With a circulating collection of more than 150,000 books, RISD’s library—a beautiful space within the Mandle Center for Living and Learning—offers excellent resources in art, design, architecture and more. Here you’ll also find a Materials Resource Center, many artist’s books and other items of interest to artists and designers.
Inspiring collections for art and design research
Founded in 1878, Fleet Library at RISD is one of the country's oldest independent art college libraries. Its circulating collection offers depth and richness in the areas of art, architecture, design and photography.
The library provides historical and contemporary perspectives and specialized materials in landscape architecture, ceramics, textiles and jewelry to support research. It also holds a notable artist’s books collection, rare books, 400-plus periodical subscriptions and outstanding visual resources.
Recent library exhibitions and news
Stacked and Altered
Artist Jared Bark challenges viewers to question their relationship with books in an ongoing exhibition in RISD’s Fleet Library.
Handcrafted Gems
Submissions to the eighth annual Baker & Whitehill Student Artists’ Book Contest beautifully marry craft and content.
Voices from the Archives
Fleet Library at RISD digitizes hundreds of historic lectures and interviews now available to the public online.