Science Artist Books

Contents: About the Collection | Background | Contributors | About the Metadata | Technology Information | Rights Information | Acknowledgments | Tech

About the Collection

This site is generated using CollectionBuilder-GH, a project to create a free and simple digital collection using GitHub Pages from:

• a CSV of collection metadata
• a folder of JPG images

Background

This project is a digital library featuring the IU Science Library’s collection of artist books. The collection was acquired by the library recently and is made up of 21 different books created by artists depicting a particular subject related to science in a creative, artistic way. It includes a scan of the cover of each book, along with an interior page for three items to showcase the content (for a total of 24 objects). Due to copyright limitations, I could not include a full scan of any of the books. The significance of this project is it will showcase a new, unique collection in the Sciences Library.

Artist books are a specific form of artistic expression with the book serving as the medium. All choices that go into each artist book is part of the art form. According to the Smithsonian, what truly defines an artist book is the intent of the creator. The possibilities are limitless, and each decision the artist makes is motivated by their intention in creating this project as inspired by the book. In the United States, Ed Ruscha created some of the first artist books that consisted of compilations of photographs, a front cover with a title, and no real narrative throughout. Future artists would then use this medium to tell stories that addressed issues, emotions, and events, and also to make art more accessible to individuals outside of traditional galleries. Today, artist books serve a similar purpose and artists are working with more experimental ideas and materials. The books have become more widely celebrated and studied, and new artists utilizing this medium are emerging all the time. Source: What is an artist’s book? (Smithsonian blog).

This project will complement an exhibit created by the Smithsonian Institution Libraries and the Washington Project for the Arts called Science and the Artist’s Books (https://www.sil.si.edu/exhibitions/science-and-the-artists-book/contents.htm). This exhibit features artist books that were created based on Bern Dibner’s Heralds of Science, a publication that listed 200 works that Dibner considered to be “pivotal in the history of science.” Each artist based their book on one of these “Heralds.” Art and science are very intertwined, and this project, in conjunction with the Smithsonian collection, will highlight examples of books as art objects themselves and the innovative ways topics in science can be captured and shared.

I am personally interested in this project because of my work in the Sciences Library, and my interest and background in science (I studied psychology and neuroscience at my undergraduate institution). I am hoping to use this project to learn more about these particular artist books and artist books in general and their use in science and the art field. I hope that as I describe these books for my project, it will help the Sciences Library in the creation of a LibGuide that also showcases these books for the IU community and beyond.

Contributors

My name is Sarah Vitelli, and I created this site. I am a second-year student in the MLS program at Indiana University.

About the Metadata

The metadata application profile (MAP) I used to build this digital library can be found on the Metadata Application Profile page. I used two controlled vocabularies for the “subject” metadata field, the Proposed International Standard Nomenclature for Fields of Science and Technology (SKOS) for science subjects, and Getty’s Art & Architecture Thesaurus (AAT) for art subjects. I used the metadata elements required by CollectionBuilder-GH, which were: ObjectID; FileName; Format; and Title. I also used the optional fields: Creator; ISBN; Date; Subject; PlaceofPublication and Description. I created my own custom fields including: Publisher; Size; and Materials.

Technology Information

I used an overhead scanner located in Wells Library at Indiana University to digitize these materials. This was beneficial since some of the materials could potentially be damaged by using a typical flatbed scanner. I utilized GitHub and CollectionBuilder to build my site.

Rights Information

All rights to each of the Science Artist Books belong to the creator of the book. This site is for educational purposes only.

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank the librarians at the Sciences Library for their help with the Science Artist Books, specifically Jen Simms and Bob Noel. I would like to thank Professor John Walsh and Alex Wingate for their instruction and assistance this semester.