Abstract

While much attention has been paid to art librarianship as it exists in museum settings, comparatively less notice has been taken of academic and art-and-design-school art librarianship as a distinct focus. However, the skills of subject specialists in the arts and their advocacy on behalf of their users are fundamental elements in vital art libraries that fully support and anticipate the needs of artists, designers, architects, and the historians who study these disciplines. Put together by an international team of contributors, this essential handbook examines methods of innovative librarianship in academic and art school libraries throughout the world. With a focus on the intersection of best practice and best opportunities, the book brings together the philosophies and realities of the most creative librarians working in the field of art librarianship today and serves as a field guide to academic art libraries in the twenty-first century. It includes key discussions such as: the role of liaison to the visual arts; visual literacy for highly literate viewers; art history pedagogy and special collections; technology in an art and design library; collection management, renewal, and de-accession; new forms of scholarly communication and their impact on art librarianship; and, the making of the 21st century art library - cultivating vision, collaboration and support. This timely book is essential reading for all information professionals working in art and design environments. It will also be of interest to students of librarianship interested in the challenges currently facing professionals working in this specialized area.
"This resource compiles past literature on art research and touches on an array of issues relevant to academic, special, and art school libraries...the essays and extensive bibliographies will be beneficial to all art librarians, as well as any library catering to visual learners or library users needing art or media resources." - ARLIS
Amanda Gluibizzi is Assistant Professor and Fine Arts Librarian, Wexner Center for the Arts, Ohio State University, USA. Paul Glassman is Associate Professor and Director of the Library at Felician College, New Jersey, USA.
"Art and design libraries have unique needs and this collected work is a platform for showcasing the most important of those needs in a browsing format that librarians will find helpful at their points of need. It is an excellent source for library school students who are weighing their options for the types of libraries in which they wish to work, newly hired art librarians developing professionally, and established professionals needing to add to their knowledge base or reassess current practices. This handbook is a practical and suitable reference guide for art librarians who will find the essays beneficial to acquire knowledge about the best practices of other librarians in their respective organizations." - Journal of Academic Librarianship