Frequently Asked Questions
Admission and Use | Collections and Research | Services
Who can use the Frick Art Reference Library?
The Library is open to adults (18 or older).
Do I need an appointment to use the Library?
No appointment is necessary to use the Library.
Do I need to be a member of The Frick Collection to use the Library?
No.
How do I use the Library?
First-time visitors are asked to arrive before 3:00 p.m. on weekdays or before 11:00 a.m. on Saturdays, and to bring a photo ID. For more information about admission and use of the Library, see Visit > Library > Admission.
What are the hours of the Library?
The Library is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays, from September through May, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Library is closed major holidays, holiday weekends, and the month of August. For information about upcoming holiday closures, see Visit > Libary > Hours.
Can I bring my child or infant to the Library?
The Library is open only to adults. Therefore, children and infants are not permitted.
Can I bring my purse or bag with me when visiting the Library?
Purses or bags that exceed the dimensions of 9” x 12” x 3” must be checked. All laptop and camera cases must be checked.
Can I wear my coat or other outerwear while conducting research at the Library?
All coats and other outerwear must be checked.
Can I have lunch at the Library?
All food, drinks (including water), candy, and gum are not permitted in the Reading Room and other public areas. A drinking fountain is available.
Can I use a camera or digital camera at the Library?
The Library allows the use of digital cameras in the Reading Room by appointment. For more information, see Research > Frick Art Reference Library > Copies.
Can I use highlighters, sticky notes, or other office supplies at the Library?
The use of highlighters, sticky notes, or other office supplies is not permitted in the Reading Room. Any needed supplies in the general course of research are provided by the Library.
Are laptop computers allowed at the Library?
Yes.
Is wireless Internet access available at the Library?
Wireless Internet access is available in the Reading Room for researchers who have computers with wireless capabilities. Ask at the Reference Desk for assistance with logging in to the Library's network. Please note that some Internet content is blocked in order to reduce network traffic.
How do I determine if the Library has a book I am looking for?
The collections of the Library can be searched using the catalog. It contains records for the book, photoarchive, auction catalog, and microform collections, and electronic resources. The catalog is available onsite at the Library or offsite using a computer with an Internet connection and a Web browser.
Are electronic resources available from home or office?
The subscription electronic resources listed in the catalog can only be accessed when visiting the Library. However, non-subscription Web sites listed in the catalog can be accessed and used from offsite. For more information, see the Electronic Resources Finder.
Can I check out materials from the Library?
The Library is a noncirculating art research library. Materials must be consulted in the Library's Reading Room.
What materials are offsite?
Periodicals published between 1931 and 2006 and auction catalogs published between 1996 and 2007, as well as other materials, are stored at an off-site facility. To determine if a needed item is offsite, search the catalog.
How do I request off-site materials?
To request items stored offsite, see the Off-site Form available through the catalog. Please note that off-site materials are not immediately available for examination and require forty-eight to seventy-two hours for retrieval.
What is the Photoarchive?
The Photoarchive is a collection of photographs and clippings that reproduce works of art for study purposes. It does not contain stock photography or fine art photography.
How do I cite the Photoarchive?
Frick Art Reference Library Photoarchive files, [Artist], "[Title]," [catalog number] or supply files, accessed [date].
Example, classified mounts:
Frick Art Reference Library Photoarchive files, S.F.B. Morse, "Moss Kent," 121-15 k2, accessed April 7, 2010.
Example, supply mounts:
Frick Art Reference Library Photoarchive files, S.F.B. Morse, "Portrait of an Unknown Man," supply files, accessed April 7, 2010.
Can you identify the artworks displayed in the Reading Room?
Sculpture in the vestibule on the third floor:
- Madonna of the Impruneta, after Andrea (di Marco) della Robbia, n.d.
The Main Reading Room is decorated in the Italian Renaissance style. Paintings, clockwise, beginning with west wall:
- Portrait of Henry Clay Frick, by Sir Gerald Kelly, 1924
- Regatta in Venice, by Francesco Guardi, c. 1775–1780
- View of Venice, by Francesco Guardi, c. 1765–1775
- Madonna between Saints Francis and John, copy by Nicolas Lochoff, 1930, after Pietro Lorenzetti's fresco in the Lower Church of San Francesco, Assisi, c. 1320–1329
- Portrait of Andrew W. Mellon, by Sir William Orpen, 1924
The Small Reading Room is paneled in the Jacobean oak that was formerly in the bowling alley of the Frick residence.
Does the Library authenticate or valuate works of art?
The Library does not authenticate or valuate works of art. The staff is happy to provide researchers with information and/or materials to allow them to draw their own conclusions. The Library usually refers researchers to the professional appraiser and dealer associations listed below. Proceed at your own discretion.
Art Dealers Association of America
575 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022
Phone: 212-940-8590
Fax: 212-940-7013
http://www.artdealers.org
National Antique and Art Dealers Association of America
12 East 56th Street
New York, NY 10022
Phone: 212-826-9707
Fax: 212-319-0471
http://www.naadaa.org
Appraisers Association of America Inc.
386 Park Avenue South, Suite 2000
New York, NY 10016
Phone: 212-889-5404
Fax: 212-889-5503
http://www.appraisersassoc.org
Private Art Dealers Association of America
Daisy Walker and Juliet O'Brien Administrator
P.O. Box 872, Lenox Hill Station
New York, NY 10021
Phone: 212-572-0772
Fax: 212-572-8398
http://www.pada.net
IFAR Authentication Research Service
500 Fifth Avenue, Suite 935
New York, NY 10110
Phone: 212-391-6234
http://www.ifar.org/authentication.php
How do I ask a research-related question?
To ask a research question, see Research > Frick Art Reference Library > Ask a Question. You can also ask questions in person in the Reading Room or by telephone (212-547-0641) during business hours. For more information about when the Library is open, see Visit > Library > Hours.
Can I make photocopies from Library materials?
The Library offers a non-self-serve, photocopying service. For more information, see Research > Frick Art Reference Library > Copies.
Can I place a request for materials held at another library?
The Library can borrow books and other materials not held in its collections from other research institutions for on-site examination. Please note that not all library materials are available through interlibrary lending and use of this service is limited to registered researchers. To place an interlibrary lending request, see the Interlibrary Lending Form. For more information about access and use of the Library, see Visit > Library > Admission.