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Supplement: Standards for Staffing Art LibrariesSource: ARLIS/NA Newsletter, Vol. 5, No. 3, Supplement: Standards for Staffing Art Libraries(April 1977), pp. S1-S6Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of the Art Libraries Society of NorthAmericaStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27945851 .

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STANDARDS FOR STAFFING ART LIBRARIES

A library staff is the link between a community and a collec tion. It is necessary that the staff be highly qualified and of sufficient size to administer, develop, and support the collec tion and to guide the library's users. Whether an art library is

part of a museum, public library, or of an academic institu

tion, it is essential that the professional staff be equal in

rank, status, and salary to the other professionals within the institution.

Each type of art library-public, museum, academic (inclu ding the art school)?has its own distinct personality, based on the institution's objectives, the library collection, its

staff, and clientele. In order for standards to be applicable, individual type-of-library staffs and levels of staffing, based on formulas offering a degree of comparability, have been es tablished within the framework of art librarianship. We are not considering here separately administered slide and non

print libraries.

THE PROFESSIONAL

The mandatory mark of an art librarian is a master's degree in library science from an American Library Association accredited school or a recognized equivalent graduate school. This degree equips the librarian with the technical and biblio

graphical knowledge necessary to direct the basic functions of a library. An art librarian must have a knowledge of the basic litera

ture, of the major reference sources, of the primary indexes and abstracting services thereof, of community resources, and of network systems-their capabilities and potential as

applied to art libraries. It is required in many positions to have a working knowledge of at least two languages in addi tion to English. German, French and Italian are the most

commonly required; however, other languages, such as the Slavic and the Oriental, may be of importance.

It is advisable for the art librarian to hold a bachelor's

degree in art history, fine arts, design, architecture, or the humanities and to demonstrate competence and interest in the subject An art librarian must have a knowledge of the

periods, schools, styles, and movements of art history and

Copyright ? 1977 by Art Libraries Society of North America

a knowledge of the techniques of art forms and media. For certain careers in art librarianship it may be necessary for the librarian to hold a master of arts degree in art history or in the subject field covered by the library. A master's degree allows a specialization in which the individual develops an

appropriate competence. It is understood that at this time

many highly competent art librarians may not hold such a

degree but have broad work experience. It is essential for the art librarian to participate actively in

specialized professional organizations as a manifestation of career commitment and as a means of continuing education.

In this participation, the librarian's institution is obligated to provide every feasible support. The librarian should be

encouraged to take courses, attend lectures and do research to keep abreast of current trends in the subject areas as well as in library techniques. Where the possibilities of teaching, writing and publishing exist, the librarian is expected to make full use of these opportunities.

THE PARA-PROFESSIONAL

The major function of the para-professional is to release the librarian from routine technical tasks. The para-professional ought to have a bachelor's degree, preferably with some hours of art history or studio art The para-professional acts as a general assistant and should have basic skills such as

typing and filing. A reading knowledge of at least one lan

guage other than English can be very helpful. It is important to encourage para-professionals in career development and

to afford them the opportunity for continuing education.

ART LIBRARIES IN ACADEMIC SYSTEMS

The art library should be an autonomous unit within the

university library or art school system. The head of the

library should report to the director of the library system (the administrator of all branch units) or the director of the art school. This relationship should be outlined in the insti tution's organization charts.

The major responsibilities of the art librarian are adminis

tration, collection development and maintenance, reference

guidance, faculty liaison (which includes familiarity with



curriculum, teaching philosophy and research), orientation and instruction of clientele in library use, circulation con

trol, and promotion of the thrust and the special needs of the collection.

In executing these responsibilities, the art librarian must have, in addition to that knowledge enumerated above, knowledge of the major reference sources of the central

library, the strengths of the academic collection as a whole, and the resources within the academic community; and

knowledge of the administrative organization of the library and ancillary services offered in the central library.

It should be emphasized that art school libraries are often not part of larger academic library systems and must provide their own technical services. In such situations the number of professional and support staff should follow the guidelines established for museum libraries. In situations where the art school library is part of a larger library system, it should follow the guidelines established below.

