Topic 1

The Physical and Virtual Library

Academic research in the arts is supported by a variety of professionals, including subject specialist librarians who help purchase and manage library resources in the arts and help connect researchers to those materials. At the University of Kentucky, I (Karyn Hinkle) am a Visual Arts Librarian, Director of the Fine Arts & Design Library, and the personal (“liaison”) librarian to the Department of Arts Administration.

The Lucille Caudill Little Fine Arts & Design Library is one of several branch libraries across the University of Kentucky Libraries system, and is one completely dedicated to the arts: music, visual art, architecture, design, theatre and dance, and arts administration. I made a short video about our library so you can see who I am, where I work, and the space where your professors complete a lot of their library research.

Knowing your department’s librarian or your institution’s subject librarian can be very helpful to any graduate student, whether it’s for research advice; purchase or access requests; or adding to undergraduate instruction. In an online or distance degree, connecting with your librarian can be even more important. It is one more point of belonging to your graduate program.

In addition to taking a peek at our physical library space and getting a glimpse of Karyn in the video, this section invites you to complete one short assignment: email your librarian (karyn.hinkle@uky.edu) to introduce yourself and one aspect of your work or anything else you’d like to bring up. Hopefully it will be the start of a long conversation.