The Convergence of Museums and Libraries?

Abstract

There is currently a drive in many countries towards bringing museums and libraries closer together. There are a number of barriers in the shorter term which could inhibit this process. However, staff within the two types of institution could work profitably together to develop taxonomies that could be applied in the wider world, to the extent that these tools will have a future role in the networked economy. In the longer term, it seems likely that museums, as collections of physical artefacts, will continue to exist. Most libraries, however, could disappear, their physical artefacts, where these need to be preserved, coming to be looked after by the museums: museums will take over libraries, rather than converge with them.