About us
History
In 1969 a group of committed art librarians founded the Art Libraries Society UK & Ireland. 50 years later ARLIS continues to advocate and innovate for arts libraries and their users.
Colleagues who have played an instrumental role in ARLIS here tell us about its history and consider its future.
ARLIS UK & Ireland: The Early Years / Beth Houghton
ARLIS 2014 to 2017: A View From the Chair / David Pulford
The Art Libraries Journal – A Bit of History / Erica Foden-Lenahan
Future
The Art Libraries Society UK and Ireland is a membership society made up of art libraries, librarians and other interested groups and individuals. ARLIS/UK & Ireland sets out to support and enrich the profession by fostering greater engagement and understanding of the work and contribution of art libraries and librarians in the museums and education sectors and beyond.
ARLIS/UK & Ireland actively host events, talks, visits and conferences to offer training and disseminate and share best practice across the profession. We engage in a range of activities and initiatives related to art librarianship with as wide an audience as possible through networks, online and face-to-face. We continue to facilitate academic discourse through the publication of the Art Libraries Journal.
ARLIS/UK & Ireland is a committed anti-racist inclusive organisation, which actively works toward more equity in the librarianship profession. It works to foster and nurture a deeper perception and understanding of art librarianship and libraries. We champion and support the contribution and work of the profession to provide value to our cultural and commercial lives, as well as promoting the benefits of art in all areas of society.
Affiliated organisations
Asia Pacific
https://www.arlisanz.org/
ARLIS in Australia and New Zealand (ARLIS/ANZ).
Europe
www.akmb.de
Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Kunst- und Museumbibliotheken (AKMB) is the organization for art librarians in Germany. The chairpersons are Margret Schild, Theatermuseum Duesseldorf and Birgit Fernengel, Die Neue Sammlung – Staatliches Museum fuer angewandte Kunst.
https://www.arlisnorden.org
The organization for ARLIS in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Each country has a representative who serves on the Executive Board, which governs the organization.
https://www.okbn.nl
Overleg Kunst(historische) Bibliotheken Nederland (OKBN) is also known as ARLIS/NL. The chairperson is Heleen Homma, Rijksdienst voor Archeologie, Cultuurlandschap en Monumenten / Directiesecretaris RACM.
https://www.okbv.be
Overleg Kunstbibliotheken Vlaanderen (OKBV) is the association for art librarians from Flanders and Brussels and is a a subsection of the Libraries Association of Flanders (VVBAD). Dries Moreel is the chairperson.
https://www.artun.ee
The Society of Estonian Art Libraries does not have a website. However, their president is Elvira Mutt, Library of the Estonian Art Academy,
The Americas
https://www.arlisna.org
The home site for ARLIS in North America (ARLIS/NA). For a list of the current board members, please see:
https://www.arlisna.org/organization/executive-board
https://www.arliscanada.ca
The Canadian chapter of ARLIS/NA.
https://redartesp.wordpress.com/
Redarte is an information network of art libraries in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Their web presence is through the Goethe-Institut Brazil website.
http://www.redvitruvio.org/
Red Vitruvio is the network for libraries of architecture, art, design and urbanism in Argentina, Ecuador, Peru and Uruguay. It has a six member coordinating committee.
Other international associations of art library professionals
http://www.ifla.org/en/art-libraries
IFLA Art Libraries Section meets annually at the IFLA World Information Congress. The current chairperson of the section is Olga Sinitsyna, All-Russia State Library for Foreign Literature.
http://scottish-visual-arts-group.blogspot.com/
The Scottish Visual Arts Group (SVAG) represents librarians and information providers from academic and public libraries, museums, galleries and other institutions concerned with the promotion and documentation of the visual arts in Scotland.
https://www.vraweb.org
Visual Resources Association (VRA) is the organization concerned with image management in the commercial, educational and cultural heritage sectors. The president is Allan T. Kohl, Minneapolis College of Art & Design.
UK & Ireland Art Libraries
A-Z list of Art Library and Research Institutions in the UK and Ireland