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Thank you, Leigh, for forwarding the NYT link about the Frick’s redevelopment. We are proposing a very modest, un-mammoth-like extension to The Frick Collection. It does not include a tower – the addition will be two stories on the street and then step back to match the Library’s six stories - but rather is sensitively proportional to our existing and beloved buildings and our needs. We have considered all of the alternatives Kimmelman proposes, in fact he learned of them from us, but rejected them as insufficient or unfeasible. The one suggestion of Kimmelman’s that we have never contemplated is to reconfigure the Library. The Frick Art Reference Library is intricately bound to the mission and identity of the Frick. Strengthening the connection between the Library and the Collection is in fact a major goal of our current plan. On a practical level, the landmarked John Russell Pope 1935 building is purpose-built with short ceiling stack floors and could not be successfully converted to other uses. The Frick Collection Director, Ian Wardropper said to our staff today: “By raising these alternatives the article reminds me of the centrality of the Library to the mission of the Collection and reinforces that our choice of site and the thoughtful nature of the plan is far and away the best solution to our pressing needs.” I have probably no need to remind colleagues of the importance of the Frick Art Reference Library in the international art history infrastructure. And while we are helping to pioneer such things as web archiving, collaborative digitization and image-analysis of photo archives, we are convinced that physical materials will still have a significant part to play in our discipline, and that some of these must remain onsite for security, fragility or for service reasons. Stephen Bury, Andrew W. Mellon Chief Librarian, Frick Art Reference Library On Jul 31, 2014, at 10:19 AM, Leigh Gates wrote: Michael Kimmelman’s article in today’s New York Times about the proposed tower to the Frick ends with some provocative remarks about the library: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/31/arts/design/the-case-against-a-mammoth-frick-collection-addition.html?ref=arts&_r=0 Leigh Gates Director of Library Services Harrington College of Design 200 W. Madison St. Chicago, IL 60606 312.697.8021 P 312.697.3318 Front Desk www.harrington.edu<http://www.harringtoncollege.com/> "There is no such thing as information overload—only bad design." Edward Tufte ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mail submissions to [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> For information about joining ARLIS/NA see: http://www.arlisna.org/join.html Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc) to [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance: http://lsv.arlisna.org Questions may be addressed to list owner (Judy Dyki) at:[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mail submissions to [log in to unmask] For information about joining ARLIS/NA see: http://www.arlisna.org/join.html Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc) to [log in to unmask] ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance: http://lsv.arlisna.org Questions may be addressed to list owner (Judy Dyki) at: [log in to unmask] ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~