A comment, or perhaps an observation, raised by the recent discussions
here about the N-YHS, the Guggenheim, NYU, and etc.:
 
It is now, and always has been, easier for institutions to raise money
when donors can see where their money goes:  onto brass plaques on the
outsides of buildings or galleries, where their friends and those socially
and financially envious can see them.  It is very difficult to raise funds
for the day-to-day operating expenses of museums, academic institutions,
and libraries.  It is hard to memorialize someone with slide mounts, book
plates, or other materials; they simply aren't grand enough.  As a consequence,
libraries, archives, and other repositories of the museum's life are
neglected.  The Guggenheim and the N-YHS are worst-case scenarios.
 
Perhaps Museum-L is a good place to generate ideas about how to combat the
trend.
 
Jenni Rodda, Curator, Visual Resources Collections
Institute of Fine Arts
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