University of Pittsburgh Library System

Welcome!

The Henry Clay Frick Fine Arts Library is devoted to the study of images, objects, and texts in all their material forms. We value creative discovery and center this in our work with students, faculty, staff, and members of local, regional, and international communities.

While most of the collection is closed stacks, we welcome all visitors to the reading room, as well asthe adjacent browsing room, where you can explore our collection of local and regional exhibition catalogs, how-to studio arts books, current art magazines and journals, zines, and comics. We also invite you to browse rotating thematic collections curatedin collaboration with students and faculty, such as Art + Activism, Visual Narratives, Cabinets of Curiosities, Avant-Garde Movements in Latin America, and Curating Medieval Manuscript Facsimiles.

We offer in-depth research consultations and partner withfaculty to build arts-focused research skills and experiential learning into courses. Additionally, we incorporate rare books and unique visual materials into courses across the University.

Our rare and archival holdings complement ULS Archives & Special Collections. Our rare materials consist primarily of Medieval manuscript facsimiles, Chinese and Japanese scroll facsimiles, 19th-century architectural texts, limited edition catalogues raisonnés, boxed-sets of artist-produced broadsides and posters, artists’ books, art comics, and zines. We’re increasing our focus on locally produced artists’ books, art comics, and zines. Our archival holdings include two processed collections, Art Subject Files and Artist Files, as well as two unprocessed collections, Auction Catalogs, and Exhibition Catalogs. Ask Us for more information about these unique materials.

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