Tama Art University

Library

Purposes

The two libraries play a significant role in providing information, which contributes to art education and research for students and faculty. Key activities include collecting and preserving materials in the fields of art, design and other related genres and establishing an index database of all collected items. In addition, the staff makes every effort to provide an excellent reference service, gathering new knowledge and the latest information. Since the new library was opened in 2007, we aim to fulfill its function and maintain a "creative library" acting as an information database and an information dissemination office.

Hachioji Library

Ito Toyo, who is one of the leading architects in Japan, designed the Hachioji Library. Regarding the design of this newly opened library, the entire first floor slopes gently from the front entrance. Its exterior glass walls and large arches allow the contours of the natural environment surrounding the campus to extend into the interior creating an exhilaratingly open space. The first floor features an all-purpose and gallery space available to hold various events and exhibitions as well as a theater area with a big screen. At the back of the first floor, students are able to read the latest magazine issues and view video materials.
On the second floor, there are open access stacks holding about 100,000 books as well as private reading seats and photocopying machines.
The Hachioji Library contains about 77,000 Japanese books, 47,000 foreign books and 1,500 periodicals. A large collection of books covers the special fields of art, design and architecture, ranging from reference books necessary for the university's classes to specialized research materials. In order to enhance its collection, we are collecting catalogues of overseas exhibitions and catalogue raisonnes.

Kaminoge Library

The Kaminoge Library aims to collect a wide range of reference books and materials in the fields of photography, film and theater arts. The library contains about 48,000 Japanese and foreign books and 300 periodicals. It also owns the collections of the late Shuzo Takiguchi (1903-1979) and the late Katsue Kitazono (1902-1978), both known as poets, art critics and fine artists. The Takiguchi collection contains about 10,000 publications, posters and works related to Dadaism and Surrealism. The Kitazono collection contains his published poems and edited magazines titled "VOU" as well as handwritten manuscripts and haiku notes. Both collections are of great value to researchers of modern and contemporary art.
We are planning to open the library to the public in the near future in order to relate closely to the local community. Now its inventory can be freely accessed by OPAC (online public access catalog) and partial contents of the Takiguchi and Kitazono collections is available on the Internet.