A nationally recognized art research library, Ingalls Library maintains a rich, wide-ranging collection of published materials covering art from all geographic areas and all periods of art history, as well as archival collections documenting the history of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Materials are collected in many languages and in all formats. Throughout their history, the library and archives have been committed to excellence in support of the museum’s current and future collections, research, exhibitions, publications, lectures, programs, and activities by identifying, acquiring, organizing, and providing access to relevant research materials and information.

Ingalls Library is an intellectual asset whose value is priceless. The museum’s founders had the vision to include a library from the institution’s inception, and that vision has been sustained to the current day. We continue to support the mission of the museum while also providing local and international visitors with access to world-class research materials.

The necessity for judicious selection is irrefutable. In addition, the rising costs of organizing, housing, and maintaining collections demand a collection development policy that clearly outlines and prioritizes the selection of materials.

The Collection Development Policy is an organic document that will be revisited every three years in order to ensure its currency. The Collection Development Policy serves the following functions:

1) to summarize the scope and nature of existing collections

2) to facilitate coordination of ongoing collection development efforts

3) to provide the basis for cooperation with other institutions

4) to outline collection development objectives

> Read the entire policy here.