The art and architecture library collections which provide broad-based coverage of the history, theory, criticism, and practice of the visual arts, are housed in the Art Library, a branch library in the Jewett Arts Center. The collections include over 90,000 volumes which support teaching and research in almost all fields of art. While printed sources — books, exhibition catalogs, and periodicals — continue to form its most important collections, the Art Library offers significant holdings of other materials as well, including access to the significant databases for the visual arts.
The Art Library primarily serves the students and faculty of the Art History, Architecture, and Studio Art Departments, though anyone in the Wellesley College community is welcome to use the collection. The Art Library is open to the public, but material only circulates to patrons who hold a current Wellesley College library card. More information on our access policies.
Location
Directions to the Wellesley College campus. The Art Library is located on the second floor (ground floor) of the Jewett Arts Center (1958), designed by the noted architect Paul Rudolph and his associates Anderson Beckwith & Haible.
Access
Please see the Wellesley College Library's Circulation and Access Policies for details on who may use the facilities.
Borrowing privileges are granted to members of the Wellesley College Community and to individuals affiliated with designated institutions which are formally linked to the College. Please review the policies carefully as the Art Library has restrictions not shared by the other Wellesley College libraries.
Request New Library Materials
Please use the Suggest a Purchase form to request new library materials, or contact the Art Librarian, Brooke Henderson.
Reference and Research
For help with your research or to schedule a library research session for your class, contact the Art Librarian, Brooke Henderson.
For preliminary online research assistance, please see our Art and Architecture research guide.
Reserves
For Students
Reserve Lists are lists of items (books, articles, or videos, etc.) that an instructor has placed "on reserve" for their course. All materials on reserve for courses in the Art Library are kept behind the Circulation desk (Desk Reserves) or are located on shelves in the Reading Room (Shelf Reserves). Reserve material checks out only for short periods of time (usually 3 hours) and may not leave the Art Library so that everyone in the class has a chance to use them. There is a check out limit of one Desk Reserve item per person at any one time.
For Faculty/Staff
The Wellesley College Art Library offers instructors the opportunity to place course-related materials in a special library collection called Reserves. Items can be placed on Desk Reserves (located behind the Circulation Desk) or on Shelf Reserves (located in the Art Library Reading Room). Access to these materials is maximized by keeping loan periods short and restricting the number of items that can be checked out at any one time.
Please use the Suggest a purchase form to order new materials for Course Reserves or contact the Art Librarian, Brooke Henderson. Purchasing requests should be made early in the process to allow for shipping and cataloging.
Facilities
* VHS, DVD, and laser disk players and accompanying headphones
* Reservable carrels for students -- contact Brooke Henderson
* Self-service photocopiers (black and white) and scanners
Student Employment
Interested in working at the Music Library? Check the Online Student Employment System.