----------------------------Original message---------------------------- ------------------ To Whom It May Concern: I am writing you to ask your advise. Any feedback, pro or con, would = be much appreciated. The Jean Outland Chrysler Library at The Chrysler Museum = of Art is in the planning stages to have an outside assessment of the = collection. The outside assessment has been asked by the Board of Trustees for the next strategic plan. At present the library houses over 80,000 volumes, plus = over 30,000 annotated auction catalogues that go back to the early 19th century. = The assessment will hopefully show the collection's strengths and weaknesses and provide some direction for the growth of the collection. The other goal is = to see where our library fits in relation to other area libraries and to = develop a plan for working with the other art libraries (Old Dominion University, Tidewater Community College, Norfolk State University, Virginia Wesleyan College, Hampton University, and possibly even William and Mary =5B45min. = away=5D) in terms of acquisitions, duplication, etc. Since most libraries generally = do self assessment, the clincher here is having to do an outside assessment. Do you know of other libraries that have had an outside assessment (art libraries or other specialty libraries)? If so, do you know how they = generally went about hiring an accessor or team? Again any insight, advise, = criticism, etc. would be greatly appreciated. I thank you in advance for your time and thoughts. Sincerely, Matthew Wiggins Library Manager Jean Outland Chrysler Library (757) 664-6202 Email: mwiggins=40chrysler.org __________________________________________________________________ Mail submissions to [log in to unmask] Administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc) to [log in to unmask] ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance: http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html Questions may be addressed to list owner (Kerri Scannell) at: [log in to unmask]