Abstract

The convergence of libraries, archives, and museums into monolithic organizations has been framed as a retreat from "silos," or isolated, hierarchical institutions that are increasingly irrelevant in a networked age. The emerging prevalence of digital technology and mass digitization are also identified as primary motivators behind convergence. However, much of the literature on convergence is couched in business terminology that favors top-down management approaches and works to create non-democratic structures with more power in fewer hands, with many of the pro-convergence arguments having little to no evidential support. Furthermore, many real-life examples of LAM convergence have been problematic and under-examined in the literature. This paper looks at LAM convergence from the perspective of working librarians, archivists, curators, and related staff and offers a re-evaluation and critique of convergence practices in Canada and abroad. The links between LAM convergence and the corporatization of the LAM sector within a broader context of free market ascendancy are also explored