Hello ARLIS/NA members –

 

For members with a materials collection or interest in developing one, the ARLIS/NA Materials SIG has created a Materials Collections Survey to gain information that can be shared with the collective.

Materials-based collections represent a challenging new mode of art librarianship with regards to subject specialization, physical description and accommodation, their close relationship to industry, and institutional mission. Whether a fully realized studio, a modest lab, or a nascent collection of samples, they play an important role in presenting the physicality of art and design objects to a digitally native audience of students from varied interests and disciplines that include architecture, interior design, furniture, textiles, lighting, color, painting, sculpture, etc. Increasing in number, materials collections are staffed by an equally diverse profile of librarians, curators, and directors. This Materials Special Interest Group situates the gathering of such diverse yet common interests within ARLIS/NA’s strong legacy of best practices for art librarianship.

Materials SIG co-moderators presented the idea of a materials survey to the SIG members at the 2017 annual meeting where input was gathered and taken into consideration.  We will use the survey response data to do two things: 1) compile a directory of Materials Collections, and 2) gain a sense of common interests and challenges.

 

We are interested in both established collections and collections which are under development at both academic institutions and non-academic organizations.  Please complete the survey even if you are in the planning stages of developing a collection.

We hope to present initial findings at our Materials SIG meeting at the New York conference, but intend to keep the survey open for responses through mid-March.

Best,

ARLIS Materials SIG Co-moderators

Teri Dowling
Associate Director of Libraries, California College of the Arts, [log in to unmask]

Johanna Kasubowski
Materials and Media Collections Librarian, Frances Loeb Library, Harvard University Graduate School of Design, [log in to unmask]

 

ARLIS/NA Annual Conference Materials SIG events:
Materials SIG Meeting – Monday, February 26, 5pm-6pm, Murray Hill West
Session: Library Collections and Object-based Learning in the Art and Design Curriculum – Tuesday, February 27, 1:30pm-3pm, Nassau