Fine Arts Librarianship

Fine Arts Librarianship may be for YOU, if you are interested in:

Directing an art library in an academic, art museum, or research institution
Working in an art or arts division of a public library
Providing visual arts reference services
Organizing and managing visual arts collections, e.g., slides and photographs, or visual arts documentation

Coursework for specialization in Fine Arts Librarianship:

SLIS and the School of Fine Arts/Art History offer a combined Master of Library Science/Master of Arts in Art History degree. This program is designed to prepare students for professional library and information specialist positions in fine arts and related libraries and information centers. Students who already have a strong academic background in art and/or art history, but who don't want to pursue a Master's Degree in this area, may enroll in the courses providing a specialization in fine arts librarianship. Along with the MLS core courses, your elective courses must include:

A575: Research Sources in Art History
Historiography of Western Art
S605: Internship in Library and Information Science (in a Fine Arts related area)
S651: Art Librarianship

Job Outlook for this field:

Nearly all the SLIS students specializing in art librarianship have found relevant positions.
Recent IU-SLIS graduates have been placed as art or visual resources librarians at Arizona State University, Art Institute of Chicago Ryerson & Burnham Libraries, Chicago Public Library, Herron School of Art Library, Indianapolis Museum of Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art and other art museums, academic and public library institutions across the nation.
Typical job titles include: Head Librarian, Reference Librarian, Catalog Librarian, Head of Public Services, Slide Librarian/Visual Resources Curator.
Graduates with geographic mobility increase their chances of obtaining a position in the contemporary world of art and visual reference librarianship.

Qualities employers seek:

Strong art history background
Knowledge of library automation and electronic resources in the art field
Knowledge of one or more foreign languages
Academic, art museum, research art libraries and public library art divisions normally seek applicants who hold a graduate degree in art history and a Master's degree from a school accredited by the American Library Association.

Opportunities to gain experience in this field:

Internship in the IU Fine Arts Library and Slide Library

Professional Associations:

Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA)

Interested in knowing more? Contact:

On campus:

Sonja Staum-Kuniej, Librarian, IUPUI, Herron Art Library, MB215A
Dr. B. J. Irvine, Fine Arts Librarian, IUB Fine Arts Library 812-855-5743