Library Collection

A unique strength of the McNay Library is its connection to the museum’s permanent art collection, sharing a focus on modern European and American art and theatre related materials. In addition, the library actively collects materials that support research of the museum’s visiting exhibitions.

The Library collection includes major art and theatre reference tools such as bibliographies, encyclopedias, dictionaries, directories, and indexes to biographical sources. The collection also includes historical surveys, periodicals and their indexes, monographs, catalogues raisonnés, auction catalogues ands their indices, exhibition catalogues and museum publications, as well as an extensive collection of vertical files on national and international fne arts/theatre related institutions. In additon, the library maintains over 20,000 vertical files on artists, collectors, set designers, and museum professionals listed in a searchable online database. The database lists the individuals in our vertical files, but does not give content details. Click the following link to review the database of the personal names of individuals included in our vertical file holdings.

Search the ArtistETC vertical files.

Download descriptions of the types of materials within the Library's holdings.