Art libraries are cultural treasure-houses, responsible for the preservation and organisation of materials which document art in all its variety. Art librarians should be able to adopt a broad view, capable of appreciating different cultural traditions and able to stand aside from current fashions; at the same time, those responsible for specialised libraries should commit themselves with enthusiasm and dedication to the particular traditions represented by their collections. Cooperation and networking is essential to link art libraries and their representation of different aspects of human culture, nationally and worldwide. While art libraries enable research, they also have a much wider educational role and should ideally be accessible to all. However, the provision of access to the library’s cultural wealth, which (legal considerations permitting) can be facilitated by such new technologies as videodiscs, has financial implications which may suggest that some services should be charged for or that libraries must seek sponsorship.