Research Faq
Who can use the Whitney Museum Library?
Library resources are available, by appointment only, for research on Whitney Museum history, Whitney exhibitions, and the study of American art history by collectors, art historians, graduate students, staff of other museums, art galleries, and scholars. Before making an appointment, researchers are encouraged to search the Library’s online catalogue, WhitneyCat. Please email your request to library@whitney.org or call (212) 570-3648 to schedule an appointment.
Does the library take part in interlibrary loan?
The Whitney Museum does not participate in interlibrary loan.
How can I learn about an artist in the Whitney collections?
For general information about a contemporary artist, we recommend you begin research in your local public library.
Most public and museum library collections containing books about contemporary art and artists have catalogues online. Start your search in WhitneyCat, Dadabase, Watsonline, Frick Art Reference Library, and New York Public Library’s Catnyp. NYPL offers the free research service Ask Librarians Online ((917) 275-6975).
In larger libraries and bookstores, you will find information in journal articles in contemporary art publications such as Afterall, Afterimage, Aperture, Art in America, Art Papers, ArtForum, Blind Spot, Bomb, Flash Art, Frieze and Modern Painters. You can search WilsonWeb in your public library for specific articles. These publications and their websites contain a wealth of useful information.
Most libraries collect ephemeral materials and place them in folders called pamphlet, vertical, or artist files. These files contain small brochures, press releases, magazines, and newspaper clippings that are filed under the artist’s name.
Additionally, there are numerous reliable website where one can find information about contemporary artists. Websites such as ArtNet, AskArt, ArtForum, and Art News provide information about artists, exhibitions, and current events in the art world.
How can I find out the value of an artwork, its provenance, or its attribution?
Museum staff cannot answer questions referring to the value, provenance, or attribution of any work of art. Below is a list of reputable organizations that help people with those questions:
Telepraisal
316 East 3rd Street
New York, NY 10009
(800) 645-6002
American Society of Appraisers
P.O. Box 17625
Washington, DC 20041
(703) 742-8471; (800) ASA-VALU
Appraisers Association of America
386 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016
(212) 889-5405
Art Dealers Association of America
575 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10022
(212) 940-8590
fax: (212) 940-6484
adaa@artdealers.org
Where would I go to have a work of art restored?
The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, (202) 452-9545, guides collectors on how to find and choose qualified conservators in their particular area of the country.
How can I find a reproduction of a work of art?
Museums contain thousands of artworks. They usually reproduce images of many, but not all, of the works in their collections. By searching museum websites, you will often find some images of artworks from their collections or those on exhibition, and others for sale in their museum shops.
