Josh's response was heartening and Mo's is inspiring, both are passionate and insightful. The possibility of opening up gems like these on a cold, grey Thursday is why I keep my subscription to ARLIS-L. --Joan
----- Original Message -----
From: Mo Dawley
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2010 3:53 PM
Subject: Re: [ARLIS-L] Question Concerning Librarians and Artists Books
Here's a short passionate account about artists' books from my perspective:
I love teaching with artists' books - allowing hands-on access is critical- because I see how they change the lives of people who experience them across all boundaries and disciplines. People from the arts, humanities, biology, engineering, kids, seniors and more have used our artists' books collection in coursework, classes and individual study or just for fun. I've seen the masks come down and hearts open up. That is a sacred and humbling experience that I'm honored to be a part of.
Some of the "mystique" may be that artists' books are an open-ended never-ending process which tend to defy explanation. I have never heard an artist book articulated anywhere near the same way twice... and I have heard a lot of students' descriptions after twenty years of teaching with the collection.
The artists' books genre is quite diverse but some of the best examples are like chaos in all the right (not necessarily comfortable) places. It's not a mistake that many contemporary artists' books evolved via the spirit of revolution of the 60s. Our familiar notions about the book may be exploded, but it is just that familiarity surrounding the idea of the book that helps us open to new paradigms.. Now is a great time for artists' books because we desperately need to become more aware beings, sensitive again to our world.
As such, artists' books are ESPECIALLY important in an academic setting as they balance a one-dimensional mind-centered/ analytic approach prevalent in our education systems today. In academia, the effect of artists' books seems even more dramatic and effective because of that perceived imbalance. I'm just today reading some reflection papers from psychology students who recently visited the artists' books collection. I asked the professor I taught the class with if I could see them (with permission of the students) after she raved about the papers waxing poetic. Title of the class? Introduction to Consciousness.
The most effective education is transliterate. It's the wave of the very near future, and it's here already with artists' books. Artists' books are a perfect medium for inspiring a more whole learning experience because they heighten our awareness through any number of/many access points: the mind, body, senses, emotions and spirit. The genre has survived this long because of that.
Mo
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Mo Dawley
Senior Librarian
Art and Drama Librarian
Carnegie Mellon University
[log in to unmask]
412-268-6625
On 11/18/2010 12:14 PM, Patricia Barnett wrote:
Jenny Beard has posed a fascinating question that needs consideration-
The answer may well be that the collecting of artists books has more to do with the librarian's familiarity (they are "books" after all) along with the curator's lack of the same degree of devotion to the genre.
My library positions have always been at institutions that did not collect artists books (or rare books, per se), but rather books for their contents. Even so, I too have been fascinated by the intensity of this area of special collections, and often wondered if there was as devoted a world of users - researchers and scholars - to justify so many collections. In the 1970's, after identifying late 19th century travel/view books in the MMA Watson Library and enhancing the cataloging to identify photographers, etc., I then observed their transfer to the Prints & Photograph Department. In retrospect - I believe the transfer was justified, as long as the library could maintain the cataloging information to share with its researchers, access could be provided, and the book conservator would be their primary care-taker. Collaboration began to replace separate and distinct.
The artists books mystique is an example of antiquated issues at play - the book as object and/or information; the blurring of curatorial and librarian roles; and a romantic inclination toward "democratic" art. Who are art librarians collecting for - their researchers or themselves? Artists have been known to produce art for themselves, but if there weren't so many art librarians collecting artists books, would there be so many artists books produced?
Let's here from others who are actually in the field.
______________________________________________
Patricia J. Barnett
Chief Librarian Emerita of the Frick Art Reference Library
[log in to unmask] 33 Greenwich Avenue #6J New York NY 10014
212-243-4255 (NY) 646-206-8485 (mobile) 860-542-5889 (CT)
From: ARLIS/NA List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jenny Beard
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2010 9:57 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ARLIS-L] Question Concerning Librarians and Artists Books
Art Librarians,
I've been thinking about the relationship between librarians and artists books. The benefit to artists books is obvious: librarians have fostered the medium from the beginning by purchasing, preserving, offering critical perspective, and acting as defenders of the medium.
What is less discussed is how librarians and libraries benefit from their relationship with artists books. Of course there is pleasure in collecting as well as fulfilling the mission to preserve the cultural objects of our time. But is there a passion for artists books that, I think, borders the mysterious.
How can I better understand the personal and passionate interest of so many art librarians and curators in artists books?
For instance, how would a librarian be effected if their institution's collection of artists books was absorbed by another department or perhaps, sold off? The large collections of artists books seem to be in art libraries,and often in art museum libraries. Why not in art museum curatorial departments? How does the presence of artists book in library collection effect the morale of librarians?
What do artists books signify to librarians?
I'm wondering if anyone has any notions or personal anecdotes about why artists books are so very valuable to the profession of librarianship?
I would be very grateful for your comments, observations or references to interesting articles.
Jenny Beard
Graduate Assistant, Image Cataloger
Pratt SILS
MLIS Candidate, 2011
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