CILIP | nal

Visit to the National Art Library at the Victoria and Albert Museum - 16th June

The National Art Library is a major public reference library, as well as being the Victoria and Albert Museum's curatorial department for the art, craft and design of the book. The library's strength lies in the range and the depth of its holdings of documentary material concerning the fine and decorative arts of many countries and periods. For more information, go to: www.vam.ac.uk/nal

Inside the National Art Library

A report of the visit by Helen Dahlke
The National Art Library is part of the Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum and is housed within the main museum building in South Kensington. We began our visit with an introduction to the library and its history, followed by a chance to look at some of the collections in more detail, including proof copies of Dickens and a medieval book of hours.

The library collects in areas that the V&A collects in, such as design, but also collects on the history of art and collects with a view to keeping the collection strong for future use. We then went on a tour of the staff areas, including the offices and the stores, and learnt that lack of space was an issue.

The library employs 45 staff and is part of the Word and Image department of the V&A. Our visit also included a trip to the prints and drawings study room where we saw some examples of the work they collect and also heard more about the services to readers they offered. They are the designated national collection of British posters and also collect contemporary and modern prints and wallpaper.

Inside the National Art Library

Anyone can apply for a reader’s ticket at the NAL and almost all of the collection is available to everyone. Both the library and prints and drawings study room stressed their willingness to help with enquiries and encouraged us to refer any readers we felt might need their services.
Many thanks to all the staff took the time to talk to us and to Ana Guevara who organised the visit.

For more information on the prints and drawings study room, see: www.vam.ac.uk/resources/print_study_reading/index.html

Updated: 30 June 2008

Sussex sub-branch

Visit to the National Art Library at the Victoria and Albert Museum - 16th June