Artists’ Books & Collection Development

Author: de Santiago-Stewart, Brenda

Citation:

McLeland, D. C. (2017). Artists’ books collection development: Balancing traditional and nontraditional acquisition strategies. RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage, 18(1), 19–32. https://doi.org/10.5860/rbm.18.1.19

Summary:

McLeland examines how collecting artists’ books pushes libraries to rethink traditional acquisition workflows. Because artists’ books often use unconventional materials, formats, and production methods, standard purchasing channels don’t always work. The article compares traditional acquisitions (vendors, publisher catalogs, established artists) with more experimental approaches (direct purchases from emerging artists, attending book fairs, collaborations with local art communities). McLeland also acknowledges real budget constraints that limit how much curators can experiment.

Reflection / Relevance to Collection Management:

This article connects directly to the challenges I’ve been thinking about with RISD’s Artists’ Books collection. In my Collection Map, it’s easy to categorize something as “Build,” but McLeland reminds me that “building” this area often means navigating nonlinear acquisition paths and making curatorial choices that don’t fit the usual workflows. It reinforces the idea that collection management for artists’ books is as much about relationships — with artists, local communities, and alternative presses — as it is about budgets or policies. For a school like RISD, where experimental formats are the norm, this flexible acquisition mindset feels essential.