In Situ and in Cyberspace: the Art Library and Art-Historical Research in the Twenty-First Century

Art libraries have traditionally been exceptional places in which to conduct research, due to the nature of their collections and often also because of the spaces they occupy. Today, when library materials are provided, discovered, accessed, created, and displayed in a variety of ways both physically and virtually, art historians navigate and define research paths differently than in the past. At the same time, the ideal of connecting ideas and collections remains, even as the potential, breadth, and depth of the connections expand. The development of the Research Library at the Getty Research Institute, since the realization of a vision first outlined at the cusp of the digital era thirty years ago, provides a framework by which to consider the nature of art libraries and art historical research, both in situ and in cyberspace.