Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library

Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
Name	Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
Established	1890
Location	Columbia University, Morningside Heights, New York City
Collection size	Over 600,000 volumes
Director	Carole Ann Fabian
Website	https://library.columbia.edu/libraries/avery.html

Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library is one of the world's most comprehensive research collections dedicated to architecture, architectural history, urban planning, historic preservation, and the fine arts. It is a department of the Columbia University Libraries system, serving the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation and the broader academic community. The library's vast holdings support advanced scholarship and are a vital resource for historians, architects, and artists globally.

History

The library's origins trace to an 1890 bequest from Samuel Putnam Avery, a prominent New York City art connoisseur and trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Initially housed within the Columbia University School of Mines, the collection grew significantly under the leadership of its first curator, A. Everett Austin Jr.. A pivotal expansion occurred in 1941 with the acquisition of the Ware Library, the personal collection of William Robert Ware, founder of the first professional architecture program in the United States at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Throughout the 20th century, major gifts, such as those from the Avery family and architect Philip Johnson, solidified its preeminence. The library has continually expanded its scope, notably incorporating materials on modernism, postmodern architecture, and global architecture.

Collections

The collections encompass over 600,000 printed volumes, including rare books, serials, and extensive special collections. Its architectural drawings and archives are among the largest in the world, featuring the work of seminal figures like Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, and Richard Morris Hunt. The Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals, a premier bibliographic database, provides indexing for over 700 journals. Other significant collections include the Drawings and Archives Department, the Wallace K. Harrison archive, and the records of the Rockefeller family architectural projects. The library also holds substantial materials on archaeology, painting, sculpture, decorative arts, and photography.

Building and facilities

The library is housed in Avery Hall, a Beaux-Arts style building designed by the firm McKim, Mead & White and completed in 1912. The structure is named for Henry Ogden Avery, Samuel's son, and is adjacent to other notable campus buildings like Low Memorial Library and St. Paul's Chapel. Its iconic reading room features a monumental stained-glass window by the artist John La Farge. Recent renovations have added state-of-the-art conservation labs, climate-controlled storage for rare materials, and the Avery Classics study room for consulting rare books. The building is a contributing property to the Morningside Heights Historic District.

Services and access

As part of Columbia University Libraries, it offers extensive services including interlibrary loan, digital imaging, and research consultations. The library is open to the public for on-site research, with borrowing privileges extended to Columbia University students, faculty, and affiliated scholars. Key digital resources include the Avery Architectural Index, the Avery Drawings & Archives Collections online portal, and curated digital exhibitions. It regularly hosts lectures, symposia, and exhibitions in collaboration with institutions like the Museum of Modern Art and the New-York Historical Society. Specialized reference assistance is available for navigating its archival and visual collections.

Notable holdings

Among its most celebrated items is the complete archive of Frank Lloyd Wright, containing thousands of drawings and manuscripts. It holds one of the largest collections of works by Andrea Palladio, including early editions of his *I quattro libri dell'architettura*. The library safeguards the personal papers of James Stirling, Paul Rudolph, and Gordon Bunshaft. Other treasures include medieval and Renaissance architectural treatises, original drawings for Grand Central Terminal, and an extensive collection of Japanese woodblock prints related to architecture. The Robert A. M. Stern Archives document late 20th-century American architecture.

Role in architectural education

The library is integral to the pedagogy and research of the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at Columbia University. It supports the core curriculum and advanced studios, providing primary source material for the study of architectural theory and practice. Scholars from around the world, including recipients of the Rome Prize and Guggenheim Fellowship, regularly conduct research within its collections. The library's staff actively collaborates with faculty on initiatives that explore topics from colonial architecture to digital fabrication. Its resources have been foundational for major publications and exhibitions at venues like the Venice Biennale and the Canadian Centre for Architecture.

Category:Columbia University Category:Architecture libraries Category:Libraries in Manhattan Category:Art libraries in the United States