LibGuides: Book Arts: Finding & Using

In the first row: Use the drop down search filter [Subject] [containing these search terms] [artists' book*]
In the second row: Use the drop down [And] [Any field] [containing these search terms] and then search for the format or topic you are interested in
Limit your results to "Format: Print/Physical Item"

If you have questions about finding a specific artists' book, reach out to: Architecture and Planning Librarian, Kai Alexis Smith (kaias@mit.edu) or Distinctive Collections (DDC) at distinctive-collections@mit.edu

View Artists' Books

The Artists' Books Collection can be viewed by appointment in the Distinctive Collections Reading Room (14N-118).

The MIT Libraries' Department of Distinctive Collections Reading Room is open Mondays through Thursdays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Appointments are required and requests must be submitted at least 6 days in advance. You will need a Distinctive Collections Request System account to schedule an appointment.

To schedule an appointment:

Create or log in to your Distinctive Collections Request System account
Once you have an account, you can create an appointment by selecting the “Appointments” tab in the Distinctive Collections Request System account, and then selecting “Schedule a new appointment”.
Choose the date and time you would like to visit
Select your appointment length and choose the start/end time
Select "Create Appointment"

For questions about scheduling an appointment, please email distinctive-collections@mit.edu

Request DDC Material

In addition to scheduling an appointment in Distinctive Collections, you must request the artists' books you would like to see.

Search for artists' books in the library catalog
Click on the “Request for on-site use” button in the item record
This will import the item information into the DCRS and you may complete your request
In the “Visit Information” section of the form, choose an existing appointment or create a new one by clicking “Schedule a new appointment”
Your appointment is automatically confirmed. You will receive an email reminder two days prior to your scheduled appointment date and time.

Schedule a Class or Event

In addition to use in the reading room, artists' books are available for class instruction and other MIT community events. To request a class session or event with artists' books, please fill out the form below.