(downtempo lounge music)
- Hello and welcome to the SVA Library.
My name is Sunni and I'll be giving you
a tour of our libraries.
The main library is at 380 2nd Ave on the second floor.
Let's go take a look inside.
We're here at SVA's main library
which has been around for over 60 years.
It's a foundation of the college
that provides a communal space
for the study of art and design.
There are so many resources like books, DVDs,
a picture book collection, rare books, film scripts
and more, in addition to in-person reference librarians
and amazing, helpful staff.
Librarians are here to help you with your research
and also to locate resources in both the physical libraries
and in our online collections.
Hey, Phoebe, what kinds of questions can we ask
a reference librarian like yourself?
- Hi, Sunni.
We can help you find specific items or with questions
about artists or designers you're interested in, resources
for your research, and topics like plagiarism and copyright.
In addition to visiting us in person, you can also connect
with us via our website, where we have the library catalog,
databases, and lots of digital resources.
Librarians are also available on chat and email.
Come talk to us, we're super nice.
- You also offer online streaming services
such as Kanopy, Swank, Electronics Arts Intermix,
and Academic Video Online, where films you can see online
and are available to all current students,
faculty, and staff.
Here we are in the stacks where all the books live.
At the edge of each of the aisles, you can see
the subject headings, noting what kind
of material is in each row.
There's also photo books, rare books, artist books,
popup books, a special collection
on the history of poster design, and underground comics.
Let's talk to some of the librarians
about these special collections.
- Comics and graphic novels are
an ever-evolving, cutting edge art form
and we are super proud of our collection.
It is particularly special for SVA since the school started
in the 1940s as a training ground for cartoonists.
In the collection, which is international in scope,
you will find over 6500 comics and graphic novel titles.
You'll find books by notable alumni,
past and present faculty, including comics legends
Will Eisner, Art Spiegelman, and Phil Jimenez.
Our collection is unique
because not only do we collect mainstream comics,
but also independent, underground, and rare work.
We also collect intentionally, highlighting women,
LGBTQ artists, and creators of color.
- With about 300 current subscriptions,
our magazine display shelves are filled with titles
that specialize in every aspect
of art and design, as well as titles
that cover fashion, news, politics, and culture.
In addition, our historical stacks feature
over 700 titles with runs that range
nearly an entire century to just a few issues.
Our picture collection is a unique resource,
a physical image collection with hundreds of thousands
of pictures divided amongst 1400 different subjects.
Taken from published materials such as books
and magazines with images ranging
from 150 years old to less than one year,
this collection has endless application for filmmakers
and illustrators, graphic designers,
and cultural historians.
- The visual resources there creates
and manages our digital image databases,
including the collections on Artstor and Jstor.
We have an in-house database of over 70,000 images
with a goal to focus on the contributions
of women, LGBTQ plus, and artists of color
whose work is often underrepresented in image databases.
The collection is constantly growing
and we welcome new artists suggestions.
- The Glaser Archives is a unique place
to see original works and process drawings
for posters, book covers, album covers, magazines,
and many other pieces designed and illustrated
by the world-renowned artists who are affiliated with SVA.
The SVA Archives contains materials
that document the history of the college,
including subway posters, exhibition records,
departmental publications, you name it.
The archives are open to everyone.
All you need to do is make an appointment
to visit in person.
- Many students like my myself, find it easier
to concentrate in the library, which is why we have
computer lab equipped with state of the art facilities.
We have IMAX with the latest software,
as well as antiques, tablets,
tabloid size flatbed scanners and printers.
You can also reserve a study room for yourself
or a group in case you need a private and quiet space.
Now let's visit the second library space,
Library West, located a few avenues away
at 133rd West 21st Street
in the lower level of the building.
Hey Barbara, can I return a book that I borrowed
from the main library here, at this location?
- Absolutely Sunni.
Our libraries are interconnected, so whether you borrow
a book from main or west side library,
you can return them at either location.
- Can you tell us a little bit more
about what goes on here at west side library?
- Sure.
Well, we're special because we have tabletop games,
video games, the selections of books
about art therapy, video game art, graphic novels,
plus a video game room with Xbox, PlayStation
for in a minute PC setup.
In addition to providing study rooms and a computer lab,
the library doubles as an event space.
So we host all kinds of events such as hands-on workshops,
film and animation screenings, board and video game nights.
And we believe events like these are key
to enriching the SVA community and student lives on campus.
So whatever your interest, we strive
to be a safe space here at SVA.
(downtempo lounge music)