The Barber Fine Art Library has been growing since the opening of the Barber institute in the 1930s, and many of the books in the collection are much older. Such a collection is unique in the way it closely reflects how art history and curating have been taught and practiced at the University of Birmingham as well. It is also a rich resource for future study and interpretation.
Library staff work closely with academic and museum staff, researchers, and students to develop a diverse and inclusive collection by using a wide range of publishers and incorporating previously under-represented voices.
Students are encouraged to recommend new books which diversify our library collections by using MoreBooks@Bham.
Different aspects of the collection are highlighted in display cases by the entrance to the library.
The collection of the Barber Fine Art Library is one part of the University of Birmingham's extensive holdings and complements those held in the Main Library and the huge range of online resources available to members of the university.
See our subject resource guides for a range of resources in all subject areas taught at University of Birmingham, and more specifically our Gender and Diversity and Equality and Diversity resource guides.