Library and Information Science Commons^™

Tactile Libraries: Material Collections In Art, Architecture And Design, Mark Pompelia, Fleet Library, Rebecca Cooper Coleman

Faculty & Librarian Work

Collections of material samples to support teaching and research in art, architecture, and design disciplines are increasingly created and administered through academic libraries. Providing a unique and valuable hands-on and immersive experience, materials collections offer broad appeal across multiple disciplines and respond to curricular trends that emphasize critical and design thinking skills for students as future practitioners. Institutional collections may have a broad scope or a particular focus such as innovation or sustainability, the built environment, or textiles. Acquisition strategies, organizational approaches, and curricular programming must be adapted to the immediate needs of a particular school, offering opportunities for art …