Advances in visual arts research are significant, easing the gathering process and expanding the horizons of historical investigation. As visual arts scholarship changes, the vocabulary of art is evolving to describe new concepts, perspectives and concerns. Computer technology has made the location, description and retrieval of art information easier. The computer’s capacity to interrelate text and visual data through image processing has led to new types of reference and research tools. Communication amongst art researchers through electronic networks will transform academic discourse. All of these changes impact on the concept of the art library and the role of art librarians and visual curators in university libraries.