New York, NY – May 14, 2014 – The New York School of Interior Design is pleased to announce the appointment of Billy Chi Hing Kwan as the Director of the Library. Kwan brings nearly two decades of experience managing library resources and digital content at a variety of prestigious museums and universities.

Philadelphia Museum of Art where he was the assistant library director. Prior to that he served as the associate museum librarian/systems at the Image Library at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the assistant director of library technical services at Harvard Business School. He has also held positions at the University of Massachusetts, the University of Maryland, and as assistant curator of Chinese painting and calligraphy at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. He received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Hong Kong and a Master of Library and Information Studies degree from McGill University.

“Billy brings an impressive array of knowledge and experience to this position,” said NYSID president David Sprouls. “And he joins NYSID at a critical juncture when we are preparing to celebrate our Centennial in 2016. The Library, and the NYSID Interior Design Archives, will play a pivotal role in the documentation of our first 100 years.”

Kwan is active in professional organizations including the Visual Resources Association (VRA), Museum Computer Network (MCN) and Art Libraries Society of North America (ARLIS/NA), and he has written and spoken on a variety of issues in metadata, digitization and digital asset management. He has served as board member, committee or interest group chair for several professional groups including VRA and MCN both at the national and local levels. He is fluent in Chinese and English, proficient in French and has a working knowledge of Japanese.

The Library at the New York School of Interior Design holds more than 15,000 books and journals on architecture, design, decorative arts, art history, construction codes and standards, and sustainable design. The library also holds a broad range of digital resources, such as journals, digital images, and e-Books. The Library maintains two materials collections that provide a wide selection of donated samples for students to use in projects -- the Mario Buatta Materials Atelier, on the 2nd floor of the 70th Street building, and the Ruth and C.J. Trimble Materials Collection, at the Graduate Center, which focuses on sustainable design.

The Friends of the Library is a membership group that consists of alumni and other designers as well as aficionados of interior design. The members come together twice a year for programs and unique events that provide behind the scene views of such issues as collection, library design and innovation.

--

About New York School of Interior Design
Founded in 1916, the New York School of Interior Design (NYSID) is a private, not-for-profit college devoted exclusively to interior design education and related disciplines. NYSID’s guiding principle is that the interior environment is a fundamental element of human welfare and the College is committed to actively improving the quality of life for all segments of humanity. This ideal is put into practice by a dedicated faculty of well-known designers, architects, art historians, and authorities in the field who guide more than 700 full- and part-time students.

NYSID offers certificate, undergraduate, and graduate programs in the field of interior design, design history and theory, sustainable design, interior lighting design, and healthcare interior design. A wide range of classes are also offered through the Institute for Continuing and Professional Studies. The College is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD); is a Candidate for Accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education; and NYSID’s BFA and MFA-1 programs are accredited by the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).