For the special library, I visited the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, VA.
Delvers, S. (2022) Virginia museum of fine arts building – entrance [Photograph] CC BY-NC
The Space and Collection
The library is located inside the museum. The museum itself is very big and while I wouldn’t call it intimidating, it is when compared to the size of the library. There is paid parking in the parking garage next to the museum but there is also street parking. With parking on the street, you just have to make sure to read signs for any time limit or permit parking. There are many places to sit outside to enjoy nature or a bit from the cafe. Inside the museum looks like a lot of art museums with white walls and exhibits on many different floors. Once you walk by the gift shop and ticket desk, which you only need if you want to go to the traveling exhibit that is there, to the left is the library.
Delvers, S. (2022) Virginia museum of fine arts library [Photograph] CC BY-NC
The library was in the process of changing the display case which is why my picture has a table and white curtains hanging. Currently, the only way to use the library is by appointment only as they are short staffed but the library is open to the public to use. It is small but since specialty libraries only carry books for that institute I am not surprised. The first room you walk into is the reading room, filled with books, tables, and computers for anyone to use. There is room for a wheelchair to get around but some may need help getting books off the top shelves. Around the corner from that is the magazine wall that is full of art magazines as well as Country Living, Wall Street Journal, The Times, and other major but none art magazines. They have vintage couches in the section that they have had for years and are comfortable. The computers can be used to look at the library catalog as well as surf the internet and printing/copying does cost money. Behind the main desk, there are binders filled with information that the curators put together about each piece in the museum so if a visitor wants more information on a piece, a librarian can grab the binder for the visitor to read. If a book you are looking for from the library catalog is not available in the reading room or you would like something from archives, a librarian has to go get it for you. If a patron is in need of a book from the special collection, a request must be made 24 hours in advance. The books are not available for checkout but you are allowed to take pictures or copies. They do have a machine to enlarge texts and I believe some audiobooks but they do not have any books in braille.
I did not see any signs in the library except for the ones you see that has who donated money for this room and a sign talking about a book the library was exhibiting.
The library uses the Library of Congress system to organize its collection.
Services
The library has all its services listed on its website. They have what they can do as well as what they can’t do. Some of the services they offer are locating books or other materials that are needed for art research, finding an appraiser or gallery, and finding information on objects in the museum’s collection. Some of the services that the library cannot do are authenticate any work of art, provide a selling price on any work or art, or do an interlibrary loan. However, the library will point you in the right direction of places that can.
The Staff and Patrons
Since the library is appointment only I did not see any other patrons there. I will say that while everyone is welcome, it very much serves specific clientele as special libraries tend to have a “relatively small number of users and restricted access to relatively small but highly specialized collections” (Rubin & Rubin, 2020, pg. 160). The two staff members that I saw work in archives but I did see signs for research and executive library director. They were very nice and helpful with my questions, even letting me go in the back since I requested a tour. The museum is still allowing those that can work at home to work at home so lots of the staff were not at the library. The two staff members were young white women so I can not speak on diversity within the staff. If a person has any questions, the library has a phone number and email listed on their website.
Digital Access
Delvers, S. (2022) VMFA library information online [Screenshoot]
URL: https://vmfa.museum/library/
The VMFA library information can be found on the museum’s website under the ‘Learn’ tab. What can be found on the website is library services, policies, research request form, databases, programs, and collection. You do not need an account to access the catalog. I do not see a list of staff members on the website in the library section and the only staff member information I was able to find were for the executive director, division heads, and curators.
Other
This visit was very much a joy and I can’t thank the staff enough for allowing me to tour the library, including parts that patrons can’t. I want to touch base with them again so I can learn more about day to day in specialty libraries. This trip also reinforced how much special libraries have to fight for their existence as the librarian told me that the halls in the back get used for non-library storage all the time. I do not believe that the library needs any updating as it is up to date with Apple computers and new books, and I enjoy the vintage feel since it goes with being in a museum.
Reference
Rubin, R. E. & Rubin, R.G (2020). Foundations of library and information science (5th ed). ALA Neal-Schuman.
July 21, 2022 at 5:36 pm
It’s very interesting that as an art museum library they didn’t have any art specific magazines! I wonder how many appointments they get a month for patrons viewing/using the space, since that is the only way it is available.
July 21, 2022 at 8:10 pm
They do have art magazines! Maybe I worded it weird. I just don’t have titles for any of the art ones.
July 22, 2022 at 3:03 am
I love that you chose an Art Museum for your special library observation. I will have to go and visit next time I am in Richmond as I love Art Museums. I found your comment interesting when you said, that special libraries need to fight for their existence. In your case that was true, but in my case the law library I visited, is funded by the state courts and the civil case filing fees. Maybe the art museum needs to get creative with their budget and have artists donate work to be sold to support the library. Just a thought. 🙂 I wonder how constrained their budget is?
July 22, 2022 at 3:25 am
When I was talking to one of the librarians, it was more so fighting to exist in the space. She said that people use the library hallways to store non-library-related items such as chairs when there is an event going on. If I remember correctly the museum is state-funded, part of why they can’t give a selling price on pieces of art, but I am not sure how much money they get budget-wise and then how that is divided in the library. Part of me wanted to ask but I chickened out thinking it might be an invasive question.
July 23, 2022 at 5:06 am
I love the VMFA, I’m so excited to learn they had a library. I had no idea and now I have new career goals! I would love to get a look at the binders that talk about the pieces in the museum, it’s always so fascinating to learn about how a piece has moved around and been passed along from the original artist to different owners or institutions. Did you get a chance to look up any information about the different pieces while you were there?
July 25, 2022 at 2:42 pm
I’ve been to this museum a few times but never the library. It’s great they were so open to you and accommodating. Those binders are really interesting. It probably took a long time to put all that together.
July 25, 2022 at 7:53 pm
I have never been to this museum but would like to visit if I am in the Richmond area. It would be interesting to learn what their day to day schedule/work is like since it appears there are not a lot of patrons who visit.