A Case Study in Collaboration: Looking back at the National Graphic Design Archive

Abstract

Inspired by the 1980s interest in graphic design history, an initially productive, but difficult to sustain, collaboration among three American universities from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, is the subject of this case study. The ideas behind a much-needed archival consortium, its organization and its difficulties in sustaining collaboration are examined. The essay concludes with constructive suggestions for reflection on collaborative associations between institutions.