>Tom,
here at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago the artists' book
collection is one segment within Special Collections (amidst a variety of
material and archives, some artists' book related, others not). It is
located within the main library (students also have access to the museum's
library, which does not collect artists' books).
Students and faculty from some of the departments (Studio Arts,
Printmaking, Photography) have to walk quite a bit to get from their
building to ours but so far seem to think that a visit with us is always
worthwhile - even during Chicago winters. (How far is too far for your
faculty?)
The material is strictly non-circulating, of course, with few of the
reference materials duplicated in the circulating collection. We are open
to the general public and accommodate about 8,000 users per year, more than
half of those are our own students. Keeping the collection running
efficiently requires quite a commitment on part of the library, especially
financially - something you have to be prepared for.
We simply ask visitors to wash their hands just prior to handling the
material and do not require gloves. We found that those are intimidating,
leading to clumsiness and generally give an unsatisfactory experience with
the type of material we are collecting (CCA Kitakyushy and WSW amongst
them). I am amazed how well the material, even after the most frequent
usage, is holding up and how careful the vast majority of people are with it.
What makes these items special is not necessarily restricting their
handling or usage, but their conceptual and aesthetic integrity, their
freedom from art trends and marketable topics, and the casualness with
which interesting art can be made and shown - characteristics that becomes
clear to most visitors rather quickly.
Good luck,
Doro
AnneDorothee Boehme
Special Collections Librarian
Joan Flasch Artists' Book Collection
John M Flaxman Library/School of the Art Institute of Chicago
37 South Wabash
Chicago / Il 60603-3103
312.899.5098 (phone)
312.899.1851 (fax)
http://www.artic.edu/saic/art/flasch
>Date: Tue, 26 Apr 2005 16:32:17 -0400
>From: Thomas Hill <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Academic Art Library Artists' Book Collections
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"
>
>Dear friends,
>
>I am considering building an artists' book collection that would be
>available to faculty and students for browsing as well as assigned
>uses, to be kept in a secure area or office of the Vassar Art Library
>and used as reserve material is, for short durations but for
>in-house use only. Members of the Art Department are enthusiastic
>about the idea, and we're thinking of doing an annual event with a
>book artist in the library as a way of enhancing the library program
>and adding another dimension to our holdings.
>
>The problem is, Main Library Special Collections (located far from
>the Art Department) has suddenly conceived an identical interest in
>developing an artists' book collection and is arguing that only they
>can properly care for and supervise the use of this material.
>
>I can certainly argue that this isn't what the Art Department has in
>mind, that access would be too restrictive for them to take an active
>interest in building and promoting the collection, etc. -- but the
>conservation issue is still there. The literature of course tends to
>be conservative on the issue of care and security.
>
>The type of publication I am considering, to start, would be a
>representative collection of the not-terribly-expensive sort -- such
>as those distributed by CCA Kitakyushu or the Women's Studio
>Workshop, where very interesting items can be had often for less than
>the cost of the average art book.
>
>So, my questions are --
>
>1: Do any of you keep artist's book collections in your libraries for
>student access, especially where your institutional libraries also
>have Special Collections libraries that may also have a claim on this
>material?
>
>and
>
>2: Do you require special handling or supervision of this material as
>it is being used: cotton gloves, felt deskpads, etc.?
>
>Thanks all,
>
>Tom
>
>
>--
>
>
>
>Thomas E. Hill
>Art Librarian,
>Vassar College
>
>Maildrop 512 Vassar College
>Poughkeepsie, NY 12604
>
>Voice: 845-437-5791
>Fax: 845-537-5864
>
>email: [log in to unmask]
>
>__________________________________________________________________
>Mail submissions to [log in to unmask]
>For information about joining ARLIS/NA see:
> http://www.arlisna.org/join.html
>Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc)
> to [log in to unmask]
>ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance:
AnneDorothee Boehme
Special Collections Librarian
Joan Flasch Artists' Book Collection
John M Flaxman Library/School of the Art Institute of Chicago
37 South Wabash
Chicago / Il 60603-3103
312.899.5098 (phone)
312.899.1851 (fax)
http://www.artic.edu/saic/art/flasch
__________________________________________________________________
Mail submissions to [log in to unmask]
For information about joining ARLIS/NA see:
http://www.arlisna.org/join.html
Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc)
to [log in to unmask]
ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance:
http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html
Questions may be addressed to list owner (Kerri Scannell) at: [log in to unmask]
