How to See Special Collections of Libraries
“It’s like a museum, but without people, where you have to do all the work.” Developer and internet artist Darius Kazemi (you may know him from his Twitter bots ) has a really boring habit of traveling: he enjoys visiting libraries near his hotel and browsing their archives and special collections. He explains how to search, access and find the best content in the library’s archive . If you have specific academic interests that are not always covered by museums, you may enjoy library archival tourism as you travel or are in your area.
As Kazemi explains, you will find interesting collections in public and university libraries, and usually both are open to the public. After you find libraries near you, go to their websites to find lists of their special collections. Some library sites have links to special collections on the front pages; you will need some of them for your search. The New York Public Library has a whole portal for its collections. University websites also often include comprehensive lists of the contents of various collections, called search aids.
Once you’ve found a collection to browse, you need to make an appointment with the library. The staff will need to bring you specific materials for you to study. As Kazemi says, they are willing to help you, so you don’t have to pretend that you have a more specific goal than “I enjoy browsing the library’s collections and it looked interesting.”
The library may ask you to wear gloves or leave certain items outside the viewing room to avoid damaging the materials. Observe the rules, be careful and do not steal anything, but be sure to read the first chapter of ” Possession of A.S. Byatt, ” where someone actually steals materials from the library’s collection, and feel the illegal thrill trembling down your spine. Seriously, download the free Kindle sample if you’ve come this far on the library archives blog then you’ll love it.
How to Become a Library Archival Tourist | Tiny Subversions