A Portrait of a Place: A New Frame to View Artwork in the Academic Library

Abstract

The act of displaying artwork and art objects in academic libraries has been called both a “natural idea and common practice” (Cirasella and Deutsch, 2012, p. 2), but this position lacks a considered and critical analysis. The motivation for displaying artwork in academic libraries and an evaluation of its impact on the library environment, as perceived by librarians, similarly lacks meaningful examination. This absence of previous inquiry provides a major stimulus for this research project, which uses a case study approach to examine and explore the ‘natural’ preoccupation for displaying artwork in academic libraries, and additionally considers such environments as public art spaces.