Book Arts collections are held in several locations at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's University. The primary tools for finding materials in these collections are listed below. Be sure to ask a librarian if you need assistance in using the collections.

CSB Artists Books

Clemens Library houses a collection of modern artists' books, broadsides, and fine press publications The collection includes early letterpress works from Graywolf Press, poetry from the CSB Literary Arts Institute, and samples of student work as well as titles by well known book artists. Browse and search the Artists' Books collection on Vivarium to find full descriptions of particular items. View our slide show to see representative examples from our collection. Or check out one of our flip books to view an entire artists' book online.

CSB & SJU Libraries

The Library Catalog provides access to a broad array of resources for the study of book arts. Use the catalog to find rare books in both the CSB and SJU Special Collections, to find facsimiles of important works in book history, and to find information about book arts in the circulating collections of both libraries. CSB artists' books are also listed in the library catalog.

Hill Museum & Manuscript Library

The Hill Museum & Manuscript Library preserves manuscripts, printed books and art at Saint John's University and undertakes photographic projects in regions throughout the world. As a "library of libraries," most of its holdings consist of microfilms or digital images of manuscripts held by other institutions. HMML also has its own collections of manuscripts, printed books, and art.

Arca Artium

Arca Artium, "Ark of the Arts", is a special collection within the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library. The collection focuses on the book arts, graphic art, liturgical art, and architecture. Arca Artium has excellent examples of the manuscript tradition, the transition to printing with moveable type and the history of fine printing houses, ancient through contemporary.

The Saint John's Bible

The Saint John's Bible is a modern manuscript Bible commissioned by Saint John's Abbey and University. Both the calligraphy and illuminations are original artwork.