A. Anticipated Future Trends
Museum Studies cover topics in museum ethnography, repatriation of Native American remains, visitor studies, intergenerational exhibit programming, museum evaluation, and case studies in museum education. Other areas of focus include the impact of the environment on outdoor art, cultural excursions, mission statements and ethics, avant-garde exhibition styles. Current and future trends in the museum field cover the use of technology in museums, digital preservation and mitigating damage for digital collection, user experience design, accessibility, museum labor and volunteerism. Artificial intelligence use in the museum field is anticipated to enhance visitor experience, including accessibility and inclusivity, user engagement analysis, predictive maintenance for equipment, and ethical use of AI in the museum field.
Current trends in the library field are evolving with a stronger emphasis in open pedagogy and instructional design; open science and reproducibility; open access and equitable publishing; initiative relating to evaluating library collections and collection management practices, including auditing through a social justice lens; post pandemic workspace and hybrid work environment; supporting student well-being post pandemic. Artificial intelligence literacy is now getting more emphasis, including the implication of AI applications in the library services and decision-making process, and its ethical consideration.
In the field of book history and the book industry, there has been significant growth in digital publishing. Archives and special collections have also gained attention, with researchers increasingly exploring previously hidden materials that were once accessible only to specialists.
B. Relationships with Other Resources
Resources on online searching, programming, database and web design are categorized under QA call numbers and may be found in the Mathematics & Statistics or Engineering sections of the library. The Digital & Multimedia Center, which includes the Vincent Voice Library, may also hold relevant software or non-print materials.
The Fine Arts Library may contain reference materials on graphic design, printing history, practical printing, type specimen books, conservation and preservation, and art museum studies. Additional important art research resources, such as illuminated manuscript facsimiles, rare books, microforms, and software, are available in the Main Library, specifically in the Murray and Hong Special Collections or the Microforms section of the Current Periodicals & Microforms, Reserves, and Copy Service Unit..
The University of Michigan's School of Information offers specializations in Library & Information Services, Archives & Records Management, Human-Computer Interaction, and historical and specialized resources areas such as paleography. Wayne State University’s School of Library and Information Science supports specialized programs with its collection. As a member of the Michigan Research Libraries Triangle, MSU Libraries has reciprocal borrowing agreements with both the University of Michigan and Wayne State Libraries. Additionally, materials are accessible through interlibrary loans from other institutions in the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA).
C. Relationships to Resources Treated in Other Policy Statements
There are also relationships to other units or divisions within the libraries, e.g. Access and Preservation; the Digital and Multimedia Center; Murray and Hong Special Collections; Fine Arts; Government Documents; Library Instruction; and Microforms.
D. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA)
We seek out historically underrepresented and marginalized voices, identities, and perspectives to diversify and fill gaps in our collections and participate in dismantling racism, sexism, and other biases.
New electronic collection purchases, especially electronic monographs/eBooks will prioritize vendor platforms based on its accessibility features, as advised by the MSUL Accessibility unit.