Yeah, well, and it might do museums--particularly history museums--a hell
of a lot of good if they were seen as COLLECTIONS--libraries of
objects--the way libraries and archives are seen as collections of books,
manuscripts, and records, instead of trying to occupy positions as places
that teach, or as entertainment attractions.

----------
> From: Georgen Gilliam <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: MUSEUM/LIBRARY/ARCHIVE RELATIONSHIPS
> Date: 10 October 1997 10:29
>
> Hello.
>
> I'm writing a paper on the delineations between museums, libraries, and
> archives. Library and archival education is mainly taught within library
> and information studies departments (although there are some archival
> studies departments, they usually share faculty with the library school).
> Within the field of LIS, there is a big pull toward seeing computer
science
> as an allied discipline; but there doesn't seem to be any view that
museum
> studies could fit under that umbrella as well. However, libraries have
> books, and often archives. Archives have books, and usually museum
objects.
> Museums often have libraries and usually archives. All three involve
> collecting, cataloging, offering reference services, educationing,
managing
> people. And they're also merged at the governmental level now with the
> formation of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
>
> I know that in the Renaissance, educated people built collections for
> study, and those collections included books and objects. Often these
> collections were later given to institutions and served as the basis for
> libraries and museums.
>
> As a first-year doctoral student in Library & Information Studies, these
> distinctions interest me and am confused as to why museums and libraries
> and archives aren't seen as more kindred institutions.
>
> If anyone has any opinions/references about this, I'd be glad to see
them.
>
> Georgen
>
> ////==\\\\==////==\\\\==////==\\\\==////==\\\\==////==\\\\
> Georgen Gilliam
> [log in to unmask]
> Doctoral student, Department of Library & Information Studies, Archives
> emphasis
> Assistant, Conservation Lab, State Historical Society of Wisconson
> University of Wisconsin-Madison
> homepage: http://slisweb.lis.wisc.edu/ggilliam/
> \\\\==////==\\\\==////==\\\\==////==\\\\==////==\\\\==////