I recently wrote to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland regarding the proposal to shut down their Elam Fine Arts Library. You can view my letter here: https://aaanz.info/letter-from-aaanz-on-the-elam-fine-arts-library/
The response I received from the Vice-Chancellor, Stuart McCutcheon, argued that the University’s review and restructure process “does not provide for submissions from external parties.” In my view this unsatisfactory response shows how short-sighted the University administration is, particularly given the historic and contemporary significance of the Library to the local and broader art communities.
A sense of the institution’s current priorities can be gained from the significant amounts of money it pays for senior management to become members of the exclusive Northern Club. For more on that see
https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/104409870/University-of-Auckland-spen
We are awaiting further clarification from staff at Auckland about the ongoing process involving the library, but in the meantime updates are available at https://savefineartslibrary.com/
I would urge everyone to make your views known about the Elam library through that page or by writing directly to the Vice-Chancellor at s.mccutcheon@auckland.ac.nz
Anthony White
President, Art Association of Australia and New Zealand