The Clark Library is committed to inclusive and ethical description practices, and is an active partner in the wider UCLA Library's work in this area.
For more information, see the Clark's 2020 statement on cataloging and the UCLA Library's page on Ethical Description.
The Clark Library is just one UCLA Library that collects fine press and artists' books. Additional resources can be found in Library Special Collections (in YRL) and the Arts Library (in the Public Policy building) on campus.
Selected guides on Art, Architecture and Design
Typography
This list of exhibition catalogs, journal articles, and monographs on artists' books, often conflated with fine press books, is extensive. Below is a selected list of titles to put the Clark Library collection in context. Most of these titles are available at UCLA.
Biographies and bibliographies on individual printers, artists, and publishers can be searched by choosing the name of the individual or publisher under "Subject" in Advanced Search.
Selected bibliography:
Bright, Betty, et al. No Longer Innocent : Book Art in America : 1960-1980 / Betty Bright. First edition, Granary Books, 2005.
Campos, Alexander. Multiple, Limited, Unique : Selections from the Permanent Collection of the Center for Book Arts. The Center for Book Arts, 2011.
Capelleveen, Paul van, et al. The Ideal Book : Private Presses in the Netherlands, 1910-2010 : Paul van Capelleveen, Marieke van Delft, Sjoerd van Faassen, Lisa Kuitert, Ellen van Oers, Reinder Storm, Kees Thomassen and Clemens de Wolf. Vantilt Publishers, 2010.
Castleman, Riva, et al. A Century of Artists Books / Riva Castleman. The Museum of Modern Art, 1994.
Cave, Roderick. The Private Press / Roderick Cave. Second edition, Revised and Enlarged., R.R. Bowker Company, 1983.
Clark, William Andrews, et al. The Library of William Andrews Clark, Jr. The Kelmscott and Doves Presses : In Two Parts. Part I: Kelmscott Press. Part II: The Doves Press / Collated and Compiled by Robert Ernest Cowan ; Assisted by Cora Edgerton Sanders and Harrison Post ; with an Introduction by Alfred W. Pollard. Printed by John Henry Nash, 1921.
Codex Foundation, issuing body, et al. Book Art Object / Editor, David Jury. Edited by David Jury, Codex Foundation, 2008.
Courtney, Cathy. Speaking of Book Art : Interviews with British and American Book Artists / by Cathy Courtney. Anderson-Lovelace, 1999.
Drucker, Johanna, et al. The Century of Artists’ Books / Johanna Drucker. Granary Books, 1995.
Drucker, Johanna and Brad Freeman, et al. The JAB Anthology: Selections from the Journal of Artists’ Books, 1994-2020. 1st ed., University of Iowa Press, 2023.
Ede, Charles. The Art of the Book; Some Record of Work Carried out in Europe and the U.S.A., 1939-1950. Studio Publications, 1951.
Granary Books, publisher, et al. Books Do Furnish a Room, You Can Tell a Book by Its Cover : Books, Pamphlets, Magazines and Multiples from the Collection of Tony Zwicker (Art, Artists’ Books, Catalogues, Documentation & Concrete Poetry). Granary Books, 2001.
Hart, James D. (James David), and Andrew Hoyem. Fine Printing : The San Francisco Tradition / by James D. Hart. Library of Congress, 1985.
Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University., et al. The Art of the Book in California : Five Contemporary Presses / Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University ; Curated by Peter Rutledge Koch, Roberto G. Trujillo, and Alison Roth ; Essays by Robert Bringhurst and Peter Koch. Stanford University Libraries, 2011.
Hubert, Renée Riese, et al. The Cutting Edge of Reading : Artists’ Books / Renée Riese Hubert & Judd D. Hubert. Granary Books, 1999.
Klima, Stefan, et al. Artists Books : A Critical Survey of the Literature / Stefan Klima. Granary Books, 1998.
Lauf, Cornelia, et al. Artist/Author : Contemporary Artists’ Books : Softcover. American Federation of Arts, 1998.
Liberty, Megan N., ed. Craft & Conceptual Art: Reshaping the Legacy of Artists' Books. Center for Book Arts, 2023
Lyons, Joan, ed. Artists’ Books : A Critical Anthology and Sourcebook / Edited by Joan Lyons. Edited by Joan Lyons, Visual Studies Workshop Press, 1985.
Ripley-Duggan, Edward. Book Arts Collections : A Representative Selection / Edward Ripley-Duggan, Editor. Haworth Press, 1988.
Ritchie, Ward, et al. Fine Printing : The Los Angeles Tradition / Ward Ritchie. Library of Congress, 1987.
Wasserman, Krystyna, et al. The Book as Art : Artists’ Books from the National Museum of Women in the Arts. 2nd ed., Princeton Architectural Press, 2011.
Southern California classes & workshops:
California Rare Book School: Based at UCLA, CalRBS is "dedicated to providing the requisite knowledge and skills for professionals working in all aspects of the rare book community, and for students interested in entering the field. CalRBS offers week-long courses covering a broad range of topics." Classes usually take place during the summer. Scholarships are available. https://www.calrbs.org
International Printing Museum: Located in Carson, California, the museum runs the Book Arts Institute, "...a dedicated space for full-size workshops focusing on printing techniques as well as the book and paper arts. Using our collections of antique printing machinery, vintage type, and book arts equipment, our aim is to fully develop the Book Arts Institute as the premier public teaching space for book arts in Southern California." The museum also has an annual series of hands-on events for groups of all ages. https://www.printmuseum.org/
Local colleges with hands-on book and printing courses:
Scripps College in Claremont California
Otis College of Art and Design in West Los Angeles
ArtCenter in Pasadena, California
Note: There are many places in the United States that offer workshops, classes, certificates, and degrees in bookmaking and the history of the book. Ask your librarian for additional information.
Specialized booksellers:
Browsing the shelves -- whether in person or online, in a library or at a bookstore -- is always a great way to discover new things:
This list is far from exhaustive. Many booksellers that specialize in antiquarian books also sell fine press and artists books. For additional sources, see the American Antiquarian Booksellers Association or the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers. Both sites allow limiting searches by specialty to locate dealers selling these materials. Many practicing printers and book artists also sell their books directly.
Organizations:
This list is not exhaustive. Many of these organizations offer virtual participation.
Southern California
Northern California
Points east
National