The Clark houses one of the most distinguished art research libraries in the country, with over 300,000 volumes in more than 130 languages. From its opening in 1962 the library has grown and changed over the years to accommodate teaching spaces, visual resources, new programs and initiatives, and a never-ending array of new technologies (in addition, of course, to its growing collection of books), always striving to meet the needs of our valued students, scholars, staff, researchers, and visitors.
The library’s special collections enhance both library and museum holdings. Highlights include the founding collection of Robert Sterling Clark's rare books, the history of photomechanical reproduction, early illustrated printed books, decorative arts and sample books, twentieth- and twenty-first century artists’ books, and archival collections.
special collections book of the month
David A. Hanson Collection
David A. Hanson notes that Adolf Miethe, Professor of Photochemistry in Berlin, used a special camera that was configured to shoot three negatives through filters. He was the first to develop true panchromatic emulsions. Professor Miethe took to Egypt his special camera that exposed successive images on a plate that dropped at the film plane as the three primary filters were placed in front automatically. This book, along with Miethe’s 1911 book on Spitzbergen, remains the only extensive example of his three-color work.
The David A. Hanson Collection of the History of Photomechanical Reproduction documents the history of photomechanical printing from its development in 1826 through the perfection of three-color printing at the beginning of the twentieth century. All major intaglio, planotype, and relief printing methods are represented. The collection includes examples of virtually all categories of photographically-illustrated books, reports, accounts, treatises, catalogues, pamphlets, and ephemera. Pioneering firms and individual innovators are represented in equal numbers. The collection includes approximately 4500 digital images in 340 objects, which can be searched and viewed via the library online catalog.
FOLLOW THE LIBRARY
Serving the general public as well as visiting scholars and local students and faculty, the Clark library welcomes all visitors to use its reference and research services and to enjoy its collections. An extensive array of electronic resources and reference materials support scholarly research in the field of Art History. Library staff are dedicated to assisting all users to access the library’s wide-ranging and diverse collections.
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New Acquisitions Book of the Week
This retrospective of genre-defying artist and MacArthur Fellow Joyce J. Scott (b. 1948) showcases her expansive and versatile career. From early textiles and wearables, to performances and public artworks, to celebrated beaded sculptures and signature necklaces, her innovative oeuvre centers on the ancient, global technologies of needle and thread, beadwork, salvage, song, and storytelling. Interviews with Scott and essays from a group of artists and scholars explore this dynamic practice, rooted in place, community, and intergenerational knowledge. New photography and archival images reveal a body of work that makes difficult subjects intimately felt, confronting racism, sexism, classism, ableism, and histories of trauma through wearable art and sculpture. With humor and pathos, Scott twists menacing stereotypes into grotesque and tender retorts that spur conversation and reflection, grief and laughter, learning and healing.
LIBRARY HOURS
PUBLIC HOURS
The library is open without appointment. Hours are:
Monday - Friday, 9 am to 5 pm
All are welcome to email the library with reference/research questions.
HOLIDAYS
The library is closed to the public on the following holidays:
New Year's Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Presidents' Day
Memorial Day
Juneteenth
Independence Day
Labor Day
Indigenous Peoples Day
Thanksgiving (2 days)
Christmas (2 days)
EXTENDED HOURS
Extended hours are available to holders of a Clark badge or a Reader's Card. Reader's cards are given by application. Cards may not be appropriate for all applicants but we will always do our best to meet your research needs.
Mon-Thurs 8 am to 11 pm
Friday 8 am to 6 pm
Saturday 9 am to 6 pm
Sunday 9 am to 11 pm
HOLIDAYS
With the exception of Christmas Day and New Year's Day the library is open during holidays to anyone eligible for extended hours.