The financial situation of cultural institutions is becoming increasingly perilous, and two years into its new national mandate the Library of the National Gallery of Canada finds its resources absorbed by internal needs and local use. To sustain a vital presence in the community of art information specialists the Library must restrict its contributions to those which have modest or no resource imperatives: generously shared collections; well conceived services which are publicized and accessible; strengthened cataloguing to be shared; attention to preservation; development of expertise to be shared with colleagues and students; initiation and promotion of collaborative projects. As a federal body the National Gallery of Canada is excluded from funding sources available to others, but will support the projects of others. A national task force is needed to outline and develop a Canadian strategic plan for art libraries.