Book Review: New Directions for Special Collections: An Anthology of Practice

Abstract

In this follow-up to Special Collections 2.0: New Technologies for Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Archival Collections, Thomas and Whittaker present a collection of twenty-one essays from an array of authors on the future of special collections work, with an emphasis on the changing nature of the field. In the introduction, the editors describe their mission of creating a compendium of resources that can apply to the work of both librarians and archivists: “We regret the disconnect between our organizations and our cultures, and hoped to help bridge this by intentionally seeking both perspectives in this book” (ix). This text offers practical advice on various aspects of special collections—from acquisition and appraisal, to reference and instruction, to donor relations, to open access and copyright—and can serve as a handy go-to guide for anyone working in a special collections repository.