Special Collections--Challenges and Contexts: A Case Study

by Brodsky, Marc D.

Special collections are undergoing a period of rapid change, as are the libraries of which they are often a part. The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) decided in the late 1990s to study special collections at member institutions in light of changing demands and expectations from users, new technologies, and changing fiscal realities.

The purpose of this study is to offer an overview of the challenges facing special collections as presented by the ARL and to determine whether these challenges are also being experienced at smaller institutions that are not affiliated with a research library. To this end, the paper will present a case study of Special Collections at the University of North Carolina, Asheville (UNCA).