About Our Library

The Kohler Art Library is located in the Conrad A. Elvehjem Building, along with the Chazen Museum of Art and the Department of Art History.  It is part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison General Library System and serves as the primary resource on campus for materials and information regarding the visual arts of painting, drawing, architecture, sculpture, graphic arts, photography, decorative arts, fashion, textiles, and design. Materials related to the arts of all time periods and all geographic areas are collected. Although researchers are drawn mainly from the UW faculty and student community, the Kohler Art Library also welcomes members of the general public with interest in the visual arts.

The library houses one of the largest artists’ books collections to be found at a public university in North America. Community visitors and students from around the state and beyond are invited to learn about book arts by visiting the library to view examples from the Artists’ Book Collection.

Study Areas

The library has fourteen large study tables (with seating for four) in the general reading area, plus additional individual study tables and comfortable study seating. Room 160B in the library may be reserved as a study room.

Food and Drink Policy

To protect the collections, no food is allowed in the stacks. Food and drinks with covers are allowed at the study tables.

Guide for Visiting UW Madison Libraries

UW-Madison is home to many libraries, working as one to provide access to collections and databases covering every field of scholarship. For more information on navigating campus, using collections, and parking, please visit this page.