A ratio of 25% professional staff to 75% support staff is recommended for a branch art library whose technical ser vices are provided for within the central library system. Mini mum per diem staff hours must equal the weekly sum of hours open. A collection of books on the visual arts which supports

undergraduate academic courses should have at least one

professional art librarian responsible for its development and maintenance. There should be sufficient support staff available to maintain an efficient level of service. The num ber of staff required by the art library should take into account the diversity of the collection, the rate of growth per year, and the intensity of use and services. Where there are doctoral programs, specialized programs, and active research by the broad academic community, additional staff must be provided beyond the 25%/15% ratio. A listing of staff according to size of institution and clientele follows.

SMALL BRANCH ART LIBRARY

Total studio/art history faculty. Size of Library. Serials (Subscriptions, Exchange, Gift. Annual acquisitions (Purchase, Exchange, Gift) Hours open.

Circulation.

Library Staffing (minimum).

.up to 25 .up to 30,000 volumes

.up to 200 titles .up to 2,000

. up to 60 .up to 15,000

,4 to 8 full time, plus per diem students

Positions

Professional Librarian(s) Para-professional Library Assistant (s) Other Support Staff Secretary/Assistant(s)

Clerk/Page(s) Per diem Students Equal to hours open per week

MEDIUM BRANCH ART LIBRARY

Total studio/art history faculty.20-60 Size of Library.30,000-60,000 volumes

Serials (Subscriptions, Exchange, Gift). 20-600 titles Annual acquisitions (Purchase, Exchange, Gift). 2,000-4,000 items Hours open.60-70

Circulation.15,000-60,000 volumes

Library Staffing (minimum).8 to 12 full time, plus per diem students

Positions

Professional

Para-professional Other Support Staff

Per diem Students

Head Librarian Assistant Librarian Reference Librarian

Library Assistant(s) Secretary / Assistan t(s) CIerk/Page(s) Equal to hours open per week

S2



LARGE BRANCH ART LIBRARY

Total studio/art history faculty.over 60 Size of Library.over 60,000 volumes

Serials (Subscriptions,Exchange, Gift).over 600 titles Annual acquisitions (Purchase, Exchange, Gift).over 4,000 titles Hours open. .over 70

Circulation.over 60,000 volumes

Library Staffing (minimum).16 full time, plus per diem students

Positions

Professional

Para-professional

Other Support Staff

Head Librarian Associate Librarian Reference Librarian Technical Services Librarian

Library Assistant(s) Library Technician(s)

Secretary/Assistant(s) Clerk/Page(s) Stack Attendant(s)

Per diem Students Equal to hours open per week

ART MUSEUM LIBRARIES

The museum library, as a research library, should be an auto nomous department within the museum, The head of the library should report directly to the museum director, or in larger institutions, to the administrator of the curatorial departments. There may be, in addition, department libraries administratively independent of the research library,- repor ting to the department head and serving the functions of their departments. The staff of the library should be of ade quate size to efficiently provide research materials for the museum staff in order to meet the goals of the museum. The major responsibilities of the librarian at administration, col lection development and maintenance, acquisitions, organiza tion of materials, reference and circulation control.

In an art museum which aims to be very active, both in adding to its collections and/or in scheduling exhibitions, the library's role is one of extraordinary importance and ac tive participation. It is the center for the scholarly art research which must be carried on in order to collect intelli gently and to exhibit the museum's collections, as well as objects from other museums and private collectors. By for

mal agreement, some art museums are closely tied to acade mic institutions which do not have adequate art library facili ties to support their art history degree programs and which use the museum library for that purpose. When this is the case, and the museum library is also open to museum mem bers, outside scholars, and general public, and/or for more than 35 hours, additional library staff must be provided for. A ratio of 40% professional staff to 60% support staff is

recommended for an art museum library performing all its technical services, including original cataloging, in-house. The smallest library-!,000

- 20,000 volumes?requires a

minimum of one professional librarian and support staff. A professional cataloger should be added for each additional 1,200 titles cataloged annually, particularly in a library which requires original cataloging; a serials librarian for cataloging, reference, and other related duties when subscrip tions exceed 500; an art bibliographer when annually ac quired titles exceed 2,500 per year; a reference librarian when 60% of a professional's time is spent at reference work. Circulation desk staff should be adjusted to meet the de mands of the library's use. A listing of staff according to size of institution and clientele follows.

