirmed in person, after paying the registration fee.
Starting from when you register, or come to work in the library, you commit to following all library regulations.

Borrowing resources

After registering, you can borrow up to 4 documents for free, for up to 2 weeks.
If the documents you want are listed in the online catalogue, it is possible for you to reserve them yourself by signing into your reader's account online.
If you want to extend the loan period of the documents you have taken out, you can do this yourself, also via the online catalogue, by signing into your online reader's account.
You can also extend the loan period by mail to bibliotheque@conservatoire.be or by phone: +32 500 87 25.
Don't forget to extend your loans, as all late returns will incur a fine. 

Ordering digital copies or photocopies

Photocopies or digital copies of documents from the library collection can be requested, within the limits what is allowed under authors' rights.
It is preferable to order reproductions in advance, by filling in the relevant form in person in the library, or by submitting your request by email:
bibliotheque@conservatoire.be

Reading room

The reading room is available for use by everyone at no cost. Here it is possible to work freely, or to consult documents which cannot be borrowed.
Numerous reference works are available in the reading room: encyclopedias, specialised dictionaires, thematic catalogues, repertoire and other books. There is also WiFi access here.

Reference room

The reference room is the main room in the library. There are computers which can be used to consult the catalogues online, as well as the paper catalgoue.
Here there are also display units typically containing recent issues of periodicals (specialist magazines, musicological journals, or other publications) to which the library has a subscription.
The library currently has subscriptions to numerous periodicals which can be consulted on request.
The information desk is also in this room. This is the desk where you should come to borrow books or ask for information.

Exhibitions

Every year, the library organises two exhibitions on specific themes, related to documents from the collection.
One exhibition is situated within the space of the library (in the reference room and reading room) and is accessible during the opening hours of the library.
The other exhibition takes place in the conservatoire building, in the window displays of the 'Petite salle' peristyle. It can be visited during the intervals of public concerts.

Consulting older documents 

For all requests to consult documents which are preserved in the historic collection, it is preferable to contact the library in advance by email: bibliotheque@conservatoire.be but this is not obligatory. Documents can be consulted in the library reading room. 
If the document is particularly fragile, you will be offered a digital copy or a facsimile.

Hiring orchestral scores of Belgian repertoire 

In 2015, the library became home to the collection of the old library of the CeBeDeM, (Centre belge d’édition musicale). This collection contains the works of around 160 Belgian composers from the 20th century.
It is possible to hire orchestral scores from this collection.
In order to do this, please get in touch with bibliotheque@conservatoire.be specifying which work you would like, and the date(s) of the concert(s).
This collection can be found into the catalogue of the Conservatoire library.

Help with your research

One of the library's missions is to support scientific and artistic research.
It is now possible to contact the library in order to ask for information, advice or suggestions for your research, whether this is related to writing an article or other publication, writing a piece of academic work, recording works of music, or other artistic output in whatever form.