Kyriakopoulos – LIS 770 – Summer 2010 – Lorelle R. Swader

Mission Statement

The Bi l ly I re land Cartoon Library & Museum's pr imary

mission is to develop a comprehensive research col lect ion documenting

American pr inted cartoon art , to organize the materials , and

to provide access to these resources.

The scope of the collection includes:

editorial cartoons

comic strips comic books

graphic novels

sports cartoons

magazine cartoons

And also Manga …

… But generally not Animation

History

• Established in 1977 in two converted classrooms in the Ohio State’s Journalism building

• Founding gift was the Milton Caniff Collection: 526 boxes of correspondence and more than 12,000 art originals

More History

• Collections of original art and manuscripts built primarily through gifts-in-kind

• Now the largest and most comprehensive academic research facility documenting printed cartoon art

Current Holdings:

450,000 original cartoons

36,000 books

51,000 serial titles

3,000 linear feet of manuscript materials

2.5 million comic strip clippings and tear sheets

Facts

• Recently re-named for Billy Ireland, the cartoonist for the Columbus Dispatch from 1898 until his death in 1935

• Ireland was an influential mentor to Milton Caniff, the cartoonist whose collection started the library more than 30 years ago.

More Facts

• Lucy Caswell, a former journalism librarian at Ohio State, was asked to organize the Caniff collection in 1977 and has been the curator ever since

• Caswell is one of four permanent staff members of the comics library and museum

The Name Game

Milton Caniff Reading

Room, 1977Library for

Communication and Graphic

Arts

Cartoon, Graphic, and Photographic Arts Research

LibraryCartoon Research

Library, 1989

Cartoon Library and Museum,

2009

Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum,

September 2009

Old Digs• Currently located in the basement of the Wexner

Center for the Arts

• Now has 6,808 square feet for collection

• Has a lone entrance in the middle of a long, narrow pedestrian alley between Mershon and the Wexner Center

• Staff members joke that the alley's sole garbage can doubles as an unofficial marker to the entrance

New Digs• New location will be the renovated Sullivan Hall,

an historic building located at a main gateway to the university’s campus

• Will now have 40,000 square feet for collection

• Will have three museum quality galleries

• estimated to cost $20.6 million

• will be completed in 2013

Renovation Funding

• From the Elizabeth Ireland Graves Foundation in honor of Billy Ireland

$ 7 million

•From Jean Schulz, widow of Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz•Mrs. Schulz will also provide an additional dollar-for-dollar matching gift of up to $2.5 million.

$ 1 million

More renovation Funding

• Ohio State University contribution for the Sullivant Hall renovation

$ 6 million

• The rest will come from private donors

@ $ 5 Million

Collection Development Policy

• The collection has been built primarily through donations from generous cartoonists, collectors, and fans.

• The vast majority of holdings of original cartoon art has been acquired as gifts-in-kind, and this is expected to continue.

• Full Collection Development Policy

Loan Policy• The Ohio State University Libraries materials

will be available for loan to other institutions for the purpose of exhibition provided that such a loan would not represent an unacceptable risk, would neither impede research at the Ohio State University Libraries nor interfere with proposed projects sponsored by the Libraries.

• No loans will be made to individuals.

• Full Exhibition Loan Policy

Other ServicesResearch Services & Fees:

• Fifteen minutes of research service will be provided without charge to off-site patrons.

• Persons and businesses who need additional research service will be billed at the following rate:

* Personal/Non-Profit: $25 per hour

* Corporate/Profit: $100 per hour

• Full Research and Reproduction Policy

• Policies Governing Use of Materials

Hours of ServiceMonday- Friday

9 am - 5 pm

Saturday-Sundayclosed

Researchers should make advance arrangements prior to visiting the library and

are required to do so during university breaks.

No appointments are necessary to view exhibits in the reading room.

Recent Acquisitions Exhibit

The exhibit features select materials added to the collection during the past five years.

It is on view from April 26 - August 20, 2010

This exhibit was curated by the Head Curator, Lucy Caswell.

Who uses this library?

Cartoonists

Students

HistoriansAnyone!

Patron/User Expectations

• Patrons have varying levels of expertise in using a special collection

• Some holdings are stored off-site and stacks are closed so advance appointments are strongly recommended

• Some patrons have been disappointed that there is no casual browsing of the holdings

Patron/staff interaction

• The library staff works to accommodate patron requests within the limitations possible

• This interaction will continue when the library moves to its new facility

Staff Hierarchy

Associate Director for Special

Collections and Area Studies

Curator

Associate Curator

Curatorial Assistants

Students

Staffing information• Four full-time staff of the library

• 12-15 part-time student employees specifically assigned to the library

• Some staff is shared with other units of the University Libraries such as:− Library development−Acquisitions−Administrative services

More Staffing information• A 16-hours per week cataloger is shared and

is supervised by the Head, Special Collections Cataloging

• Staff do not belong to a union

• Currently all staff are experienced and work independently as a team

• Volunteers and interns are utilized selectively

Qualifications and Requirements

• The 2 curatorial positions require an MLS or MA in museum studies

• Associate Curator positions have faculty status and the tenure initiating unit is the Ohio State University Libraries

• Annual written reviews are required

Salaries and Status

• Salaries are paid by the University Libraries

• The Libraries are a unit of The Ohio State University, just like the English Department, Science Department, etc.

Marketing/Advertising

• University Libraries share administrative services such as marketing

• The Cartoon Library also has access to the larger university marketing resources, which are fee based

Web Site Links

• HOME

• Art Database

• Cartoon Image Database• Finding Aids for Selected Collections

• Digital Albums

• Digital Exhibits

• Teaching Aids

video featuring Lucy Caswell (from YouTube)

The Vault of Caswell

Resources:

Ohio State Buckeye Blog. 2009. "Ohio State names Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum in honor of $7 million gift." http://www.aroundtheoval.com/?p=11 (accessed June 30, 2010).

 

Sheban, Jeffrey. 2009. "Library at OSU due for upgrade." Columbus Dispatch. http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2009/09/17/1A_IRELAND_LIBRARY.ART_ART_09-17-09_D1_2RF3BD8.html?sid=101 (accessed June 30, 2010).

The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. "About Us." http://cartoons.osu.edu/?q=content/about-us (accessed June 30, 2010). 

Resources:

The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. "Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum Collection Development Policy." http://cartoons.osu.edu/?q=content/billy-ireland-cartoon-library-museum-collection-development-policy (accessed June 30, 2010).

 

The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. "Exhibition Loan Policy." http://cartoons.osu.edu/?q=content/exhibition-loan-policy (accessed June 30, 2010).

The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. "FAQ." http://cartoons.osu.edu/?q=content/faq (accessed June 30, 2010).

Resources:The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum.

"Research & Reproduction." http://cartoons.osu.edu/?q=content/research-reproduction (accessed June 30, 2010).

The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. "Support Us." http://cartoons.osu.edu/?q=content/support-us (accessed June 30, 2010).

The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. "Visit Us." http://cartoons.osu.edu/?q=content/visit-us (accessed June 30, 2010).

The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. "What's New? A Sampler of Recent Acquisitions ." http://cartoons.osu.edu/?q=exhibits/whats-new-sampler-recent-acquisitions (accessed June 30, 2010).

Video available online at:

OSUExperts. 2009, "Cartoon Library and Museum." YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZRYpVZJCck&feature=player_embedded (accessed July 15, 2010).

OR

Potrzebie. 2010. "Death of Newspapers #11: The Vault of Caswell." http://potrzebie.blogspot.com/2010/01/death-of-newspapers-11-vault-of-caswell.html (accessed July 15, 2010).