Victoria and Albert Museum- National Art Library

The National Art Library is housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum. It is a public research library and is the curatorial department for art, design of the book, and craft within the Museum. The library collection contains more than a million items and has a catalogue of 750,000 records. Every year the library hosts about 30,000 visitors ranging from art and design students, genealogists, and independent researchers. The reading and centre rooms are where users can sign in and access the general collection. They are the only areas that the public have access to. Items are not available for loan outside of the library as this is a closed access facility. Most items can be requested through the online catalog prior to visiting the library. There is a limit of 8 items at one time. There are online databases and journals such as JSTOR, Art Sales Index, and Art Full Text that are availiable onsite at the library. Material can be scanned onto a USB flashdrive but there is not printing onsite.

The library's collections include a wide range of material covering various subject matter. There are rare books, medieval manuscripts, written correspondence, fine binding, and early printed works to name just a few. The NAL has acquired collections from individuals who had hand picked the items for their personal library. The items within these collections are of extreme value and include original works by Charles Dickens, a Shakespeare First Folio, poems by Keats, notebooks by Leonardo Davinci, and letters by Charles I. Needless to say, these are extremely valuable items that need the utmost care when being handled. The rarest of items are kept in a vault and are generally not seen.

Our tour guide explained the proper way to to remove a book from the shelf, a lesson we had also recieved from Mr. Wisdom of the of the St. Paul's Cathedral Library. Both presenters had identical technique. We were also able to observe the defferent elements of preserving and presenting material. For certain items, large pillows or cushions are used to support the item while on display. If an object or item will be on display, special supports are created, and straps are used to hold items in place in order to keep them secure. When items are not in use, books go in archival boxes and pamphlets or papers go in envelopes specially designed for the purpose of protecting the material.

The National Art Library was my first encounter with the preserved works of some of my literary idols. To sit in a room while the self edited papers of Charles Dickens are being presented, to view one of Shakespeare's first folio's delicately propped on a pillow, was so fantastically surreal it's still hard to believe. It was fascinating to see the high level of self criticism evident throughout the Dickens manuscripts, especially where the author would decisively strike out various words or sections. There was something about examining the loops and swirls of his handwriting that made me feel like I was getting an intimate view of the man, not just his work. I think that had a profound affect on my perspective of the work the librarians do at the NAL. They are preserving something that provides a backstory to the work of some of literature's greatest minds.

Along with the rare books, art, and documents in the NAL's varied collection is the surprising addition of the Harry Potter novels. It is not just one set either. There are different publications and formats of the seven novels. The purpose is to preserve the various editions, not for the sake of the text,  but the different cover art. I thought it was very interesting that these would be included, but appreciate the recognition that such a highly influential series is being prioritized for future value. It was one of the many aspects of the NAL that I found interesting and unexpected. The scope of their collection is very diverse, which demonstrates the idea that art is not just paintings and sculptures. There are many forms and this facility preserves them so that students of any background can continue to learn from this collection.