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Type of Submission
Podium Presentation
Keywords
Museum, museum collections, library, archives
Proposal
Libraries, archives and museums are some of the oldest institutions of modern society. These institutions are usually viewed as separate entities but all three function in similar ways through different mediums. Some of the functions include distributing knowledge, accessioning/deaccessioning, preservation/conservation, collections management and exhibition. To understand how museums fulfill these roles visits were made to local museums like the Cincinnati Museum Center, Boonshoft Museum of Discovery and Carillon Historical Park. These roles are fulfilled through a museum’s collection, which is the central driver for the existence of most museums. Natural history museums function more specifically as repositories for valuable biological, geological, paleontological or anthropological objects. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History collections for example continues to exist as one such repository for extraordinary and unique specimens since its founding in 1895 by Andrew Carnegie. Some of the specimens within its collection have had effects on pop culture and influenced culture around the world. Through a museum’s collection knowledge is distributed through the data collected on samples, specimens or objects open to researchers or put on display to the public in exhibition. Collection management is an important part of a museum collection through acquiring new specimens through field work or donation; eventually accessioning the specimen or object into their collection. Deaccession is also an important aspect to clear space for new items or remove items that are no longer valuable in research, in need of replacement or too degraded for research. Accessioning and deaccessioning are the primary ways that museums continue to develop their collections. Through cataloging museums can keep track of the specimens and objects within their collections; making the data available online to researchers or the public. These are just a few ways that a museum compares to the functions of a library or archive. Libraries, archives and museums are not divided institutions seeking to compete for the public’s attention. Instead, all three are equal in their efforts as everwatchful guardians of knowledge.
Start Date
4-8-2020 1:00 PM
End Date
4-22-2020 6:00 PM
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Publication Date
April 2020
The Three Sentinels of Information - Libraries, Archives, and Museums: Divided Institutions or Equal Guardians of Knowledge?
Libraries, archives and museums are some of the oldest institutions of modern society. These institutions are usually viewed as separate entities but all three function in similar ways through different mediums. Some of the functions include distributing knowledge, accessioning/deaccessioning, preservation/conservation, collections management and exhibition. To understand how museums fulfill these roles visits were made to local museums like the Cincinnati Museum Center, Boonshoft Museum of Discovery and Carillon Historical Park. These roles are fulfilled through a museum’s collection, which is the central driver for the existence of most museums. Natural history museums function more specifically as repositories for valuable biological, geological, paleontological or anthropological objects. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History collections for example continues to exist as one such repository for extraordinary and unique specimens since its founding in 1895 by Andrew Carnegie. Some of the specimens within its collection have had effects on pop culture and influenced culture around the world. Through a museum’s collection knowledge is distributed through the data collected on samples, specimens or objects open to researchers or put on display to the public in exhibition. Collection management is an important part of a museum collection through acquiring new specimens through field work or donation; eventually accessioning the specimen or object into their collection. Deaccession is also an important aspect to clear space for new items or remove items that are no longer valuable in research, in need of replacement or too degraded for research. Accessioning and deaccessioning are the primary ways that museums continue to develop their collections. Through cataloging museums can keep track of the specimens and objects within their collections; making the data available online to researchers or the public. These are just a few ways that a museum compares to the functions of a library or archive. Libraries, archives and museums are not divided institutions seeking to compete for the public’s attention. Instead, all three are equal in their efforts as everwatchful guardians of knowledge.
