The Art Libraries Society of North America (also known as ARLIS/NA) is an organization of approximately 1,000 art librarians, library students and visual resource professionals. The ARLIS/NA was founded in 1972.
Activities ARLIS/NA organizes activities such as: annual conferences, publishing articles through publications such as Art Documentation, occasional papers, and online publications, providing a forum for professional communication, via listserv and a web site, scholarship awards, awards for research, service, and publication.
History Before ARLIS/NA, art librarians organized under an American Library Association Round Table, which had limited support. Meetings were only held biannually, attendance was minimal, and professional progress slow. During the post-war years, through the influence of popular magazines like Time and Life, Americans were exposed to a range of cultures, with hundreds of new museums and libraries built and an array of new publications.Freitag. W. M. (Fall 1997) ARLIS/NA at twenty-five: a reminiscence. Art Documentation v. 16 no. 2, p. 15-19. This led the art librarians to organize.
By the late 1960s, against ALA's wishes,Jacoby, T., et al. (Spring 2005). A Journey to Mr. Dewey's 700s: Speaking With Bill Dane. Art Documentation v. 24 no. 1 (Spring 2005) p. 42-9. a separate, and under-supported short-lived art library group was created in conjunction with an existing museum sub-section of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), a division of ALA. Member William J. Dane stated that the group "didn't like being called a sub-section. We didn't need to depend on ALA or ACRL."
ARLIS/NA was founded in 1972 by art librarians attending the American Library Association annual conference in Chicago and was the brainchild of Judith Hoffberg, who had been inspired by attending meetings of ARLIS/UK in London. The informal annual meetings of art librarians with College Art Association furthered the initiative to organize. The Association of College and Research Libraries was one of several library organizations in which art librarians were enrolled at that time.Freitag, W. M. (Fall 1997). ARLIS/NA at twenty-five: a reminiscence. Art Documentation v. 16 no. 2, p. 15-19.
By 1982 a major section of ARLIS/NA had broken off to form its own group, Visual Resources Association (VRA). The mission of the VRA is focused on media and image management, as well as progressing research and education in those areas.Freitag, W. M. (Fall 2003). Twenty years of estrangement, or what's in a name. Art Documentation v. 22 no. 2, p. 4
The ARLIS/NA membership has, from its beginnings, included librarians, archivists, visual resource professionals, artists, curators, educators, publishers, as well as students and others interested in visual arts information. Annual conferences and publications, as well as listserv threads feature discussions, presentations, workshops, and other opportunities for specialized professional development interests, such as cataloging, public services, archives, and acquisitions as well as technological trends and social issues of interest to the membership as a whole. Virtual sessions are common, especially since travel was limited during the 2020 COVID-19 global pandemic.
In 2022 for the society's fiftieth anniversary, members who had served on the Strategic Directions Committee reflected on the society's history.Mathews, Emilee, Lori Salmon, Cathryn Copper, and Karina Wratschko. 2022. “‘And That Is the Basis of ARLIS/NA’: Enduring Values across the Fifty-Year History of the Art Libraries Society of North America.” Art Documentation: Bulletin of the Art Libraries Society of North America 41 (2): 151–86.
Chapters ARLIS/NA is an international organization with regional affiliated chapters across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Two chapters, ARLIS/NA Texas-Mexico and ARLIS/NA Northwest, are transnational. Canadian chapters are Ontario and Montréal-Ottawa-Québec.
Affiliates ARLIS/NA has relationships with many affiliated organizations across the arts, librarianship, and visual resources management, including the American Library Association, ARLIS/UK & Ireland, the College Art Association, and REDARTE/RJ.
Organizational structure The ARLIS/NA Executive Board is composed of a president, vice-president/president-elect and past president, all of whom serve a continuous three-year term; and a secretary, treasurer, chapters liaison, Canadian liaison, advancement liaison, education liaison, and an editorial director, all of whom serve two-year terms. The ARLIS/NA Executive Director also serves on the ARLIS/NA Board.
Presidents
Annual conferences ARLIS/NA hosts a yearly conference for members to meet in person, share ideas and network.
