A Call for Partners: It's About You

The Smithsonian's great challenge is to help us understand the forces of nature and culture that continue to shape our world. Our scientists, scholars and educators could not perform their research, prepare exhibitions, publish interpretive results, or develop educational programs and curricula without the resources and staff assistance provided by the Libraries.

Ranging from 15th century manuscripts to electronic journals, our library collections are a tremendous resource for the nation. They offer many opportunities to connect a growing America to its historical, cultural and scientific heritage.

The Smithsonian Institution Libraries has reached a critical juncture in our ability to guide library users through the vastly increasing sources of information available in both traditional and electronic formats. The day has passed when access to our collections meant a physical presence in the library. The Internet has made it possible for anyone, anywhere, to use the Smithsonian Libraries.

The implications of this dramatically expanded constituency on the Libraries are profound. Recently, the Libraries undertook a strategic self-evaluation with the objective of redefining its place in the new information millennium. The result is a new vision for the Libraries that underscores its readiness to serve the nation:

"The Smithsonian Institution Libraries, the most comprehensive museum library in the world, strives to become an internationally-recognized source for recorded knowledge and information in subjects related to Smithsonian interests. We will be catalyst, partner, and participant in the use of information technology and the transformation of scholarly research in the sciences, arts, and cultural heritage of the United States."

Turning this vision into reality requires a significant investment of time, creativity, and financial resources. We must build on the limited base of funding we receive from the Federal government by engaging private partners in discovery, interested citizens with a strong belief in the educational value of the collections we hold and a desire to assist the Libraries in making these collections widely available. Together, we can help knowledge-seekers worldwide to find and enjoy the written treasures of the nation's great cultural and scientific center, the Smithsonian Institution.

Nancy E. Gwinn

Director

Smithsonian Institution Libraries