Artists' Books Guide

What are Artists' Books?

Simply put, artists’ books are works of art in book (or book-like) form.

The forms these items take are diverse. An artist's book may be a unique, one-of-a-kind piece, but it might also be produced in an edition. It may be letterpress printed using handset metal type or photopolymer plates. Still, it may also be offset printed, mimeographed, photocopied, written by hand, or created using online self-publishing companies. It might incorporate unusual materials like soap, food, or LEGOS. Sometimes, it’s produced as a codex and will look like a book, but it might also be a scroll, set of computer punch cards, or sculptural piece. This wide variety of forms makes a single definition hard to come by, but in almost every case, the artist determines the appearance and production of the work.

The twentieth century witnessed particularly varied and creative experimentation with artists' books, culminating in an explosion of the medium in the 1960s and '70s. California---and the Los Angeles area in particular---was one locus of much of this production.

About Our Collection

The collection of artists' books at Otis College began and grew significantly during the 1960s-70s. This was largely due to the efforts of librarian Emerita Joan Hugo, a recognized expert in the field.

Currently, our collection comprises approximately 2,500 works. Among the holdings are books by important contemporary artists such as Ed Ruscha and Joseph Beuys, prominent book artists like Julie Chen of Flying Fish Press, and work by recent MFA Book Arts graduates, including Sarah Bryant and Daniel Mellis. We also have work produced by the Otis Laboratory Press.

In stewarding an artists' books collection, our goal has not been to compile a comprehensive archive. Rather, we aim to provide a teaching resource available to students, professors, and other interested parties. We encourage the use of the collection by members of the Otis College community as well as outside researchers. For more information, please contact our Reference and Special Collections Librarian, Morgan Yanni (myanni@otis.edu).

Where are they?

Due to their unique and varied forms, most of our artists' books are housed in Special Collections in order to better conserve them. They are available to view by appointment only and do not circulate (i.e., they cannot be borrowed and do not leave the library). The majority of these items have been digitized and can be viewed online through Otis Collections Online (learn more about this project here).

However, some artists' books live in our Main Stacks and can be circulated. These are items that are sturdy enough to withstand life on the shelf. To find these items, browse in the call number range N7433.4.

Digitized Items

In June 2003, the Getty Grant Program provided the Millard Sheets Library funds to catalog and digitize our entire collection of ~2,500 artists' books. As of January 2006, most of the project has been completed.

To view these items, visit our Artists' Books Collection through the publicly accessible database Otis Collections Online (our original homegrown experimental database is no longer available).

Guided Collections Search

Digitization Project Files

These files may be of interest to other library professionals.