Special collections of visual resources. Problems and prospects for digital libraries

The article argues that the adventure of creating a viable economy of digitally-enabled repositories and services requires much creativity, but above all an unswerving focus on the scholarly mission. Institutions that participate actively in this adventure are becoming "laboratories for the liberal arts and sciences" in vital ways that some fear they have lost or are about to lose, and special collections as primary sources for teaching and research are central to the enterprise. Such institutions are revitalized as virtual and physical spaces where researchers, teachers, and students come together in shared enthusiasm in order to discover the greatest of all gifts: new ideas.