Special collections present an array of challenges and opportunities to library administrators today. In an increasingly tight fiscal environment, with many competing demands, it becomes harder to justify expending significant funds on rare materials that do not generally receive frequent use. And yet these collections are what distinguish and differentiate research libraries. They also lend themselves well to digitization. Where do special collections fit in the research library of tomorrow?

The program, with participation from library directors, special collections librarians, and faculty, explored the most salient topics in the special collections field today. These include digital access and preservation, funding, staffing, publicity and outreach to users, collaboration in developing special collections, and the controversial issue of charging for digital access to collections that were previously freely available in print.

Werner Gundersheimer, Director of the Folger Shakespeare Library, opened the program with comments on the current and future landscape of special collections in research libraries. He was followed by Joe A. Hewitt, Associate Provost for University Libraries at the University of North Carolina, who reported findings from the 1998 survey on the status of special collections in ARL libraries.

A panel of library directors and special collections libraries came together in Program Session I to react to the survey findings and examine the key strategic issues for library directors and staff to consider as they position special collections in the digital age.

During the Federal Relations Luncheon, ARL honored Carol Henderson, Executive Director, ALA Washington Office. Meeting attendees were then transported to the University of Kansas for an afternoon of programs and an evening reception. Program Session II featured a panel of faculty who offered perspectives on scholars’ present and future needs for special collections materials and services. The day’s program concluded with a town meeting discussion among the two sets of panelists and the audience.

The program continued Friday morning with updates on JSTOR and the National Learning Infrastructure Initiative (NLII), followed by small discussion sessions. These sessions provided an opportunity for attendees to focus in-depth on one of four of the critical issues facing special collections operations.