As the world’s largest museum library and archives system, the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives is in the forefront of research at the Smithsonian. Through the campaign, we will elevate our global reputation internally and externally, making the holdings of our 21 branches and institutional archives better known and better used as we reach new communities and engage with scholars and researchers from across the country and around the world.
We will preserve and make accessible rapidly deteriorating audiovisual materials from across the Smithsonian through our leadership of the institution-wide Audiovisual Media Preservation Initiative, or AVMPI. We will seed the creation of a research center for the National Museum of the American Latino. We will endow the first directorship of the unified library and archive system, foregrounding the role in the international library and archive community. We will secure increased discretionary funding to foster flexibility in meeting the needs of our multiple and varied constituencies, while allowing us to complete the merger of two distinct Smithsonian units.
Finally, the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives, long hidden within the back offices of the front-facing Smithsonian units, seeks a public face on the National Mall that moves its united identity to the forefront. We seek to secure a dedicated headquarters in a prominent location, ideally our original space in the historic Jewett Room of the Arts + Industries Building. With a public face, the Smithsonian Libraries and Archives will be able to connect with broader audiences while leveraging increased visibility for sustainable fundraising success.