Art museum libraries, digital age
In the 1800s, libraries were simply collections of books and very heavy in shelving and housing of materials.
MULTIMEDIA technologies have penetrated every aspect of the art museum experience and have greatly enhanced the visual effect of museum exhibitions while usefully promoting the interactive relationship between museum artifacts and the audience.
Museum library spaces have not been spared by these technological advancements as they have also been forced to move with technology in order to engage a wide range of audiences.
In the 1800s, libraries were simply collections of books and very heavy in shelving and housing of materials. However, today most libraries have become multimedia centres that contain tapes, computers, disks, films, mobile and online access to e-books, periodicals, microfilm, audio books, digital downloads, research databases and archives, magazines, music, and paintings.
In the 1800s, libraries were a preserve for scholars or the wealthy. Technology has changed the expectations of library patrons; people today expect to be able to find and access information from a wide variety of sources and on a variety of platforms.
An example of an art museum library moving with technological advancements is the Smithsonian American Art Museum. As the largest and most diverse museum library the Smithsonian Library leads in taking advantage of the opportunities of the digital society.
It provides authoritative information and creates innovative services and programs for Smithsonian Institution researchers, scholars and curators, as well as the general public, to further their quest for knowledge.
Through paper preservation and digital technologies, the Library ensures broad and enduring access to the libraries’ collections for all users.
The library also contains artists’ books, ephemeral materials, auction catalogues, scrapbooks, micro-forms, CD-ROMs and electronic links to other information resources. All can be located through the Smithsonian Libraries’ online catalogue.
Another example of a modern museum library is the Tate Modern library. There are facilities for researchers to bring laptop computers and free Wi-Fi is available. There are also computers for use when consulting Tate collections information and online databases.
Audio cassette players, microfiche reader and microfiche, film printer are available for the consultation of audiovisual material in the collections.
Many museums have long been proactive in the search for a role for digital media concepts within their spaces, from information kiosks, to digitalised libraries to animated panels, to soundand-light augmentation of exhibition spaces, and engineered simulations of large-scale phenomena.
Seeking to extend the language of engagement through the medium of accessible, customisable, and personal experiences, museums around the globe are constantly graduating from the mere display and presentation of collections to the creation of experiences that respond to their digitally advanced visitors’ evolving needs and expectations.
Due to the pressure to increase visitor numbers, museums have increasingly worked to attract new audiences to their exhibitions, especially children and the youth.
One common approach is to use digital technologies to craft interactive installations that are then placed inside the exhibition space. These multimedia exhibits are intended to entertain, animate, and educate and to foster audience engagement at the museum. It has also become a necessity to digitalise museum libraries in order to meet the constantly changing need of library users.
It is in this light that the National Gallery of Zimbabwe is in the process of revamping the Thomas Meikle library where books are the predominant feature.
The aim is to connect new audiences with collections through compelling digital experiences; audiences who engage with multimedia online and attend live cultural events but who rarely engage with heritage materials online.
The library which serves as a reading space for students will serve as the multipurpose space for students, artists, art critics and researchers and will provide viewing space for video art, film, documentaries as well as host storytelling session for children.
Museum libraries are prime institutions facilitating and enhancing research, teaching, learning, sharing, appreciation and continuous improvement and development of knowledge in the arts, cultural heritage and more. The library is there to facilitate research and at the same time, preserve and conserve published works for the education of present and future generations of Zimbabwe.
In existence for over 50 years, the Thomas Meikle Library, situated within the National Gallery of Zimbabwe, has a unique collection of reading material on art from all over the world.
The collection comprises of a variety of reading material covering general art, area planning and landscape architecture, sculpture, ceramics and metalwork, graphic arts and decorative arts, painting, design, printmaking and prints, photography, computer art, film and video, music, sports, games and entertainment.
The library currently offers access to WI-FI, printing and binding services. The library stocks a very good range of back issues of artistic journals photographs as well as dissertation slides. There are also collections of artistic catalogues from around the world for readers. Using the online catalogue http://www.nationalgallery.co.zw/index.php/services/library, one can search for available books by author, title, subject and call number.
There is no doubt that technology has had a lasting impact on libraries. Once thought to be going the way of traditional bookstores, libraries have rebounded and are thriving in a technology fuelled world. With the help of innovation, re-imagination and vision, libraries are embracing new technologies while creating dynamic community centres filled with life. They are no longer a house of dusty books and card files; they are centres of creativity, research and collaboration.
Museum libraries in the future will continue to change and respond to the way members of the public seek knowledge. The library will be shaped in ways that support and enhance navigation and exchange of these new forms of information. As more and more demands are made on people’s time, library services will be delivered in ways that are digitally based or conveniently located in public places for people on the go.