The Role of Research in Undergraduate Studio Practice: A Qualitative Study

The inherent challenges of collecting artists' books for circulating academic libraries often deter librarians from considering them for inclusion. At New York University Libraries, we see an opportunity to interrogate existing methods of collecting that may exclude or discourage creative research in higher education. In this presentation, I will discuss original qualitative research concluding that student artists are keen to use non-traditional resources in their creative practices, but that library conventions may limit their engagement. I will propose ways we can resist these conventions, while maintaining professional standards, in order to bring artists' books and other creative resources into the hands of our users.