The Wolfson Library

The Wolfson Library houses one of the largest specialist dance collections in the UK.  We welcome researchers, educators and practitioners from around the world as well as Royal Academy of Dance members, students and staff.

See below for more information on our services or log onto Moodle for information for Faculty of Education staff and students.

The collections on open shelves include books, journals, CDs, DVDs, conference proceedings, resource packs, exhibition and auction catalogues and Benesh Movement Notation Scores. The dance collection is supplemented by resources in the related fields of pedagogy, music, anatomy and physiology.

The archives and special collections hold information relating to the RAD’s over-100 year heritage, and the development and history of British ballet. The materials include rare books, theatre programmes, photographs, costume designs, pictures and artefacts, as well as audio-visual materials and paper-based documents and correspondence.

Further Information

Using the Library and Archives

Find out about our services, opening hours, and admission fees
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Library Catalogue

The online library catalogue contains details of the library's general reference collections, including books, journals, articles, CDs, DVDs, Benesh Movement Notation Scores and resource packs.…
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Archives and special collections

The archives of the RAD include past copies of exam syllabi, minutes of committee meetings, prospectuses, course brochures and annual reports alongside various documents, papers…
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The History of the Wolfson Library

A look back at the history of the Royal Academy of Dance Library and Archive Earliest records show that in 1924, the Academy received a…
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Contact & FAQs

Find out how to contact us and read our privacy policy and some frequently asked questions
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RAD Book Club

is open to RAD staff and Faculty students and has been regularly meeting, every 4-6 weeks, since 2015 to discuss books suggested by its members.…
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Book Club News

Library and Archive Manager, Rebecca Blackbourn, was invited onto Radio 4’s Bookclub programme to ask Karen Joy Fowler about her novel, We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, because it was the first book that RAD Book Club read together back in 2015. Rebecca thoroughly enjoyed being part of the show and talking to the author and other readers over Zoom. The episode of Bookclub is available here:
Click here to listen

Library Renamed

Previously named after Philip Richardson, the library space has been renamed in recognition of the Royal Academy of Dance receiving a grant from the Wolfson Foundation.
Read about the history of the library and archive