From the Director

Fall 2018

Photo: Bryce Vickmark

Our plans for the future are bold, but we know we’re not in this alone. The kind of library we envision — open, participatory, inclusive — will be built with collaborators around the globe. 

In this issue of Bibliotech, we highlight some recent collaborations that have us working across and beyond MIT — whether it’s the GIS and Data Lab and the School of Architecture and Planning providing the latest tools for students and scholars, the MIT Media Lab innovating with public libraries across the country, or the MIT Press and the Media Lab imagining new ways to transform research publishing.

Successful collaborations don’t happen without committed partners. The Libraries staff members honored with this year’s Infinite Mile Awards exemplify what it means to be a good colleague: they excel at listening, crossing boundaries, pushing limits, and bringing people together. It is also a pleasure to spotlight champions like Victor and Ruth McElheny, whose generosity fuels our work. Victor has dedicated his career to making science more accessible, and the gifts he and Ruth have made to the Institute Archives ensure that everyone — journalists, scholars, students, the public — will have access to scientific knowledge in perpetuity. 

To everyone who made a gift to the MIT Libraries this past year, we thank you for your generosity. The impact of your giving is felt throughout MIT and beyond. 

All my best,

Chris Bourg signature

Chris Bourg, PhD
Director of Libraries