The Special Collections relate to various areas of study within the Cardiff School of Art and Design and will also hold interest for the wider university and community. They are housed separately from the main book and journals collections.
A growing collection of over 600 artists’ books dating from the 1960s. Some are one-off pieces while others are limited editions created by the artists, all are artworks in themselves. The Collection demonstrates the breadth and depth of the artist book genre and some material is of national and international significance. Our collection policy ensures that it serves Cardiff School of Art and Design’s learning, teaching, and research needs.
MetSearch can be used to view the collection titles. The collection is of general interest to many, and an inspiring resource for creatives of all types.
All library members (staff, students, external borrowers) are welcome to attend term time drop-in sessions to view and handle books with a library assistant:
Outside of these times, to ensure access to specific books or, for academic staff to arrange artists’ books teaching session support in the space, please email Special Collections with your query or request to SpecialCollections@cardiffmet.ac.uk.
The Collection contains national and international exhibition catalogues, conference and research papers, interviews with ceramicists, promotional materials, pamphlets, prospectuses, monographs and leading research publications in the field of ceramics. Held within the Ceramics Collection, of particular significance is The Rackham Collection - a collection of over 70 books written or edited by Bernard Rackham (Keeper of the Department of Ceramics at the Victoria and Albert Museum 1914-1938), along with books from his personal collection and associated ephemera such as letters and notebooks, donated to the university by the Rackham family.
The Slide collection represents the history of Cardiff School of Art & Design by incorporating slides of past CSAD exhibitions, staff & students work, as well as prominent Welsh artists and architects. The slides were bought or were made to order for lecturers and students to use in lectures and seminars from the 1970s until 2010. No new slides are now made.