Library Instruction: Home

60-90 Minutes

Designed for first year Art History and Humanities students, or any beginner researchers. Also useful to any class that encourages research for academic and/or studio work.

A librarian will introduce your students to a wide array of physical and digital resources while impressing some of the basic tenets of information and visual literacy. Please make every effort to schedule this session at a time when your students are required to conduct research for your class. Having immediate practical application of the content is essential to retention. A portion of the session will be dedicated to active research with the librarian on hand to guide and assist.

A librarian will visit your class twice during the semester.

1. The first visit will serve as a library orientation. The students will learn about an array of library collections, services, spaces, and events, including ways to get involved. This session is intended to get students excited about the library and comfortable with beginning to use it. Students should also learn about resources that specifically support their artistic practice and/or concentration of study. This would also be a good time to introduce the Self-Guided Information Literacy Course (ProQuest Research Companion) if you would like your students to take it. (20-40 minutes)


2. The second visit should be scheduled at a time when students will be beginning a research project. This session should be structured around their assignment and will include a deeper investigation of relevant resources. A portion of class time should include active research and/or group discovery. (30-60 minutes)

60-90 Minutes

A guided research session tailored to specific fields and/or subjects of inquiry. The librarian will pinpoint the most relative library collections and databases, as well as talk about how to access outside resources to supplement research. A strong dialogue between the librarian and the students is highly encouraged to help bolster group discovery.

A librarian led deep exploration of a specific collection, customizable to requested subjects and formats. The librarian will introduce the collection and be on hand to answer questions concerning its specifics. Students and instructors are encouraged to dig through the collection and start a dialogue about what they discover.

Picture Collection -- Discover a unique collection of images
This is a circulating, physical collection of images culled from all manner of print publications spanning more than 100 years. Containing over 200,000 images across 1250 subjects, the Picture Collection is a unique resource that provides sweeping visual reference and insight into the history of culture via the medium of print.

Print Periodicals -- Have a Magazine Party
Have a librarian pair your interests with magazine titles. Discover unique publishing and binding practices. With over 350 current subscriptions and over 700 historical runs of both mainstay titles in art, design, film, photography, and fashion, as well as lesser known international, artist run, and fringe titles, the SVA Library periodicals collection represents a rich lattice of support for all of the academic and artistic disciplines offered at SVA.

Comics -- Talk Comics
The library has over 8,000 comic related items including Graphic Novels, Newspaper Comics reprints, Scholarly works on the study of comics, Magazines about comics and a broad selection of Manga. The SVA Underground & Mini Comics Collection has over 500 self published and larger print run underground comics. Additionally, we have a subscription to The Underground Comix database and a collection of tabloid facsimiles by masters of the art of comics.

Artist Books -- Hands on the art of books
Artists’ books are available students and faculty as examples of craft, construction, and use of art techniques in the book format. Since this is a teaching collection, special emphasis is placed on breadth (seeking to be widely representative of book arts) as well as representation of artists important in the history of artists' books.

Tabletop Games -- Explore the collection or host a gaming event
The library collects board, card & dice, and role playing games that showcase exemplary illustration, design, and gaming mechanics. You can access this circulating collection at Library West.

Archives -- Have the archivist introduce your class to this landmark collection

Milton Glaser Design Study Center and Archives
Dedicated to preserving and making accessible design works of significant artistic, cultural, and historical value by preeminent designers, illustrators, and art directors who have close ties to the School of Visual Arts. The collections represent the artistic and intellectual vitality of the SVA community and provide an invaluable resource to students, designers, and researchers who wish to study the breadth of a designer's work.

School of Visual Arts Archives
Collects items that document the history of the School and provides source material for those who seek to evaluate the impact of the School’s activities on artistic, social, and cultural development. Among the media held by the Archives are posters, original art, publications and ephemera, photographs, and audio and video recordings.

Tell us how you would like to utilize our resources and services. Work with a librarian to customize a session that explores specific collections and resources and/or topics in information literacy and research methods.

30-60 Minutes

The SVA Library is here to support you in speaking to your students about artificial intelligence (AI). In this session, a librarian will give a brief overview of AI, its systemic biases, evaluation methods, and finding alternative resources. When requesting this session, please let us know if you would like an overview of library resources to be included.