From the Ashes of Alexandria: What\'s Happening in the College Library?

Revisiting the Mouseion: Opportunities for Library/Museum Collaboration. Libraries and museums, our keen civic collections, stand up at the contact of all disciplines, be direct descendants of the Mouseion at Alexandria. both(prenominal) fuddle evolved into exceedingly specialized institutions save argon nonoperational dedicated to the present that vast collections of objects and ideas, befittingly assembled and classified, atomic number 18 all-important(a) to the human pick up for meaning, on a lower floorstanding, and beauty. Once near united as p artifices of the synagogue of the muses, the musaeum, the studio and studiolo, and the console of wonders (Wunderkammer) (Findlen 1989), they atomic number 18 instantaneously distant cousins, except speaking the selfsame(prenominal) language but politely acknowledging that they should narrow together erstwhile(prenominal) to discuss their leafy vegetable heritage and what it efficiency mean to them today. The on -line(prenominal) climate of (once again) reinventing libraries and museums makes this a propitious period for coaction. Both museums and libraries are deeply convolute with strengthening their educational roles; redefining their relationships with users; rethinking the use of stead for people and collections; creating, organizing, and delivering digital content; and lovable in advocacy and outreach for culture and for unsanded forms of literacy. Both types of institutions are concerned almost predictions of diminishing audiences and diminish budgets. These are close to of the challenges on which the give of Museum and Library Services, for example, is focusing as it funds a get down of activities to encourage and prevail increased collaboration in the midst of libraries and museums. \nCollege libraries and art galleries and museums are particularly well positioned to issue leadership in collaborations designed to combine collections with curricula and to cultiva te the future(a) generation of go forers of the liberal arts, of libraries, and of museums. wherefore? Colleges are relatively small and much flexible than their university counterparts. They lean on a more propose scale and digest close connections to the programme and to their communities. Their liberal arts graduates go on to pursue womb-to-tomb learning and to operate positions of influence. As bigger institutions are, colleges are under pressure from the institution to find ship canal to contain be and to optimize the survey of existing institutional resources. We are root word to see more collaboration between libraries and museums in high education, particularly in the digital arena. pursual are some areas for collaboration that have potential to encourage educational goals, break dance programmatic and cost efficiencies, and launch how academic support units can join forces to expand nurture access. These collaborations will pronounce how campus learn ing spaces are designed, equipped, supported, and located. \n