This article consists of two lectures, combined into one, which were given at art libraries in Gentofte and in Slagelse.

The library association of Greater Copenhagen had a meeting on 21 May 1981 at Trånegarden, the art library of the municipality of Gentofte, where the president of the cultural committee in Gentofte, Professor A. Vinding Kruse contributed as follows: should public libraries arrange visual art exhibitions? – the answer was a definite yes … and librarian Helle Behmdt talked about art libraries with Trånegarden as her starting point.

The library association of the county of Vestsjælland (West Zealand) arranged a one-day conference on 26 May 1981 in Slagelse concerning: local historical archives and public libraries; municipal tape newspapers; and distribution of art in small libraries, which librarian Katrine Høffding talked about.

AACR2 encourages specialist and archival libraries to “use the rules as the basis of their cataloguing and augment their provisions as necessary.” Is this relevant to the needs of an image collection? What are the implications? The Science Museum has evolved a supplement to AACR2 to cope with visual materials of all kinds retained primarily for their documentary value, and the special needs of its users. A case study suggests how traditional descriptions of art works may metamorphese into computer-based systems such as those of the MDA and AACR2.

This article has developed from a contribution to the ARLIS/UK and LA course “The Image Library” at the Library Association on 20 February 1981. The views expressed are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the Science Museum.

This paper examines the problem of the formulation and implementation of a collection development policy in museum art libraries in the United States.

While there is literature on acquisition policy in academic and public libraries, there is nothing specific on museum art libraries. Because of the proliferation of art literature and budget restrictions it is of paramount importance for museum art libraries to formulate and follow a collection development policy. Once this is presented to the museum administration, the latter will better understand the library’s functions and will recognise its vital role both within the institution and outside.