Collection development and management in the art library of the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen

As stated in its collection policy, the library of the Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten Antwerpen supports the goals of the museum through collecting, indexing and providing access to documentary information to support art historical research within and outside the institution. The library’s collection development has a double focus: the exhaustive collecting and indexing of collection documentation, and the collecting of information about Western art history from the 13th century up to and including the 20th century (in analogy with the museum collection). While very specialised in content and in its in-depth indexing system, the library scans a broader scope to satisfy the fluctuating information needs of the museum staff. Today, collection development and management is becoming more and more co-operative, through various partnerships in Antwerp and also those with similar art libraries, especially where online access to datasets and electronic resources is concerned.