2026 - 54th Annual - Montreal, Quebec, Canada 2025 - 53rd Annual - Fully Virtual 2024 - 52nd Annual - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 2023 - 51st Annual - Mexico City, México 2022 - 50th Annual - Chicago, Illinois 2021 - 49th Annual - Montreal, Quebec (virtual due to COVID-19 pandemic) 2020 - 48th Annual - St. Louis, Missouri (canceled due to health threat of COVID-19 pandemic) 2019 - 47th Annual - Salt Lake City, Utah 2018 - 46th Annual - New York City, New York 2017 - 45th Annual - New Orleans, Louisiana 2016 - 44th Annual - Seattle, Washington (joint with Visual Resources Association) 2015 - 43rd Annual - Fort Worth, Texas 2014 - 42nd Annual - Washington, D.C. 2013 - 41st Annual - Pasadena, California 2012 - 40th Annual - Toronto, Ontario 2011 - 39th Annual - Minneapolis, Minnesota (joint with Visual Resources Association) 2010 - 38th Annual - Boston, Massachusetts 2009 - 37th Annual - Indianapolis, Indiana 2008 - 36th Annual - Denver, Colorado 2007 - 35th Annual - Atlanta, Georgia 2006 - 34th Annual - Banff, Alberta, Canada 2005 - 33rd Annual - Houston, Texas 2004 - 32nd Annual - New York City, New York 2003 - 31st Annual - Baltimore, Maryland 2002 - 30th Annual - St. Louis, Missouri (joint with Visual Resources Association) 2001 - 29th Annual - Los Angeles, California 2000 - 28th Annual - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1999 - 27th Annual - Vancouver, British Columbia 1998 - 26th Annual - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1997 - 25th Annual - San Antonio, Texas 1996 - 24th Annual - Miami Beach, Florida 1995 - 23rd Annual - Montreal, Quebec 1994 - 22nd Annual - Providence, Rhode Island 1993 - 21st Annual - San Francisco, California 1992 - 20th Annual - Chicago, Illinois 1991 - 19th Annual - Kansas City, Kansas 1990 - 18th Annual - New York City, New York 1989 - 17th Annual - Phoenix, Arizona 1988 - 16th Annual - Dallas, Texas 1987 - 15th Annual - Washington, D.C. 1986 - 14th Annual - New York City, New York 1985 - 13th Annual - Los Angeles, California 1984 - 12th Annual - Cleveland, Ohio 1983 - 11th Annual - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1982 - 10th Annual - Boston, Massachusetts 1981 - 9th Annual - San Francisco, California 1980 - 8th Annual - New Orleans, Louisiana 1979 - 7th Annual - Toronto, Ontario 1978 - 6th Annual - New York City, New York 1977 - 5th Annual - Los Angeles, California 1976 - 4th Annual - Chicago, Illinois 1975 - 3rd Annual - Washington, D.C. 1974 - 2nd Annual - Detroit, Michigan 1973 - 1st Annual - New York City, New York
Awards and honors ARLIS/NA offers travel awards to students and industry professionals (members and non-members) to their annual conferences.
Distinguished Service Award
One of the honors is the Distinguished Service Award which is given to an individual of any country whose exemplary service in art librarianship, visual resources curatorship, or a related field, has made an outstanding national or international contribution to art information.
The George Wittenborn Memorial Book Award This honor recognizes excellence of content and production in North American art publications. The award is presented annually for outstanding publications in the visual arts and architecture which combine the highest standards of scholarship, design, and production.
Upon its foundation in 1974, it was called the Art Publishing Award. it was renamed in 1980 to honor George Wittenborn (1905–1974), the influential New York art book dealer and publisher.
Outreach and communications ARLIS-L is the society's listserv which functions as a forum for sharing information and discussing issues facing art librarians, library students and visual resource professionals. The listserv is also a resource for job listings. ARLIS-L is a place for society members to distribute information about ARLIS/NA activities at conferences, workshops and meetings, announcements of awards and honors, news regarding society members and information on new print and electronic publications. ARLIS-L is an open discussion list and anyone may subscribe.
Publications
Art Documentation Art Documentation is the official journal of the Art Libraries Society of North America and is published twice yearly by the University of Chicago Press. Art Documentation includes articles and information relevant to art librarianship and visual resources curatorship. The publication includes practical information for the ARLIS/NA community such as committee, conference, meeting, chapter and member updates.
Occasional papers and online publications Manuscripts for purchase on art information issues with such topics on staffing standards and core competencies. Resources are available for download on the ARLIS/NA website.
See also Art history Art Libraries Society - U.K. and Ireland equivalent Art library (in German) Judith Hoffberg List of art libraries (in German) List of library associations Slide library Special Libraries Association (SLA)
References
External links Art Documentation Archives of ARLIS/NA at the University of Illinois