ARLIS/NA 45th Annual Conference

The renovation and building of art library spaces involves a number of moving parts as librarians consider how to preserve services and access to collections both throughout the process and following project completion. This session, sponsored by the Space Planning Special Interest Group, will feature three speakers (each offering 15-20 minute presentations) who will address challenges faced and lessons learned from their experiences of renovating, reorganizing, and restructuring art library spaces. Presenters will focus on services offered during times of change and transformation as art library spaces are renovated or moved to new locations. Topics of discussion by presenters will include the provision of temporary space services as pop-up libraries within the studio environment, the delivery and continuation of multiple services during a renovation, and the process of permanently closing down a branch academic art library and opening a new dedicated art collections space within the main university library. In considering the theme of this year’s conference, this session will emphasize the collaborative nature of space planning as librarians and others work to support users’ research and educational needs across different environments and organizational cultures.