J. Paul Getty Trust, Publications records, 1975-1999

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Summary

Title:
Records
Dates:
1975-1999
Creators:
J. Paul Getty Museum. Publications
Abstract:
These records were generated by the J. Paul Getty Trust Publications offices and departments and its related Editorial Committee during the course of day-to-day operations. The records comprise correspondence, memoranda, publishing proposals, budget information (including information from the J. Paul Getty Museum bookstore and the Getty Education Institute), and legal documents, 1975-1999. The bulk of the material contains meeting minutes and agendas; many of these meetings were the occasion to discuss publishing proposals. The records also include documentation on the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals, and miscellaneous files regarding publishing activities of the Museum.
Extent:
1.88 linear feet (5 boxes)
Language:
Collection material is in English
Preferred citation:

[Cite the item and series (as appropriate)], Records, 1975-1999, Getty Trust Publications, J. Paul Getty Trust. Institutional Archives, Getty Research Institute, Research Library, Finding Aid no. IA20005.

Background

Scope and content:

The records include correspondence, memoranda, meeting agenda and minutes, book proposals, spreadsheets, royalty statements, contracts, letters of agreement, reports, press releases, and production logs, dating 1975-1999, of the Getty Publications Office at the J. Paul Getty Trust. The meeting minutes and agendas seem to be complete from the period 1988 to 1998, and contain a great detail on the process of bringing a proposal to publication. The agendas of meetings of the office's Editorial Committee include full book project development proposals and recommendations.

The records also include information about the continued publication of the Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals, specifically the transition from print version to CD-ROM version, and the role of the publisher G.K. Hall in that transition. Included in this series are original, and amended contracts between G.K. Hall, Getty Trust Publications, and Columbia University, the author of the Avery Index.

Also included are miscellaneous files regarding special events in which the Publications Office was involved, and records of royalty payments and correspondence to Norman Neuerburg, author of From Herculaneum to Malibu.

Organization

These records are organized in four series: Series I. Meeting minutes, 1988-1998; Series II. Budget and financial information, 1977-1999; Series III. Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals, 1993-1999; Series IV. Miscellaneous files, 1975-1998.

Biographical / historical:

The J. Paul Getty Trust is a not-for-profit institution, educational in purpose and character, that focuses on the visual arts in all of their dimensions. As of 2009 the Trust supports and oversees four programs: the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Getty Foundation, the Getty Conservation Institute, and the Getty Research Institute. The J. Paul Getty Trust and Getty programs serve a varied audience from two locations: the Getty Center in Los Angeles and the Getty Villa near Malibu, California.

The origins of the J. Paul Getty Trust date to 1953, when J. Paul Getty established the J. Paul Getty Museum as a California charitable trust to house his growing art collections. Mr. Getty died in 1976 and bequeathed the majority of his estate to the museum trust. In 1981 the trust began a year of exploration to determine where it would focus its resources and energies in order to make the greatest possible contribution to the field of art and art history as a whole. Out of this resolve grew an expanded commitment to the arts in the general areas of scholarship, conservation, and education. This took the shape of new Getty programs including the Center for the History of Arts and Humanities, Art History Information Institute, Conservation Institute, and Center for Education in the Arts as well as smaller programs such as the Museum Management Institute and the Program for Art on Film. In 1983 the estate funds became available to the museum trust, the trust's name was officially changed from the J. Paul Getty Museum to the J. Paul Getty Trust, and the museum became an operating program under the trust, retaining the name the J. Paul Getty Museum.

The Publications office / department was originally established as part of the Museum and is frequently referred to as "Getty Publications." With the founding of the Trust in 1983, the Publications department became responsible for the publications produced by the J. Paul Getty Trust and its operating programs. Since then Publications has undergone considerable restructuring. Over the years the administration of the Publications department has shifted back and forth several times between the Museum and the Trust, and at times there have been separate publications departments within various Getty programs.

In recent years Publications' primary focus has been the editing, design, production, and marketing of exhibition catalogs and books for the J. Paul Getty Museum, Getty Conservation Institute, and Getty Research Institute, including books on art, photography, art history, and children’s literature. Historically Publications has also produced a wider variety of materials, including Trust reports and ephemera such as event invitations, newsletters, informational brochures, site and gallery maps, and other visitor handouts.

Acquisition information:
The records in this finding aid originated in accession no. 2004.IA.01.
Processing information:

A preliminary inventory of the records was done prior to 2004 by Institutional Archives part-time staff. In 2005, Sue Luftschein rehoused the records encoded this finding aid based, in part, on the original inventory.

Physical location:
To access physical materials at the Getty, go to the library catalog record for this collection and click "Request an Item." Click here for general library access policy. See the Administrative Information section of this finding aid for access restrictions specific to the records described below. Please note, some of the records may be stored off site; advanced notice is required for access to these materials.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Sue Luftschein
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2010-09-15T14:36-0700

Access and use

Restrictions:

The records in accession 2004.IA.01, subject to review for permanently closed information, are open to qualified researchers. Requests for access will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

The following types of records are permanently closed: records containing personal information, records that compromise security or operations, legal communications, legal work product, and records related to donors. The J. Paul Getty Trust reserves the right to restrict access to any records held by the Institutional Archives.

Terms of access:

Contact Library Rights and Reproductions.

Preferred citation:

[Cite the item and series (as appropriate)], Records, 1975-1999, Getty Trust Publications, J. Paul Getty Trust. Institutional Archives, Getty Research Institute, Research Library, Finding Aid no. IA20005.

Location of this collection:
1200 Getty Center Drive, Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90049-1688, US
Contact:
(310) 440-7390
Website