The Special Collections at Camberwell College of Arts Library are used for teaching, learning and research, and include a wide range of materials reflecting past and present courses at the college.
Resources of note include illustrated books, a small collection of artists’ books and book arts items, selected design, fine art and photography books, and the Camberwell College Archive which reflects the institution’s history.
Access to items within this collection (with the exception of ILEA) is available Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm.
Staff and students can request items at the library information desk which will then be made available for viewing within the hour.
For external visitors, or if travelling to Camberwell to view a specific item or several items, it is advisable check the library catalogue and to book in advance by email so that we can ensure the resources are available and ready for viewing. Booking and contact details are at the bottom of this page.
Camberwell College of Arts Archive
This is a collection of primary material documenting the history of Camberwell College of Arts from 1898 to the present. It includes prospectuses, minutes of meetings of Boards of Governors, exhibition and degree show catalogues, photographs, degree show slides, private view cards and other College ephemera. The collection is catalogued and available for researchers to use.
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Please note - to see details of all the records in the collection click the number under ‘Ref No’.
To view material from the college archive please contact Grace O'Driscoll to book an appointment.
Alternatively, submit a request via ASK. Your enquiry will be forwarded to the collections team at Camberwell.
Artists' books
This small collection of artists' books began in the 1990s, initially with works by Camberwell students - particularly from the MA Book Arts course of the time. The collection has grown to include a small number of significant examples from external artists and publishers, to support research, teaching and learning at the College.
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Designer Toys Collection
This collection comprises of around 50 vinyl toys collected by the college library in late 1990s and early 2000’s. It includes work by artists and designers active in illustration, animation, graphic design and 3D design, with works by James Jarvis, Gary Baseman, and Michael Lau or Mori Chack. Most items in this collection retain their original retail packaging.
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Walter Crane Collection
The Walter Crane Collection contains over 150 books written or illustrated by, or about, Walter Crane (1845-1915). Crane was an illustrator, educationalist and social reformer. This historic collection includes numerous first or rare editions and was given by Lewis F. Day to his goddaughter and was subsequently acquired by the College for the library as a learning and research resource supporting illustration and design courses. Additional items relating to Walter Crane are available in the library’s main collection and in the Special Collection.
Selected items from this collection were part of a South London Gallery exhibition titled ‘Nils Norman: Geocruiser’ (2001). This exhibition presented the work of Walter Crane alongside that of contemporary artist Nils Norman. Books from the collection were also exhibited as part of the ‘James Joyce and other stories: books at the London Institute’ exhibition held at the London Institute Gallery (1999).
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The Camberwell Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) Collection
This collection was established in 1951/52 as the ‘Experiment in Design Appreciation’, later renamed the ‘Circulating Design Scheme’. The scheme was concerned with the teaching and dissemination of modern ‘good design’ through the circulation of boxed showcases which were loaned to London schools. Comprising c.2,000-5,000 objects (this figure is an estimate only as the collection has not yet been fully catalogued), the collection is a time capsule of mid-century design.
It includes domestic ware, studio pottery and examples of ethnographic objects from Commonwealth countries. Material dates from c.1951-1976, with a small selection of 19th century objects. The collection also contains examples of objects which were exhibited in the Design Centre London, as chosen by the Council of Industrial Design. The collection is an excellent resource for researchers of design history, design pedagogy, material culture and museology. The collection is supplemented by a small amount of archival material relating to the administration of the scheme - including photographs, record cards and inventory lists.
Discover The Camberwell Inner London Education Authority (ILEA) Collection
For more information contact us at archive-enquires@arts.ac.uk.
Booking and contact details
Access to items from the Camberwell Special Collections* for UAL students and Staff can be arranged by requesting the item from the library information desk. The item will be made available for viewing within an hour*, often sooner.
*Please note that this does not include the Camberwell College Archive or the ILEA collection.
If you are an external visitor or you are travelling to the Camberwell site to consult a specific item or items, please do check with us 48 working hours in advance so that we can ensure the items are available and ready for you. This can be done by emailing Grace O’ Driscoll
Alternatively, you can contact us via Ask. Your request will be passed on to the collections team at Camberwell. We will get back to you as soon as we can confirm availability.
Access to the Camberwell College Archive can be arranged by appointment only. Appointments can be booked by emailing Grace O’ Driscoll , or alternatively by you can contact us via Ask. Your request will be passed on to the collections team at Camberwell.
Please do contact us with a minimum of two weeks’ notice before your intended visit. We are happy to respond to initial archive queries by email, for example confirming what items might be available regarding persons, courses or time periods. Scans may also be supplied where available.
Please Note - we do not hold any student or alumna records in the Camberwell College of Arts Archive.
The Camberwell ILEA Collection is managed by the Archives and Special Collections Centre. To make arrangements to see this collection, please contact archive-enquiries@arts.ac.uk.