Thursday, June 13th - V&A Art Library
Today we got to visit the Victoria & Albert Museum Art Library. The collection matches the museum’s collection, which focuses on the history of art and design. Their users include students, art dealers and members of the public. Materials are shelved by height so the collection is not browesable. They utilize an automated request system and aim to fill requests within an hour and a half. I found it interesting that all staff work with the public and split tasks. I think this teamwork allows for all staff to have a better understanding of how the library can serve its users. Like many of the sites we’ve visited, they do face challenges being in an older building, including leaks and water damage, and lack of storage space. Much of the collection is not digitized so finding onsite space for everything can be challenging.
Some highlights from the collection they brought out for us to see included:
- Shakespeare’s First Folio from 1623
- History of British Birds (which is referenced in Jane Eyre)
- An illustrated Jane Eyre
- Unfinished illustrated manuscript (showing the work of different people at different stages in its creation)
- 1914 copy of Gazette du Bon Ton
The collection walks an interesting line between the book as a object with a designed purpose and the book as an art object itself.
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