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An art librarian manages, organizes, and updates a collection of art-related books, assists with archival activities, and provides reference-based services to help customers find materials. They may also organize endowments, provide tours, and teach research seminars. Art-specific knowledge and a degree in library science are required.
An art librarian is responsible for managing, organizing, and updating a collection of art-related books, usually at a museum or not-for-profit research facility. Regular libraries and art libraries are similar, except that all the books in an art library specifically relate to some aspect of art. Some focus on works of art from a particular place or period, while others are devoted to art history, theory, or pragmatics. The Art Librarian serves as a resource on all books in the collection. He or she usually spends as much time answering reference inquiries and pointing customers to the right material as he or she does archiving and cataloging the works.
The work of an art librarian is primarily reference-based. Most books within the librarian’s domain are highly differentiated and are generally only sought after by a certain section of the public. In most cases, people come to art libraries to conduct research or find answers to specific questions. The librarian usually serves as the main guide. It’s your job to help customers find the materials they’re looking for, as well as suggest resources that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Most art librarians are also heavily involved in the library’s archival activities. The extent of this work is very dependent on the context, but most art book collections are much more extensive than can be displayed in reading rooms. Libraries often make their most used resources available for public viewing, but they keep old, rare, or more fragile pieces in safer places. All collection items must be documented, however, and must be retrievable. Librarians are generally responsible for sorting, caring for, and cataloging works.
Much art history and art-related research is digitized as well. Many of the world’s largest art libraries maintain huge online catalogs and databases that allow visitors or authorized members to peruse selected works virtually anywhere there is an Internet connection. Art librarians generally must have sufficient knowledge of this technology to train users in its use, as well as to help researchers find information that may not be readily available in print.
Depending on the setting, an art librarian may also organize and sort endowments, provide tours for important visitors or benefactors, and teach research seminars to art history students and scholars. Large libraries and academic environments often have numerous art librarian jobs, with professionals from different specialties working together as a team. Smaller collections, on the other hand, often hire just one or two professionals to provide all the necessary services.
Some art-specific knowledge is often essential for success in art librarianship careers. Librarians do not have to be artists or scholars, but they usually need at least some formal training in the discipline. An undergraduate degree in art history or a related field is always helpful. Art librarian training also requires a degree in library science in most places.
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