LIBRARY

Visitor and Research Information

The Booth Western Art Museum Library was founded as part of the Booth Western Art Museum in July 2000. It functions as a reference library for Western American art, culture and history.  The Library also has small collections of reference materials on Civil War history, United States presidential history, and local history that support the collections of the Booth Western Art Museum.

The Museum Library is available for use by volunteers, museum visitors, students, researchers, and the public during Museum hours Tuesday through Friday (10 am to 5 pm) by appointment. Children are welcome to use the Library with adult supervision. See the customer service representative at the front desk for access to the Library. It is manned by the librarian and volunteers to help make your visit a pleasurable and informative one.  For more information call 770-387-1300 or e-mail LizG@boothmuseum.org

All collections are non-circulating and may be used only within the Library.  To ensure the preservation of these irreplaceable materials, access to certain collections, such as rare books, manuscripts, photographs, and other archival materials, may be restricted, requiring submission of a Research Request Form (available at the Reference Desk). Library personnel will be happy to assist you with your research by retrieving requested materials. Please be considerate by using care with library materials and by complying with instructions of Library staff and regulations of the Museum.

Online Catalog

This database contains information on approximately 1,500 objects in our art collection and library.
The collection focuses on art of the American West, with secondary collections of Presidential and Civil War materials, movie posters and illustrations.

To begin your search, click on the search button at the bottom of the screen. A window will appear with a box to enter keyword(s). Once you have done that, click "search .” Doing so will bring up a list of objects and photographs containing that keyword(s).

To see an actual record, click on the object name for the item(s) you are interested in learning more about. Clicking on "back" in the upper left corner of a record will take you back to the original browse listing.

 For further information about any of the items you find, please contact our Registrar, Nikki Morris, at nikkim@boothmuseum.org

SEARCH>

Holdings and Artist Files (back to top)

General Book Collection

Books in the Library’s database can be located by using the Library’s public access computers.  Please ask Library personnel for assistance with the catalog.  The Library staff will be happy to assist you in locating books on shelves and in adhering to proper book handling guidelines.

Special Book Collection

Books not located on the open shelves in their proper place in the Library of Congress Classification System sequence may be shelved elsewhere because of condition, value, size, subject, or technical processing (indexing, repair, bindery, etc.). In addition to browsing the shelves, it is always best to refer to the database for a list of all cataloged books in the Library, including those that may be located in special sections. The Library personnel will be happy to assist with a search of the database.  

Oversize books are those that are too large to fit on the regular shelves and have been placed in a special section of the library. 

Rare books are protected in locked cases.  A Research Request Form must be submitted to use these materials.

Reference books are shelved with general art encyclopedias, indexes, directories, biographical dictionaries, and other frequently used “Ready Reference” books.

Periodicals Collection

Periodicals include magazines, newspapers, and other serial publications available for browsing and research.  All holdings are listed in the Library’s database.  Current issues are displayed in the Library, and back issues are shelved alphabetically by title, then in chronological order.  Some bound periodicals may be shelved with subject collections.  The Library subscribes to many Western American Art and general art magazines, Civil War history magazines and museum publications.  Back issues can be researched in the Art Index; Reader’s Guide , and other periodical indexes.  Please see the Library staff for assistance in using the Periodical Collection.

Special Research Collections

The Library staff must supervise access to each of the Special Research Collections.  These collections include valuable research information; much of it contained in fragile or one-of-a-kind materials.  Submission and approval of a Research Request Form is required for use of certain materials from any of the Special Research Collections, as determined by the Librarian.

It is often necessary to check more than one collection when searching for information on a given subject because each of these collections is distinguished by format (the physical form or nature of its materials) rather than by subject. Special Research Collections include:

Artist Files

This collection includes biographical information, exhibition announcements, pamphlets, and brochures documenting the work and exhibition record of individual artists.  Published exhibition catalogs that are too small in size, too fragile in condition, or too unusual in format to be shelved in the regular book collection can be found in these Artists' Files.

Auction and Sales Catalogs

Art, antiques, and rare book catalogs from several auction houses (Christie’s, Sotheby’s,, and others) are available for reference.  These catalogs are filed by auction house and date of auction.  There is no general subject index to this collection; most are accompanied by sales results.

Manuscripts

The Manuscripts Collection includes movie scripts and transcripts of oral histories.

Multi Media

The Multimedia Collection includes programs on art and artists, as well as documentary films of programs and lectures at the Museum.  All videotapes, DVD’s and CD’s may be used in the Library.  Museum personnel, volunteers, or educators may check out certain videotapes.  Please see Library personnel for assistance.

Oral Histories

The Museum’s oral history collection is available to be viewed in the Library.  This collection includes artist interviews, among other things.

Acquisitions Policy

Gifts of books relating to the Library’s collecting scope are welcome.  Please see the Librarian for further information.  The Collections Committee will evaluate all potential donations to the Library and decide whether to approve or disapprove potential donations. 

Services

Photocopying

Photocopying is available for library users at a nominal charge.  The Library staff will be happy to make copies for you; materials that are at risk of damage because of their fragile condition may not be photocopied.  Federal copyright law places certain restrictions on photocopying.  The Booth Western Art Museum assumes no responsibility for copyright infringement by individual library users. 

Internet Access

Library visitors may use our computers to access the internet for general research. The Internet enables the Library to connect electronically to ideas, information and commentary from around the globe and to offer access to many valuable local, national, and international resources.

Ask Our Librarian (back to top)

To submit a question to the librarian, please include the following information: name, email address, telephone, general subject of question, and the question itself.  Please note any sources you have already tried, what types of materials you are looking for and the kind of project you are doing.  Submit your question to lizg@boothmuseum.org.

The mailbox is checked once a day Monday through Friday. Questions submitted on the weekend will be checked on Monday.  We will get back to you within two working days with either an answer to your question or a request for clarification.  If you need more immediate assistance, please call 770-387-1300 and ask for Liz Gentry, our Librarian. 

Click here to print out a Research Request Form.