Museums and libraries inspire us to cross the limits of routine thought, into experiences of reflection and possibility. Each of the essays in A Place Not a Place examines the ways these and other cultural institutions influence us and proposes ways to strengthen their role as advocates for critical thinking and inquiry.
David Carr teaches at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. His essays, articles and reviews have appeared in Museum News, Curator, Public Libraries, and in other journals and collections.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction: Reflective Users Chapter 2 1. The Cognitive Management of Cultural Institutions Chapter 3 2. What I Saw in the Museum Chapter 4 3. What I Read in the Library Chapter 5 4. Wanting, at Ten Chapter 6 5. Rescuing the User Chapter 7 6. Reading Beyond the Museum Chapter 8 7. Five Thoughtful Exercises Chapter 9 8. Observing Collaboration Chapter 10 9. What Do We Want Chapter 11 10. Heroic Life, Learning Life Chapter 12 11. Memory Chapter 13 12. A Place Not a Place Chapter 14 13. Invisible Actions, Invisible Traces