ARLIS/NA 54th Annual Conference

This roundtable session is a follow-up to the first "Reference in Art Libraries: a roundtable discussion" offered at the ARLIS Conference 2024 in Pittsburgh. Reference providers will lead discussion by answering questions investigating the current state of reference collections and services offered in art libraries, as well as reflecting back on changing approaches over time. Speakers will contribute examples from their work weeding, shifting, adjusting collections, and providing research consultations with students and researchers. The theme of resistance will also inform these conversations. Are we resisting traditional approaches to reference services and spaces? How can providing reference interactions push back against AI offerings of research support? This program is also timely as the end of 2025 marked the 20th anniversary of "Guide to the Literature of Art History" volume 2 (ALA Editions, 2005).