LSC 677 History and Theory of Cultural Heritage Institutions
This course provides the 21st-century LIS-CHIM student with an overview of the history and theory of institutions whose mission is to collect, preserve, organize, interpret, and disseminate information about the cultural heritage, tangible and intangible, and by direct or virtual means. Students will gain a grasp of the purpose and mission of these institutions, from the "cabinet of curiosities" to the virtual collections that cross boundaries among libraries, museums, and archives, as well as cultural organizations that protect and interpret buildings and sites of cultural and historical significance or are dedicated to grass-roots efforts to promote the protection of heritage. The course will cover ethics, collection and curatorial practices, and the visitor/user experience, as well as the meaning of cultural heritage in the global environment.