Judith Hoffberg collection, circa 1960s-2009

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Summary

Creators:
Hoffberg, Judith A.
Abstract:
Papers generated by Judith Ann Hoffberg, librarian, co-founder of the Arts Libraries Society of North America and founder of the artists' books journal Umbrella. The collection contains files related to artists' books exhibitions, organizations, travel, mail art, as well as biographical files. In addition, the collections contains artifacts, photographs, and a sizeable audiovisual component.
Extent:
125 linear feet (107 cartons and document boxes, 7 oversize boxes, 2 map-cabinet drawers, 112 audiocassettes, 20 CDs/DVDs, 19 videocassettes, 44 computer disks)
Language:
Multiple languages and Predominantly in English with some German and Italian
Preferred citation:

[Identification of Item], Judith Hoffberg collection, Printers Mss 62. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Background

Scope and content:
The collection contains the following series:
  1. Personal/Professional/Biographical. General. Includes curriculum vitae and resumes, education,grants, jobs,photographs, speaking engagements, and writings. Boxes 1-4.
  2. Conferences and Workshops. JAH spoke at or organized many of these. Boxes 4-5.
  3. Correspondence. Alphabetical (incl. Charles M. Schulz) and chronological (early, 1950s-2008). Boxes 5-8.
  4. Culture in Cyberspace, mid-latter 1990s. Emails, listservs like Book_Arts_L, web pages. Box 9.
  5. Organizations. Files for organizations JAH was a member of / participated in. Boxes 10-11.
  6. Projects. Files for projects JAH participated in. Box 11.
  7. Travel/Trips. Mainly overseas, usually with stops at galleries, museums, presses, book artists. Includes invitations, maps, guides and tour books, notes, postcards, programs, slides, and other ephemera. Boxes 12-14.
  8. Artist Books (AB) / Book Artists. Correspondence, announcements, slides, and related. Includes individuals and presses, book arts topics, arranged alphabetically by folder title, followed by chronological section for unidentified or multiple book artists. Boxes 15-56, 113.
  9. Book Arts –– By Country/Region. Includes brochures, flyers, newsletters, and other pertaining to book arts and artists, exhibits, performing arts, and related. Box 57.
  10. Exhibition Catalogs (book arts) and Magazines/Serials (book and art related), ca. 1975, 1988-1991. Book arts related. Boxes 58-59.
  11. Fluxus. Includes correspondence, exhibit and performance announcements, catalogs, lists, mongraphs, newspaper and magazine articles. Boxes 60-63.
  12. Hoffberg Book Exhibits/Shows General. Alphabetically by title/name. Boxes 64-65. "Cross + Currents" at UCSB College of Creative Studies and several other venues in U.S. and abroad. Pacific Rim focus. Boxes 66-67. Edible Books – International Festival 1-5, 2000-2008. Includes lists of items at various venues. Box 68. Women of the Book: Spiritual Journeys, Universal Themes – Exhibits, 1999-2002. Includes files for Florida Atlantic University and other venues. Boxes 69-74.
  13. International Mail Art Exhibit: In Honor and Memory of Judith A. Hoffberg. Armory Center for the Arts, Caldwell Gallery, 145 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA, June 27-Aug. 22, 2010. Includes works by mail artists and related material. Boxes 75-88.
  14. Lye, Len. New Zealand-born artist, known for his kinetic sculptures and experimental films. Boxes 89-90.
  15. Mail Art. Contains samples of mail and stamp art, artist correspondence, gallery announcements, and material/catalogs related to rubber stamping. Arranged alphabetically by mail artist; some overlap with AB series. Boxes 91-98.
  16. Sackner (Ruth and Marvin Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry). Box 99.
  17. Umbrella Records. Mostly about Hofberg's Umbrella art journal and other umbrella-related material. Boxes 100-101.
  18. Zines. Includes bibliography. Box 102.
  19. Artifacts / Objects. Bottle Books. Box 103. Small objects. Miscellany. Includes artist book prospectuses, buttons and pins, miniature book, stamps, t-shirts, travel souvenirs. Boxes 104-105.
  20. Oversize. Flat – Boxed. Bio/Personal. Education / Brandeis University scrapbook, 1951-1952. Box 106. Artist Books. Box 107-108. Early Engravings. Box 109. Early Italian Printing – Leaves, ca. 1500s-1700s. Box 109. Lye, Len – includes collection inventory. Box 109. Mail Art. Box 110. Typography. Box 111. Umbrella: Includes material by/about Christo and umbrella installation; covers and proofs of Umbrella journal. Box. 111. Map Drawers. Includes posters, broadsides, and prints, many foir exhibitions. Map Cabinet 21/9/f. 2-5; 21/10/f. 1-2.
  21. Computer Disks. Includes catalogs and other material by book artists, resumés, Umbrella subscriber lists, copies of articles written by JAH, backups of files, etc. 5 ¼" Floppy Disks.3 ½" Disks. Box 112. CD-Rs and DVD-Rs. Box 112. Zip Drive. Box 112.
  22. Audiovisual.Audio Cassettes. Arranged alphabetically. Videotapes – VHS. Arranged chronologically. CDs/DVDs. Arranged alphabetically.
Biographical / historical:

From the UCLA Hoffberg collection guide and other sources--Judith Ann Hoffberg was born May 19, 1943 in Hartford, Connecticut. She earned a BA in political science (1956), an MA in Italian language and literature (1960), and an MLS (1964) from the University of California, Los Angeles. Hoffberg worked as an art librarian at Johns Hopkins University Bologna Center in Italy, the Library of Congress, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of California San Diego, the Brand Library in Glendale, and the Smithsonian Institution. In 1973 she co-founded the Art Libraries Society of North America and served as its first chairwoman. In 1978 Hoffberg began publishing Umbrella, a journal dedicated to artists' books; she also was an authority on mail art. During her career, Hoffberg curated a number of exhibitions. In 1999 she developed the idea for the International Edible Book Festival, which is held each year on April 1 (April Fools Day). Judith Hoffberg died January 16, 2009 in Santa Monica, California. In 2010 the International Mail Art Exhibit: In Honor and Memory of Judith A. Hoffberg was mounted at the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena, California.

Physical location:
A portion of the collection is located at the Southern Regional Library Facility (SRLF).
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open for research. A portion of the collection is stored offsite. Advance notice is required for retrieval.

Terms of access:

Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Research Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Research Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Department of Special Research Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of Item], Judith Hoffberg collection, Printers Mss 62. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.

Location of this collection:
UC Santa Barbara Library
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9010, US
Contact:
(805) 893-3062
special@library.ucsb.edu
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