Archives

The Pratt Institute Archives collects, preserves and provides access to records and artifacts, including photographs and publications that document the history and development of Pratt Institute, as well as the contributions of individuals and organizations associated with Pratt. Included are some personal papers of the founder and other members of the Pratt family, but, with some exceptions, not of faculty, staff, or students. Records found in the Archives date from 1848 to the present, and include many documents pertaining to Pratt's founding in 1887.

Use of the collection is available on-site by appointment only.

Please contact:

Paul Schlotthauer, Reference Librarian & Archivist / Assistant Professor
Tel: (718) 636-3686, E-mail: pschlott@pratt.edu

Artists' Books

The Artists' Book collection, housed within the Library's Special Collections, encompasses books crafted, published, produced or altered by an artist(s), including works resulting from an artist's collaboration with artist-run organizations, colleges, universities, galleries and museums. The collection also includes non-book works that represent a conceptual renegotiation of the traditional book form. Works from 1960 to the present make up the collection. The artists' books are cataloged in the Library's online catalog PrattCat.

The Artists' Books are non-circulating books housed in closed-stacks and must be requested for viewing at the 1st floor Reference Desk.

Children's Books (Fiction & Non-Fiction)

Pratt Institute Library has children's books dating from the early 20th century to the most recent Caldecott and Newbery winners. To see our oldest, most fragile picture books and children's novels, please ask a librarian at the 1st floor Reference Desk and we will retrieve them from our Rare Books Room.

For circulating children's books, feel free to browse our 3rd floor fiction area, located in the East Wing Reading Room on our uppermost floor. We have everything from lavishly illustrated picture books, to all of the Harry Potter series, to non-fiction books with photos and illustrations.

Finally, if you'd like to see a 3-D pop-up book, we keep these in our Special Collections area; please see a librarian to look at these whimsical and artistic creations.

Map Collection

The Library's collection of maps is primarily designed to meet the recurring needs of architecture, planning, and design students. Coverage focuses on the New York metropolitan area, and includes a variety of maps, such as atlases, street maps, current and historical Sanborn maps, land use and zoning maps, census maps, and USGS topographic maps.

Microfilm

Pratt Institute Library's microfilm collection includes the New York Times on microfilm from 1851 to the present year. To locate articles on a particular subject, by a particular author or date, consult the New York Times Indexes (R 071 N56) located on the 1st floor (recent years) and 3rd floor (older years). Other titles available on microfilm include the Chronicle of Higher Education, Architectural Record and Utne Reader.

Please ask a librarian at the 1st floor Reference Desk for assistance.

Periodicals (Journals, Magazines & Newspapers)

Pratt Institute Library subscribes to approximately 600 magazines, journals, and newspapers, ranging from peer-reviewed academic journals to emerging magazines and DIY (do it yourself) ‘zines. The collection supports Pratt Institute's diverse curricula, and it is especially strong in Fine Arts, Architecture, Design, and Fashion. Other subjects include Current Affairs, Literature, Science, Music, Education, Cultural Studies and more. The collection includes regional, national and international materials, as well as a number of non-English language titles.

The librarians are continually reviewing new periodicals to enhance the Library's collection. Samples of new periodicals being considered for the collection are on display in the Periodicals Reading Room on the 2nd floor; please write your comments in the backs of the magazines. Your feedback is essential for building an excellent periodicals collection.

Locating Periodicals

Journals, magazines and newspapers are located in Pratt Institute Library's online catalog PrattCat.

• Click on the Browse tab in PrattCat and select Journal/Newspaper Title Browse from the drop-down menu.

• Enter the title of the journal, magazine or newspaper that you would like to locate and select 'go'.

• From the results page, click on the title of the periodical you are trying to locate to view the coverage and location information.

Locating Specific Articles

The Library subscribes to a number of online databases that index the table of contents of journals, magazines and newspapers, or in some cases provide online access to full-text articles. The databases are essential research tools that provide the means to access specific articles within the journal, magazine and newspaper collection. It is important to remember, however, that not all of the journals, magazines and newspapers indexed in the databases are found in our collection.

Slide Collection

The Visual Resources Center, a division of the Pratt Institute Libraries, located on the 3rd floor of the Brooklyn Campus Library, houses a collection of over 120,000 architecture, art and design color slides and a growing digital collection.

For more information on the slide collection please consult the Visual Resources Center page.

Special Collections

Pratt Institute Library's Special Collections include rare, out-of-print monographs; limited editions of seminal works in the fields of art, architecture and design; catalogue raisonnees; special edition and pre-1950 art and architectural journals (including GA Document and Architectural Record); broadsides and posters; architectural treatises, plans and drawings; other major historical works in art, architecture, design, garden history, the art of the book, and the decorative arts.

The Special Collections are non-circulating materials housed in closed-stacks and must be requested for viewing at the 1st floor Reference Desk.

Thesis Collection

The Brooklyn Campus Library acts as a depository of graduate theses, the final academic project required for graduation from most of Pratt Institute's graduate programs. The thesis collection is a non-circulating collection and titles must be requested from the Information/Reference Desk for viewing. The thesis collection can be searched in the Library card catalogue found in the 1st floor Reading Room, next to the Reference Desk.

Rare Books

The rare book collection includes many rare, out of print, and unique items. There are two special collections: one for rare art, design, and architectural materials and another for generalities including the history of fine printing, rare children's books, modern first editions, New York history, and early cookbooks. Books in the collection date from the fifteenth through the twentieth centuries.

Video & Film Collection

Multi-Media Services seeks to facilitate and enhance educational communication by providing materials in subject matter and formats that support and enrich the Institute's curriculum. The extensive collection of 16mm films, on reserve, as well as DVDs, and 1/2" videotapes (VHS) can be viewed on the Library's lower level. Screening rooms are also available through Multi-Media Services . The DVD, video and film collection can be searched in the Library's online catalog PrattCat.

'Zine Collection

The Pratt Institute Library collects 'Zines primarily to support classes that include 'Zine study and production. At the same time, 'Zines are interesting to everyone. Thus, they are collected as part of the general interest periodicals collection and are initially put on display.The collection of Zines on current display will be housed together under "Zines" in the A-Z sequence of periodicals on the 2nd floor.  MORE...

© 2007 Pratt Institute Libraries

Last Updated: Dec 20, 2007 (sk)

Webmaster | Site Map | Manhattan Library