Re: [ARSCLIST] obituary - Franz Jolowicz, Discophile NYC

[stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Karl Miller" <lyaa071@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, December 12, 2005 11:08 AM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] obituary - Franz Jolowicz, Discophile NYC


> On Fri, 9 Dec 2005 stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>
> > Well, I have long had the impression that ARSC is mainly an organization
> > for institutional librarians and the like as opposed to "ordinary
> > record collectors" who congregate on the 78-L list (much less formally).
>
> Unfortunately, it seems that many libraries prefer having librarians who
> are not collectors.
>
To me, librarians OUGHT to be collectors...or at least behave
as though they were! First, they will be better able to answer
questions on the material they oversee...and, secondly, they
will have the necessary respect for it as well.
>
> > Since many of the institutional collections cover a much wider range
> > than merely commercial record issues...and, as well, some are mainly
> > archival in nature and maintained for public access as opposed to
> > private pleasure...I would expect its related e-mail list to cover
> > different issues (which it does)...
>
> And...it often frustrates me that some archives make such a distinction
> between "legit research" and listening interest. I often wonder if there
> is an implied notion that a researcher is not supposed to derive pleasure
> from their access to archival material.
>
Well, speaking as a record collector and dedicated discographer,
I can say that I derive pleasure from both listening to my
records and successfully researching them. This (in my view
incorrect) view you note probably comes from the fact that
most of the public (or whatever portion thereof that use the
library/archive) do so for listening pleasure, often with
little regard for, or interest in, the facts about what they
are listening to.

I'll admit that I own records from which I could derive very
little pleasure through listening (i.e. Arthur Fields singing
hymns on Grey Gull) but acquired solely for research purposes.
However, about 90% of my collection brings me listening
pleasure as well as establishing necessary discographic facts!

Steven C. Barr