The Zentralbibliothek Zürich holds study and research literature on all arts-related academic subjects taught at the University of Zurich. The focus is on the historically recognised genres, but contemporary developments are also extensively covered. If you are interested in the arts in Zurich and Switzerland especially, we may well have what you’re looking for.

Arts, architecture

Art today is a richer and more multifaceted field of study than ever, and our literature on art and architecture reflects that fact.

Literature for study and research

At the Zentralbibliothek, we cover the areas of research you are interested in. You will find current congress publications, university dissertations and theses, catalogues raisonnés of major artists and international exhibition catalogues. Needless to say we also have architectural travel guides, inventories of monuments and much more besides. There are no restrictions in terms of eras and countries covered.

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Contact

We are happy to assist you with your search for literature and provide expert information. If you have any questions relating to art and architecture, contact:



Performing arts, theatre, dance

We hold literature on a wide range of the performing arts, including theatre, dance, performances, circus and shows.

Literature for study and research

We collect literature on the performing arts, with a particular focus on Europe and the US. Naturally, we also hold literature on niche areas such as circus, avant-garde and amateur theatre as well as the performing arts around the world.

Swiss special archives on dance and theatre

For more resources, visit the Swiss Archive of the Performing Arts (SAPA), which is committed to preserving Swiss cultural heritage in the areas of dance and theatre and has an extensive collection.

Links

Contact

We are happy to assist you with your search for literature and provide expert information. If you have any questions relating to the performing arts, theatre and dance, contact:



Film, video

We hold an extensive range of literature on film, video and audiovisual media.

Literature for study and research

The focus of our collection is on film-making in Europe and the US, but we also hold literature on niche areas such as art film, experimental cinema and film-making around the world.

Special collections

In addition to specialist literature on film, video and audiovisual media, the Zentralbibliothek Zürich also holds a large collection of Swiss screenplays and DVDs. We are also progressively expanding our online and streaming services on film topics.

Links

Contact

We are happy to assist you with your search for literature and provide expert information. If you have any questions relating to film and video, contact:



Photography, computer art

You will find more than just letters and words at the Zentralbibliothek Zürich: pixels and bytes are represented too, with a wide range of literature on photography and computer art.

Literature for study and research

Acquisitions focus on literature about photographic and computer art in Europe and the US, but we also hold information on photography throughout the world as well as niche areas such as avant-garde movements and experimental art.

Special collections

The Zentralbibliothek also holds an extensive collection of photographs, especially of the city and canton of Zurich. For an overview, see the Department of Prints and Drawings / Photo Archive page.

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Contact

We are happy to assist you with your search for literature and provide expert information. If you have any questions relating to photography and computer art, contact:



Music

If you are looking for specialist literature on music or sheet music to play, or want to hear a musical work, the Zentralbibliothek is a very good place to start.

Literature for study and research

We collect specialist literature, sheet music and audio media spanning the entire range of serious or “classical” music, from the first printed secular music to the contemporary avant-garde; but we also hold publications on folk music and jazz. Pop and rock music are acquired selectively.

Swiss music manuscripts

The Music Department holds some 200 estates of composers, musicians and musicologists. This important collection is complemented by archives and historical libraries of leading music institutions in Zurich.

Links

Contact

We are happy to assist you with your search for literature and provide expert information. If you have any questions relating to music, contact:

Dr. Frédérique Renno

frederique.renno@zb.uzh.ch