Library
Clegg & Guttmann
Opening hours:
Tue and Thu 9am-3pm (and by prior appointment)
Online-Katalog
Information, Library and Magazine Collection
Head: Mag. Patrizia Brumen
T +43/316-8017-9313
patrizia.brumen@museum-joanneum.at
This is a reference library, open to all visitors to the Neue Galerie. Originally conceived as a working library for staff, it was organised ever more systematically over several decades and continually extended to become a scientific, technical library. Today the stock consists of around 50,000 titles. Ever since 1999, new acquisitions have been entered into a database, whilst pre-existing stock has also been compiled and continuously added in the meantime, an ongoing process. In line with the collection and exhibition policy of the Neue Galerie, the library contains an exceptionally condensed stock of literature covering contemporary international and Austrian artistic developments. Visitors will also find information about current exhibitions as well as individual artists.
History
When the art gallery of the Landesmuseum Joanneum was divided into the "Alte Galerie" (old gallery) and "Neue Galerie" (new gallery) in 1941, the Neue Galerie took over the collections dating from the 19th century and books of the corresponding period, moving them to Herberstein Palace at Sackstrasse 16. At that time, the book collection amounted to around 2000 items, consisting mainly of reference works and literature complementary to the collection and covering Austrian artists. This book collection was not deposited according to any particular set of rules.
Categorisation
It wasn't until the 70s that the stock was categorised and stored systematically. Through collaboration with the provincial library, a system of numerical and colour-coded classification was developed. The still current library regulations also originate from this time.
Principal content
From the point of view of content, the library stock essentially corresponds with the guidelines for the Neue Galerie collection, i.e. it contains primary and secondary literature covering art of the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, with particular emphasis on Austrian art, artists and culture. Additionally on offer is a large, general stock of background literature on trends in international art in the 20th century. To be specific, this covers mainly catalogues of those working in art and of exhibitions, these forming the greater part of the library collection. Thanks to continuous contact with important international art galleries, it has been possible not only to keep the stock up to date but also to have available a broad spectrum of documentation and information about contemporary art at an international level.
