Ten years later: Has the blurring of the roles of cultural institutions helped or hurt libraries?

Abstract

One of the most radical changes of the Digital Revolution has been the redefinition of libraries, museums and archives as cultural heritage institutions that serve a common function. This notion of a shared functionality is particularly apparent in the IMLS grant-funding guidelines, crucially important since the IMLS is a major funder of U.S. library and museums projects. The speakers ask whether these cultural institutions really have that much in common and whether the traditional mission of a library is being helped or hurt by this new approach.