SMALL MUSEUM

Total professional museum staff.1 to 25 full time (Curatorial, Administrative, Educational, Support Staff).1 to 10 per diem

Size of Library.up to 20,000 volumes Serials (Subscriptions, Exchange, Gift).50-100 Annual acquisitions (Purchase, Exchange, Gift).150 Hours open.35 Registered outside readers.up to 12,000 Registered museum staff readers..up to 375

S-3



Library Staffing (minimum) 2 full time, 1 per diem student

Positions

Professional Librarian

Support Staff Secretary/Assistant Clerk/Page Stack Attendant

MEDIUM MUSEUM

Total professional museum staff.26 to 124 full time (Curatorial, Administrative, Educational, Support Staff).11 to 74 per diem

Size of Library.20,000 to 80,000 volumes Serials (Subscriptions, Exchange, Gift) . ..101499 Annual acquisitions (Purchase, Exchange, Gift).151-2,499 Hours open.35 Registered outside readers. 1,200-9,000 Registered museum staff readers.375-4,000 Library Staffing (minimum).3 to 10 full time, plus 2 to 4 per diem students

Positions

Professional Head Librarian Associate Librarian

Catalog Librarian(s) Reference Librarian(s)

Para-professional Library Assistant(s) Other Support Staff

(including per diem) Secretary/Assistant Clerk/Page Stack Attendant

LARGE MUSEUM

Total professional museum staff.over 125 full time (Curatorial, Administrative, Educational, Support Staff).75 per diem

Size of Library.over 80,000 volumes Serials (Subscriptions, Exchange, Gift).over 500 titles Annual acquisitions (Purchase, Exchange, Gift).over 2,500 titles Hours open.35 Registered outside readers.over 9,000 Registered museum staff readers.over 4,000

Library Staffing (minimum).14 full time, plus 5 per diem students

Professional

Para-professional

Other Support Staff

(including per diem)

Positions

Head Librarian Associate Librarian Art Bibliographer/Acquisitions Librarian Reference Librarian(s) Catalog Librarian(s) Serials Librarian

Library Assistant(s)

Secretary/Administrative Assistant Circulation/Stack Attendant(s) Searcher

Clerk Bookbinder



ART DEPARTMENTS IN PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEMS

Combined fine and performing arts departments are common in public libraries. These include music, dance, and theater, as well as art, architecture, the decorative arts and handi crafts.

In addition to the wide range of subjects covered in the monograph and serial collection, fine and performing arts departments in public libraries collect, process and adminis ter one or more collections of non-book materials such as

picture files, reproductions, cassettes, records, films, scores, local history and art collections; some also organize exhibi tions of their own or loan material. Development and main tenance of these non-print collections require substantial

professional and support staff. The customary ratio of 40% professional staff to 60% sup

port siaff is advisable but need not be rigidly applied. Cen tralized technical services and circulation systems are impor tant factors in determining staff size. The public library serves a varied community presenting a

broad spectrum of demand. Because of its character as a

public service institution, an experienced subject specialist with adequate support staff, should be on duty during the 60 to 70 hours the library is open. Thus, three public service librarians constitute the minimum staff for a separate depart

ment. A listing of staff according to size of institution and clientele follows.

SMALL PUBLIC LIBRARY

Total population of area which supports library.less than 250,000 Size of fine and performing arts collection.up to 25,000 volumes plus some of the following: picture file, reproductions, films, slides, vertical file, auction and exhibition catalogs, records, cassettes, scores

Hours open.60-70

Library Staffing (minimum).5 to 7 full time

Positions

Professional Head Librarian Reference Librarian(s)

Para-professional and Support Staff

(including per diem) Library Technician(s) Clerk/Page(s)

MEDIUM PUBLIC LIBRARY

Total population of area which supports library. 250,000 to 500,000 Size of fine and performing arts collection.25,000 to 50,000 volumes plus some of the following: picture file, reproductions, films, slides, vertical file, auction and exhibition catalogs, records, cassettes, scores

Hours open.60-70


Positions

Professional Head Librarian Associate Librarian Reference Librarian(s)

Para-professsional and Support Staff

(including per diem) Library Technician(s) Cierk/Page(s)

S-5



LARGE PUBLIC LIBRARY

Total population of area which supports library.over 500,000 Size of fine and performing arts collection.over 50,000 volumes

plus some of the following: picture file, reproductions, films, slides, vertical file, auction and exhibition catalogs, records, cassettes, scores

Hours open.60-70


Positions

Associate Librarian Reference Librarian(s)

Para-professional and Support Staff

(including per diem) Library Technician(s) Secretary/Assistant(s) Clerk/Page(s)

