The Art School and the Library

Art students interact with the library as a physical and virtual space, as well as a source of materials and services for research and inspiration. This article describes the results of a library-use survey distributed to students at a public university art school with sixteen programs. Responses challenged assumptions about awareness, frequency of use, and importance of resources. Survey results also demonstrated discipline-specific variations in the use of the library as a third space, the desirability of makerspaces, and the value of collections. Analysis suggests implications for the role of the art liaison and opportunities for library service and outreach. [The following article is an expanded version of a presentation given at the “Assessment in Art Libraries” session at the ARLIS/NA conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, in March 2019.]