Libraries, Archives, and Museums: Achieving Scale and Relevance in the Digital Age

James Michalko

Abstract

Over the years, I have heard many apologia for libraries, archives, and museums: why they are important, why they matter, and why we should care. In most cases, particularly in North America, the defense at some point invokes the role that cultural institutions play in the structure of a successful democracy: their support for the free flow of information that makes for an informed citizenry, and the preservation of a record of knowledge that enables choice and progress. Despite the fact that they are integrally bound up with American culture, I endorse all of those arguments; yet I do not . . .

Full Text:

PDF


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Article Views (By Year/Month)

2025
January: 6
February: 5
March: 10
April: 10
May: 13
June: 11
July: 22
August: 25
September: 28
October: 18
November: 22
December: 13
2024
January: 7
February: 4
March: 2
April: 7
May: 6
June: 2
July: 5
August: 0
September: 0
October: 3
November: 1
December: 0
2023
January: 1
February: 3
March: 1
April: 1
May: 2
June: 1
July: 1
August: 0
September: 0
October: 3
November: 3
December: 4
2022
January: 4
February: 2
March: 2
April: 5
May: 3
June: 2
July: 2
August: 2
September: 6
October: 0
November: 5
December: 1
2021
January: 1
February: 1
March: 5
April: 2
May: 2
June: 4
July: 2
August: 1
September: 8
October: 8
November: 5
December: 2
2020
January: 1
February: 4
March: 10
April: 4
May: 2
June: 4
July: 1
August: 1
September: 3
October: 6
November: 2
December: 1
2019
January: 2
February: 2
March: 3
April: 3
May: 2
June: 2
July: 0
August: 1
September: 6
October: 2
November: 1
December: 2
2018
January: 2
February: 3
March: 3
April: 3
May: 2
June: 2
July: 0
August: 2
September: 3
October: 2
November: 2
December: 7
2017
April: 0
May: 7
June: 5
July: 1
August: 3
September: 4
October: 6
November: 5
December: 1