Frequently Asked Questions
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Why are some art books non-circulating? Why are some art books non-circulating?Certain types of items in the art collection have non-circulating status to preserve them and to keep them available for use in the reading rooms by any patron of the library. These include serials (journals and periodicals), multi-volume sets and catalogues raisonnés (catalogues of an artist’s entire body of work), reference books (marked ART REF), folio-sized books (these are 35 cm and larger and marked F before the call number), large photography books (call numbers L770-L779), and books that are very fragile or published before 1930. Art books are often difficult and expensive to replace; original art journals are mostly irreplaceable. Art books go out of print quickly, usually within one year, and their value inflates as soon as they are out of print. Circulation significantly adds to the risk of damage and loss. For more details, read the Art Collection Circulation Policy or pick up a brochure in the reading room. Why can't I find art books and journals? Good question. Those who work in Art are as frustrated as you are
when you (and we) can't locate material on the shelf. There
may be several explanations. Why can't I eat or drink in the Art Collection?It's bad for books, which can be seriously damaged by spills and stains, and Art materials are often very difficult to replace. Crumbs in a library are a welcome mat for vermin of various disgusting species. Please eat only in the Plaza Cafe or the student lounge. How can I request books the Art Collection doesn't own?Please help us build the collection by alerting Art Collection staff about important research titles we lack. Order Suggestion forms are available at the Art Desk and online. On the form, let us know if you'd like to be notified when the item is ready for use. If you need the item immediately, please request it through Interlibrary Loan. The book I want is listed in NUcat as "received," but it has no call number. How do I find it?Complete the Request Uncatalogued Materials form, available on the Circulation homepage. You'll be notified when the book is ready, usually within a few days. Who can reserve a study carrel in the Art Research Center?Art study carrels are assigned to Northwestern University faculty and graduate students. Carrel space is limited, and we regret not being able to accommodate everyone. Where can I find or make slides or digital scans of artworks?Contact the Visual Media Collection for borrowing, slide-making, and purchasing information. Two flatbed scanners are available in the Art Collection. It's also a good idea to check the ARTstor database to see if the image is available to be downloaded. Why are the Art Collection's hours limited?During the regular academic year, the Art Collection's reading rooms are open 80 hours per week, including evening hours until 10 pm five nights per week. Art relies heavily on student assistants to be open this many hours during the year, so our intersession and holiday hours are limited. How can I learn more about art research?A good place to start is the Art History LibGuide, which will introduce you to some key resources for art history. Also look at our Resources page to learn how to more effectively search NUcat, the library's online catalog, and how to use online art databases. For more NUcat help, click to go to the library's NUcat instruction page. Contact Art Collection staff to arrange a research consultation or instruction session. How can I find information on a specific artist? First, check NUcat, the Library's online
catalogue. Enter the name of the artist as a subject heading, author, or keyword search. You may find it necessary to
perform all three searches for any one artist. Second, consult
printed art encyclopedias and biographical dictionaries located
in Art and Main Reference, or online art reference sources such as Oxford Art Online. How can I find a specific image in the Art Collection?A helpful place to start is ARTstor If you know the name of the artist who created the work, follow
the steps outlined above for locating a book or article on a specific
artist. You might also check museum catalogues, if you know which museum owns the work. You
can then check to see if the work you are interested
in is illustrated or discussed in these sources. For more image sources, consult the LibGuide for Images. How can I purchase a reproduction of a specific art work?Art museums' shops often sell reproductions of works in their and other museums' collections. If you know which museum owns the original work of art in which you're interested, contact that museum to purchase a reproduction. What sources do you recommend for acquiring art and architecture books?Beyond Evanston and Chicagoland bookstores, and museum shops, there are many good online bookstores. Among others, try D.A.P.'s Artbook.com, Abbeville Press, AIA Bookstore, Ars Libri, and Ursus Art Books. Why can't the Art Collection subscribe to every new journal that researchers are interested in?Unlike books, a new journal title represents an ongoing commitment. Northwestern University Library's journals budget does not grow annually to permit routine subscriptions to new titles. Given our commitment to building exemplary research collections, we are always hesitant to cancel existing subscriptions to free up funds for new ones. This philosophy holds even when interest in or curricular demand for a particular journal may be low. If we responded to vacillations in interest and curriculum by canceling journal subscriptions accordingly, we would soon have a haphazard and incomplete collection of journals. As funds are available, Art will judiciously subscribe to new titles as well as fill in gaps in existing runs. We give particular consideration to user requests. Please discuss your needs with the Head of the Art Collection. How can I determine the value of an art work?The Art Collection does not appraise or identify works of art. For this service, you should contract with a certified art appraiser, located in the Yellow Pages of the telephone directory under "Appraisers." We have a limited number of sources to investigate prices of major art works sold at auction and recommend that you begin with Mayer (formerly International Auction Records), which is housed in Special Collections (708 I595), and Sotheby's Art at Auction (L708.2 A784), housed in the Art Collection. Each annual volume indexes art works sold at auction during the previous calendar year. Where can I find videos on art and artists?Art and architecture videos and films are catalogued in NUcat and available for viewing in the Main Library's Mitchell Multimedia Center. Please refer to the Center's printed Guide to the Art & Architecture Video Collection. How can I do research at the Ryerson & Burnham Libraries at the Art Institute of Chicago?Chicago-area students, staff and faculty are eligible to use the Ryerson & Burnham Libraries, a closed stack, non-circulating research collection located within the Art Institute of Chicago. Please review the Libraries' access policies for more information. |
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| Last reviewed: November 17, 2009 |
, a database of over a million images that you can download or print for scholarly use.