Okay, Tom, this one is right up my line. See my answers below IN CAPS.
bj
B. J. Kish Irvine, Ph.D.
Fine Arts Librarian
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405
(812) 855-5743 or FAX (812)855-3443
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-----Original Message-----
From: ART LIBRARIES SOCIETY DISCUSSION LIST [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Thomas Hill
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 3:32 PM
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?
I HAVE BEEN COLLECTING ARTISTS' BOOKS (AB) SINCE THE '60S. THEY
ARE KEPTIN OUR FAL SPECIAL COLLECTION WHERE I CAN EASILY ACCESS THEM FOR
SPECIALTY PRESENTATIONS THAT I GIVE FOR FINE ARTS CLASSES IN
PHOTOGRAPHY, GRAPHIC DESIGN, AND PRINTMAKING, ETC. I TALK ABOUT THIS
IMP. MODERN ART MOVEMENT AND ITS ORIGINS AND THEN PRESENT 60-80 BOOKS
THAT STUDENTS THEN EXAMINE. THESE CLASSES USUALLY TAKE ABOUT 2-3 HOURS
EACH. THE LILLY LIBRARY COLLECTS LIVRES D'ARTISTE AND HAS EVEN
COMMISSIONED SOME CONTEMPORARY AB's BY A FRENCH ARTIST; HOWEVER, THEIR
COLLECTIONS FOCUS ON THE HIGH END, VERY EXPENSIVE WORKS THAT ARE WAY
BEYOND WHAT I NORMALLY COLLECT FOR FAL. BY THE WAY, WE ARE NOW THE ONLY
WSW REPOSITORY LIBRARY OUTSIDE THE EAST COAST. YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT
COLLECTING WSW BOOKS AS THEY WILL GIVE YOU A GREAT FOUNDATION
COLLECTION. [BJ Irvine] and
2: Do you require special handling or supervision of this material as it
is being used: cotton gloves, felt deskpads, etc.?
NO GLOVES BECAUSE THEY CAN ACTUALLY DO MORE DAMAGE THAN GOOD, I.E.,
BENT AND TORN PAGES. BEFORE I ALLOW THE STUDENTS TO HANDLE THE BOOKS, I
TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS MATERIAL IS ART! NOT BOOKS ABOUT
ART. NORMALLY, THEY HAVE BEEN ASKED TO WASH THEIR HANDS FIRST AND IF
NOT, THEN THEY GO AND DO SO. DURING THE CLASS I WATCH THEM AND ASK
THEIR PROF. TO DO SO AS WELL. IF ANYONE DOES NOT PROPERLY HANDLE A
BOOK, THEN I TELL THEM HOW TO DO IT CORRECTLY. I HAVE BEEN RESTING THE
BOOKS ON A SINGLE SHEET OF PAPER AND ASK THEM TO MOVE TO THE BOOKS AS
THEY ARE LAID OUT ON THE VIEWING TABLES AND NOT TO MOVE THE BOOKS AROUND
THE TABLE to minimize abrasion. There is a certain amount of wear that
occurs but if it becomes problematic, then I withdraw the particular
book from general class viewing. All titles are accessible within the
reference or workroom offices for in-house viewing only. [BJ Irvine]
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]
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