You Can’t Always Get What You Want But Sometimes You Get What You Need: Special Collections in Tough Economic Times

Abstract

How have rare book and special collections libraries weathered the global financial crisis of 2008? Presented at the end of the second full fiscal year in which libraries have absorbed budget cuts, layoffs, and job and wage freezes, this panel of special collections library administrators will compare notes on their experiences during this period and will discuss whether the economic downturn might have resulted in positive, as well as negative, developments for their institutions.