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Artists’ books in UK & Eire libraries

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 June 2016

Simon Ford
Simon Ford*
Affiliation:
National Art Library, Victoria and Albert Museum, London
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Abstract

An overview of the author’s research into the collection management of artists’ books in UK and Eire libraries, dealing with their selection, acquisition, processing, cataloguing, storage, conservation, and exploitation. Much of the information derives from a questionnaire distributed to 127 art and design libraries in the UK and Eire during 1992. Various policies are compared and the case of the National Art Library, at the Victoria and Albert Museum, is examined in detail. Artists’ books are seen to illuminate fundamental issues concerning both contemporary art and contemporary librarianship. Future prospects are discussed and recommendations for better use, management, promotion and understanding of the material are offered. A selection of 25 definitions of artists’ books is appended.

Type
Research Article
Information
Art Libraries Journal , Volume 18 , Issue 1 , 1993 , pp. 14 - 25
Copyright
Copyright © The Art Libraries Society 1993

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