Maples Art Library

The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands (NGCI) houses the largest art reference library in the Cayman Islands. The Maples Art Library, located in the NGCI Education Centre, offers a broad range of subjects including books on European, Caribbean, and global art history, art theory, arts education, and museum and cultural studies, as well as a range of specialised periodicals and journals. The library also houses a large assortment of documentaries and films on DVD for all ages. While the library space itself is part of NGCI’s operational facility, its book holdings form part of NGCI’s collections, which includes the artworks in the Gallery’s permanent collection. The library predates the inauguration of NGCI’s current site in 2012, but with the construction of this new facility the Art library acquired its own permanent space, which was generously funded by Maples. Originally conceived as a lending library, the facility subsequently adopted a reference only policy in 2013, meaning resources can be read on-site but not loaned outside of the Gallery. Access is extended by appointment to NGCI members, full-time students, and independent scholars engaged in private study or research.