Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 June 2016
Arlis arose in the late 1960s out of the need for British art and design librarians to have a specialist organisation to support their emerging professional concerns. The Society was independent from other library bodies and has remained so. From its original modest aim of ‘promoting art librarianship’ it has become a force for redefining this subject specialist area and creating international links, especially with sister organisations across the world; from ‘gossip shop’ for domestic concerns to an active participant in the IFLA Section of Art Libraries. The Art Libraries Journal has been the principal vehicle for promulgating this concern. ARLIS/UK & Ireland can look forward to extending its role and pursuing its activities with vigour in the next 25 years.
This article is a slightly revised version of a paper delivered to the 25th Anniversary Conference of ARLIS/UK & Ireland, London, 7th-10th April 1994.
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4. The first Union List of Art Periodicals was produced in 1978 thanks to the initiative of Graham Bullock. John Kirby masterminded further enlarged editions in 1982 and 1984. (see also p. 14 of this issue)
5. LOMA: Literature on Modern Art first appeared in 1970, covering the output of 1969. For clarification of its relation to the later Art Design Photo and Artbibliographies Modern see ARLIS Newsletter no. 18 March 1974, p.20.
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9. Reviewed in Art Libraries Journal vol. 19 no. 1 1994, p.30-32.
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