Comments on: Portrait of a Librarian

By: James Voorhies

James Voorhies — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:47:43 +0000

I am thrilled to read the enthusiastic responses to Reference Collection. The project was a special part of Dewey Decimals Days (www.bureauforopenculture.org).

I want to respond to Shelley’s question. Artists and librarians were selected through friends and colleagues around the country. If an artist wanted to participate in the project, we strongly urged to them sit down with a librarian while they drew the portrait (in some cases artists worked from photographs but we still encouraged them to spend time talking with the librarian). The insistence on a one-on-one contact was an important part of the project because, in an age of online communication (like I’m doing now!), the lack of personal contact is significant. By putting artists and librarians together it gave them a chance to talk about their practices and disciplines. A simple premise, but, I think, something that is not experienced regularly today. So, on one hand, we have the tangible bookmarks and, on the other, a kind of hidden richness of conversations in person that took place in making the portraits.

By: Melissa Ricksecker

Melissa Ricksecker — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 01:16:20 +0000

Hi!

Jim Voorhies is the curator of the show. You should drop him a line.

By: Shelley Bernstein

Shelley Bernstein — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 01:08:48 +0000

Beth – any idea how they picked the artists for these? I noticed that in many of the cases they found an artist in the area where the librarian was working…pretty cool.

By: Vincent

Vincent — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:48:56 +0000

What a brilliant idea!

It would be great to see this concept expanded to include Authors.

By: Beth

Beth — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:31:49 +0000

Thanks for your support, Virginia. You can nominate exceptional librarians for The Carnegie Corporation of New York/New York Times I Love My Librarian Award. Nominations for 2008 are closed but there's always next year.

By: Virginia

Virginia — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:11:59 +0000

This is a great way to promote libraries and librarians.
In this age of Internet superiority, books are seemingly forgotton. I would never have survived to adulthood without my community, grammer and high school, and college libraries.
Reading is what sustained me and made me want to write!
Long live the librarians, who were always kind, patient and interested,

By: Clem Labine

Clem Labine — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:19:55 +0000

What a great idea! In our culture that seems to spend most of its time on video games and online chatter, it’s great to see this focused promotion on the gentle art of reading.

By: Deirdre

Deirdre — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:45:44 +0000

Thank you Beth! I encourage folks who are interested in books and libraries to check out their website and listen to the interview with me and several others re artists books:

http://www.bureauforopenculture.org/deweydecimaldays.html

See

Book Arts Today II

In this conference call recording Suzanne Silver, assistant professor of art at The Ohio State University, and Bob Tauber, Director of [Logan Elm Press]>>>, speak with Deirdre Lawrence, curator of artist books and chief librarian at [Brooklyn Museum]>>>.

Discussion topics include the impossible-to-define artist book, economic conditions affecting small presses, the tricky predicament of exhibiting while preserving artist books, and funding sources. They also discuss Suzanne’s book, Blacklists/Whitelists, currently in production with Bob at Logan Elm Press.