Samuel J. Redman Says Government officials need to understand the monumental task assigned to those caring for collections in museums, libraries and archives. Collections managers, librarians, and archivists are often combating a long history of limited funds, in addition to a long history of human error and outmoded systems. Before pinning the blame on the librarians and archivists who work at the Library of Congress, congressional officials themselves should examine their own record of caring for our nations’ heritage.
Museums
The future of the book: Libraries as museums?
Katie Krueger Wonders Will this idyllic scene – girl with book in nature – soon be something we can only read about? Will the book disappear? A panel at the WI Book Festival this past weekend seemed to think so. In Defense of Change: The Changing Nature of the Book was a panel of two book sellers, two publishers, and literary agent discussing how the book world has changed. With a few exceptions, the discussion hovered around the challenges of the new world: Decreasing book sales. Amazon.com’s Ubiquity. Rising text book prices. A growing used book market. Declining numbers of readers.
Free Museum Day is Tomorrow 9-29-2007
JET writes “Museum Day is a nationwide event taking place on Saturday, September 29, 2007 where participating museums and cultural institutions across the country offer free admission to Smithsonian readers and Smithsonian.com visitors, allowing for one day only, the free-admission policy of Smithsonian’s Washington, D.C.-based facilities to be emulated across the country.
This year you must present an admission card to the museums. Information on how to get this card can be found at this link
http://www.smithsonianmagazine.com/museumday/“
12 presidential libraries and museums illuminate history
Here’s One on our lovely presidential libraries. A few common themes course through the 12 U.S. presidential libraries: election memorabilia, famous speeches, gifts from dignitaries and gowns worn by the first ladies.
Yet, the 12 libraries also have their own styles.
Only at Ronald Reagan’s library can visitors tour the inside of a real Air Force One, the plane used for presidential travel. Some presidential library sites include the president’s final resting place.
May is Free Museum Month, for BOA cardholders
mdoneil writes “Bank of America is underwriting admission fees to museums. Many museums in a dozen or so states are participating. A BOA credit card, ATM, or MBNA card plus ID will get you into 85+ museums for free.
I wouldn’t run out and open a BOA card just to get this, but since I already have one I may take advantage of it.
For the complete scoop see the BOA Museums on Us website.
If it is free, it is for me!”
LibLime Koha is Chosen by the Guggenheim Museum
Tina N. Burger dropped by to spread The Word on The Guggenheim Museum going with Koha. The Guggenheim chose LibLime for its open-source expertise, and is confident that the partnership will better enable the museum to achieve its future library automation goals: “Working with LibLime will greatly reduce the learning curve that presents itself in most new projects. As we are undertaking this project with the intent to adapt the system to our needs, rather than implementing a known system, their knowledge is invaluable.”
British Natural History Museum testing on remains
darakat writes “It appears that the British Natural History Museum have been doing something a bit naughty buy testing on Australian aboriginal remains despite agreeing that it would stop. “The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC) has been negotiating with the museum for the return of the remains since 2000. The museum agreed to the request last year, but it subsequently started scientific testing on the culturally-sensitive material. The British High Court is currently in a case with the TAC and the British Natural History Museum on weather or not the remains should be returned. The case has some possible impacts for museums worldwide as it could set a precedent for the return of many remains otherwise that would be kept in the hands of museums as opposed to their traditional (or other) owners.
Ford Library & Museum Expects More Visitors Now
The Grand Rapids NBC affiliate reports “Gerald R. Ford’s death is expected to spark renewed interest in his life, particularly among visitors to his uniquely situated presidential library that spans two cities 130 miles apart. The museum in Grand Rapids is about to enter the spotlight. Ford will be buried there on a hillside just north of the sleek, triangular building.
While Ford’s library is one entity officially known as the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum, its document archive is in Ann Arbor and is called the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Its artifact collection is in Grand Rapids and is called the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.”
The article goes on to discuss the problems with having the collection in two locations, and the relative costs of several popular, and less popular presidential libraries.
Institute of Museum and Library Services Receives Comments on Plan to Consolidate Library Programs
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) today released a summary of comments on its draft plan for consolidating the functions of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) and the public and state library surveys of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The plan, which would go into effect in fiscal year 2008, results from President Bush’s fiscal year 2007 budget request. The draft plan (PDF, 75KB) was developed in consultation with key stakeholders including the Federal-State Cooperative System and State Library Administrative Agency survey steering committees, the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies, national library service organizations, and IMLS’s federal partners.
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