Starting Sunday, the Braddock Carnegie Library will expand its lending offerings to something a bit more visual thanks to a partnership with the 2013 Carnegie International.
Patrons will now be able to check out original artwork along with traditional library offerings.
“It works just like any other library collection,” said Ryan Coon, with the Sprout Fund. “People with an Allegheny County library card will be able to check out works of art by both past and contemporary artists and take them home for a period of time. It’s just like any other lending library except instead of books, it’s original works of art.”
One of the goals is to ensure that people who might not otherwise have access to art can access it easily. A library card holder can check out individual or multiple pieces of art which can be used as temporary home décor and more.
“Educators can also check them out and use them in educational settings, both in schools and out of schools,” Coon said. “Community spaces would be able to adorn a space for a community event or a program that would then be illuminated by some of these artworks.”
Artwork in the collection is from local, national and international artists, many of whom are participating in the Carnegie International. People attending the International at the Carnegie Museum of Art will be offered a shuttle service to Braddock to access the art lending library pieces.
“Most of them are prints, originals of a series, there’s also some 3D work like sculpture and pieces like that, and there’s some one of a kinds as well,” Coon said. “But mostly, it is prints from original series.”
Sunday’s launch of “All you can Art” will feature a temporary local art exhibit, a selection of the works featured in the lending collection and art-making activities. The works in the lending collection are being permanently gifted to the Carnegie Braddock Library and will be cataloged as part of the library’s collection.
The artwork can be checked out for three weeks, the same timeframe as a book, with the option to renew for another three weeks. Some precautions against damage are being taken, the pieces will be transported in padded bags and the prints are easily re-framed. If there is damage to a checked out piece, a flat fee of $100 will be charged to the lendee.
