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Georgia O'Keeffe's Personal Libraries

Georgia O’Keeffe had a book collection of more than 3,000 titles between her houses in Ghost Ranch and Abiquiú. Use this guide to learn more about her personal book collection and how they can be accessed.

About Georgia O'Keeffe's Personal Libraries

Georgia O'Keeffe sitting on the edge of her bed, dressed in a black wrap dress and black shoes, looking down at a book that she is holding. Her feet are on a patterned rug.
John Loengard. Holding a Book by Leonard Baskin, Bedroom, Abiquiú, 1966. © John Loengard.

Georgia O’Keeffe had a book collection of more than 3,000 titles between the collections at her Ghost Ranch and Abiquiú homes. Many of these publications contain inscriptions, annotations, letters, or other found material, offering personal insight into her network of writers, friends, and intellectuals.

Though O'Keeffe did not make the distinction between the books kept at each property, we work with them as two different collections because of acquisition history and slight processing differences. Both collections are cataloged and the records are available in the library’s catalog. Use this guide to learn more about her personal book collection and how they can be accessed.

Abiquiú Bookroom

The Abiquiú Bookroom is Georgia O'Keeffe's personal book collection from her Abiquiú home. At this house O'Keeffe had a dedicated room to store her books. This room is known as the "Bookroom".

  • The majority of this collection is located offsite
  • Material must be requested two weeks prior to a scheduled research appointment
  • Requests for materials held offsite are limited to 10 items for full day appointments, and 5 items for half day appointments

Ghost Ranch Library

The Ghost Ranch Library is Georgia O'Keeffe's personal book collection from her Ghost Ranch home. There was not a dedicated room for the books at the Ghost Ranch home. Books were kept on shelves around the house.

  • This collection is located at the Engl Library & Archive
  • Material must be requested 5 business days prior to a scheduled research appointment

 Georgia O'Keeffe's bedroom interior with painting hanging on wall, black chow dog asleep on bed and stacks of books along wall.

John Loengard. Bedroom, Ghost Ranch, 1967. Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. Gift of The Georgia O'Keeffe Foundation. © John Loengard.