Sponsored by Washington Art Library Resources Committee (WALRC)
Speakers:Erin Dunigan, Sales & Marking Associate, D.A.P./Distributed Art Publishers
Julia Klein, Publisher, Soberscove Press
David Senior, Bibliographer, The Museum of Modern Art Library
Brian Cassidy, Independent Bookseller, Silver Spring, MD
Moderators:Amy Ballmer, Assistant Head of Research and Instructional Services, Gladys Marcus Library, Fashion Institute of Technology
Melanie Emerson, Head of Reader Services Ryerson & Burnham Libraries, The Art Institute of Chicago Chicago, IL
There is growing agreement in the art library community that homogonous collections do not reflect the interests and experiences of our diverse community of researchers, students and artists. Small press, indie, and artists’ publications strengthen collections and support research through the alternative voices, practices, and experiences they present. But how can we effectively integrate small publishers into collection development and acquisitions workflow? Publishers and authors need to know the best way to connect with librarians and make their books easy to purchase considering the byzantine and restrictive purchasing processes many libraries must go through. Alternatively, librarians and other Acquisition staff members need the freedom to move beyond traditional approval plans and attend book fairs and explore venues that allow direct access to those producing and distributing these unique materials in the US and abroad.
Speakers on this panel will explore the ways in which librarians and non-librarians (artists, publishers, book sellers) collaborate to establish relationships that enrich collections and provide access to materials produced outside the mainstream publishing establishment. The panelists represent a diverse range of ideas and focus on different aspects of collection development. Each panelist will consider ways to navigate the challenges inherent to collecting and producing many types of non-traditional publications and resources from both sides of this exchange. They will also provide an overview of how they currently work with libraries, problems they’ve encountered that require solutions, and questions they have about the collection development process.
