| About the Library
The Arthur D. Jenkins Library is a non-circulating, research library dedicated to the textile arts. Established in 1925 by George Hewitt Myers, founder of The Textile Museum, and Arthur D. Jenkins, the library is among the world’s foremost resources for the study of textiles.
The library's nearly 20,000 volumes encompass the history of textiles, rugs and costume, as well as contemporary fiber art, textile structures and techniques, and textile conservation. The multilingual collection consists of monographs, serials, pamphlets, auction catalogs, slides and videotapes.
Of note are the holding’s beautifully illustrated monographs, rare out-of-print books, and current scholarly studies on the art and cultural history of the cultures that produce these textiles.
It is the only library in the United States to index journals and periodicals in the field of textiles, a service which identifies for the researcher the most current textile scholarship. |
Library Resources
Staff and volunteers are able to provide reference assistance on textile-related questions. The library also has an extensive collection of textile glossaries and bibliographies to assist researchers. These bibliographic resources are of significant value in the discipline of textiles where bibliographic references are often scattered and difficult to locate.
Education Directory
The library maintains a directory of educational programs in textile history, conservation, museum studies, textile science, textile and apparel design, and fiber arts. Click here to download the Education Directory.
International Directory of Textile Collections
The library maintains an international directory of textile collections. Click
here to download this directory. |
Reading Room Hours
The Reading Room for the Arthur D. Jenkins Library of The Textile Arts is located on the third floor of the museum’s gallery building and is open to the public during the following times:
Hours through October 13, 2013:
Wednesday: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
1st and 3rd Saturday: 12 to 4 p.m.
Much of the collection is accessible to the public; material shelved in the closed stacks can be retrieved for library users with prior arrangement. An appointment is always recommended. To arrange an appointment, contact the librarian by email. |
