Imagine, if you will, that you are invited into a room that contains most of what makes your soul sing and, you are told that it is all for you to use. In fact you are invited to make use of anything in the room. But wait, there is much, much more. You are taken through a door, down a hall into another room that holds even more treasures and, once again you are invited to use it. This was our joy in last nights class. We were conducted through the library at the Amon Carter and saw all the wonders it holds.
This is the Amon Carter Museum library reading room. The whole library, including what you do not see, has 4,743 feet of floor space, 2,328 shelves and 6,887 linear feet of storage. I could give you all of the numbers but I believe it might overwhelm.
Just a few of the numbers are:
52,000 book volumes
About 20,000 bound and lose periodical and journal issues
66,000 pieces of microform
About 10,000 auction catalogs
About 2,000 museum annual reports and bulletins
About 300 linear feet of clipping/ephemera material
A stellar collection of illustrated books, many of which include original art
All available to us and you for research. You can browse and enjoy the reading room but there is a reference librarian to help you to other jewels in the back area.
Speaking of jewels I would like to thank Jon Frembling for giving us our tour and making history literally come alive with his descriptions of books, maps, and all items of interest. He showed us a camera that belonged to Laura Gilpin and gave us a visual of her taking photos at age 80 something with that camera from an airplane. Jon's passion for the museum collection was very easy to see and understand.
One last jewel is picture of Amon Carter with FDR concerning the land for Big Bend National Park. Between the efforts of Mr. Carter, J. O. Langford and E. E. Townsend this park became a reality. For more see this link.
I could go on and on but will not. If you ever visit the Amon Carter Museum of American Art please stop in the library. You will be amazed.
Until next class,
Caroline
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