The New Art Museum Library

Art museum libraries are thinking about their audiences, object-based learning, and the needs of researchers in the age of digital art history. By embracing changes in technology, research, and a shifting information landscape, these libraries are positioning themselves at the nexus of digital preservation, access, and radical experimentation.

Amelia Nelson is the head of library and archives at the Spencer Art Reference Library in The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. With a background in public services, information literacy, and digital initiatives she has published and presented on innovative topics like using VTS in information literacy classes and local artists’ files in contemporary art classes. In her own professional practice she believes in creating innovative projects that can be replicated and adapted to fit the needs of art libraries across the country. She is inspired by the innovative work that art libraries and archives have done to share unique resources in this rich information landscape and happy that these projects and initiatives can be shared with practitioners and those considering a career in art librarianship.

Traci E. Timmons is senior librarianat the Seattle Art Museum. In this role she manages all aspects of running two research libraries and a satellite library for the largest art museum in the Pacific Northwest: personnel management, acquisitions, cataloging, reference, research, digital collection development, maintaining and processing archives, artist files management, collection development, and grant writing. She has published on such diverse topics as early-printed books, special collections, artists’ books, classification theory, and user experience. She is passionate about the field of art librarianship, and specifically about its application in museums.