GOOGLE is probably the first port of call today for students researching the work of a particular painter, sculptor or photographer – but they may be surprised to learn that a far more extensive resource can be found in a Cornish public library.

Cornwall Library Art Collection, which contains some 6,000 volumes, plus DVDs and videos, covering the history of art from cave paintings to present-day installations, has been described as "invaluable" by artists, students and journalists.

Set up more than 30 years ago, it has grown from a single shelf of cast-offs to an entire department.

Housed at the public library in Morrab Road, Penzance, the collection has had a single custodian since it was established in 1976. Liz Le Grice – Cornwall's Art Librarian – has been personally responsible for caring, cataloguing, gathering, developing and defending the resource.

"I love it so much because the shelves are alive to me," she said. "I know every book, where it came from, whether it was given to the library or bought, which local artist suggested I obtain a certain book for the collection, or which book has been important to and influenced a particular artist here in Cornwall."

Liz has always had an interest in what was to become her chosen field. She grew up on her family's flower farm at Canon's Town, near Hayle, from where, in the 1920s, her father, Peter Mumford, travelled to boarding school in Penzance by pony and trap with Peter Lanyon, who went on to become one of Cornwall's most celebrated painters.

It was perhaps an early exposure to West Cornwall's creative community that sparked an interest that has lasted a lifetime. Liz studied pottery at Redruth School of Art before attending the University of Aberystwyth and being appointed deputy librarian at Chelsea School of Art. Then, tiring of London, she returned home to Cornwall in search of work.

"I didn't really get on with city life and was keen to live and work back home in Cornwall. I applied for a job as a librarian and when I went to the interview I was told that the library service was thinking about setting up an art library and that they wanted someone to run it. I suppose I was the obvious choice because I had all the right qualifications – so I just walked into it the job."

She explained that to begin with it was a small operation, initially gathering art books of any kind that had been discarded by Cornwall's other public libraries. A generous annual book fund, provided by the council, allowed Liz to concentrate on specific areas of interest and to gradually build up a logical selection of titles across various genres, periods and parts of the world.

Her knowledge – which has been regularly topped up over the years by attending courses and studying with the Open University – enables her to lay her hand on virtually anything a library user requests.

"You can't know the whole of art just from your college years so you have to keep learning, exploring, understanding," she said.

Liz also has a devilishly keen fascination in classification techniques – something she is equally keen to share with anyone foolish enough to show even a passing interest. If you're at a loose end for a couple of hours, your caffeine levels are high and you've nothing better to do, you might like to pop in and have Liz explain her love of indexing... though I don't recommend it. Much better to get her on the subject of Modigliani or Pissaro or Rothko or Tunnard or Brzeska, for which she'll entertain and inform you with enthusiasm, sparkle and wit.

As well as the art fund, Liz says she has been amazed by the generosity of local artists who have donated or bequeathed volumes from the own collections, some of which are extremely rare.

"Some people, like Breon O'Casey and Paul Feiler, have been particularly kind, giving the art library books which we would otherwise not be able to afford."

The resource, which includes a smaller collection at St Ives Library, has close connections with the art school next door in Morrab Road, nearby Penlee Museum and Art Gallery, and Falmouth School of Art.

"People come from all over Cornwall and further afield to consult our stock and very often they can't quite believe it is all here for lending. It is a resource that a lot of people are simply unaware of.

"We also lend books to other parts of the UK because there are very few collections of books about art left in public libraries. All aspects of creativity are covered – painting, pottery, sculpture, photography, architecture, crafts, art theory, fashion, textiles, drawing, skateboard art. We also cover all periods, from ancient times through the Renaissance, medieval art, gothic art and the Impressionists, to the contemporary period. The books in here are a far, far greater resource that can be found on the Internet.

"Another strength of the collection is that it's not just about Cornwall. Of course there is a huge section dedicated to Cornish artists and those who worked in Cornwall, but it covers every part of the world and every movement. I like to think we have something on every aspect of art."

She said the Cornish lending section is always popular, as are books on American contemporary painters, with Islamic art also being of particular interest at the moment. Interest and lending reflects popular trends and some books are bought in response to the national curriculum.

As well as the books, DVDs and videos, Liz has a fully indexed archive of catalogues going back several decades, making it possible to discover exactly which paintings an artist exhibited, where and when.

Whether it is Sandra Blow or Alfred Munnings, Breon O'Casey or Kurt Jackson, Dod Proctor or Roger Hilton, Matisse or Mapplethorpe, Picasso or Banksey, there is no doubt that Cornwall Library Art Collection is a valuable and important resource for formal study, inspiration and enjoyment. But don't just take my word for it...

Sara Hughes, curator at Tate St Ives, said: "I regularly use the art collections at both Penzance and St Ives libraries and find it fantastic for books and films on contemporary and historic artists who have lived and worked in Cornwall, as well as national and international figures. To find such a collection in a regional library is a great surprise and I hope it continues to grow with the changing needs of readers and the changing trends of the art world."

Author and respected art journalist Michael Bird said: "It is a marvellous resource. As far as I know it is unique in the public library sector and would be an impressive collection even for a major university library.

"As a writer and lecturer, and a consultant working in the museums and heritage sector, I have used the art library regularly since moving to Cornwall in 1994. It is one of the chief resources that enables me to base my working life in Cornwall. Apart from the art library's value for specific areas of research, it is amazing how often, while browsing on open shelves, I have come across an unexpected title that has led to new ideas and creative projects."

Cornwall Library Art Collection at Morrab Road, Penzance, is open for reference and lending during normal library hours.