When applied to the visual arts the concept of universal availability implies access to a massive and heterogeneous corpus of visual and archival material as well as printed texts. Achieving full bibliographic and iconographic control will be an enormous undertaking and may eventually become counterproductive. Universal availability also supposes the widest possible popular access to art, despite doubts sometimes expressed about the effects of overexposure. Community libraries have a special responsibility towards the general public’s visual education through targetted selection of printed and visual resources and through the encouragement of local art initiatives.

The mixed fortunes of art, and of subject specialisation, in British public libraries in recent years is compared to the situation in Denmark where librarianship in the service of art has as its main focus the good of the people. The principles which give art librarianship its own integrity are reiterated and the gradual invasion of public library services by the commercial ethic is rejected. Art librarianship can still achieve new successes, and some of these are noted. The scope for new initiatives which the public library service offers is recognised and new areas for development are suggested, modelled on the international network of Music Information Centres.

The Arts Department of the Regional Library (“Lyoben Karavelov”) at Russe provides a range of information and outreach services, promoting use of its multi-media collections on music and the visual arts among all sections of the community including working and young people. Activites include the organisation of exhibitions and lectures, and of opportunities to meet artists and performers. Similar departments exist in other Bulgarian public libraries, contributing to a broader nation-wide programme of aesthetic education and cultural provision.

The loan and hire of contemporary original works of art has a long but littleresearched history. Its recent development, in and outside public libraries (particularly in the USA, Canada, Europe, and Israel) began essentially after 1945. Its nature and scope is strongly influenced by contemporary art. Art loans are worth promoting because art plays a lesser role in our cultural life compared to music and literature, because of the gulf between contemporary art and the public at large, as a means of securing and developing the role of the artist in society, and to foster discrimination and visual literacy in an age dominated by images of all kinds.

Artotheks, collections of works of art whose sole purpose is to be lent to the public, have existed in Norway since 1958/60. 7-8% of Norwegian public libraries developed rather small scale artothek-collections during the 60’s and early 70’s. After a period of decline and stagnation the activity was revitalized in 1983, through a pilot project based on the central organisation of acquisition, distribution, and circulation of original prints to six public libraries and hospital libraries, relieving them of all tasks except the actual lending routines. The culmination of this pilot project was the foundation of the Artothek Centre (Stiftelsen Artoteksentralen) in 1986. The Artothek Centre circulates small collections of prints to libraries throughout the country on a subscription basis, and has so far been a success. The prints are lent to the public free of charge.

The inter-relationship between art librarians and artists/designers in the public library sector in America has been a reality since the early 20th century when libraries were organized into subject departments. This specialized clientele is eclectic and ranges from novices to the most accomplished artists and includes architects, art directors, illustrators, calligraphers, craftspeople and photographers in addition to painters, sculptors and graphic artists. Materials and services in public art libraries are highly diversified and the literature of other disciplines is also readily available. The increase in art exhibitions and special collections is noted in addition to a new focus on information for career opportunities, art law and the handicapped. Current developments set the stage for the continuing symbiotic relationship between public art librarians and artists/designers into the 21st century.

Despite apparent reluctance amongst academic art libraries, the nature of art and of education justify an extension of their activities into the local community. Publication and the loan of work produced by the academy are two of many suitable techniques, but availability of a qualified subject specialist librarian is seen as crucial. Predicted increases in free time will lead to an increase in the study and practice of art. The academic art library should now aim to become a community art focus.

The art libraries in Sydney exist to provide a service for their immediate clients. However, there is considerable interest in meeting the needs of the art community and the teaching profession as well as the wider community. Sydney’s art libraries, including several academic libraries, co-operate with each other in a number of ways from the extremely structured through the membership of CLANN (Co-operative Library Activity Network, NSW) to ad hoc arrangements involving individual libraries and librarians.