Re: [ARSCLIST] Libaries in the XXI Jahrhundert--was other stuff...

[steven c <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tom Fine" <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> I'm assuming you're joking, but just in case not -- our library system has
an online reservation
> that covers the whole county.
Okeh...NOW your previous post makes sense! I'm not sure whether my local
library has such a system (I'd be surprised if they did!). The only thing
they have that seems to be of note is blues CD's (a previous librarian, who
was also an acquaintance of mine, was a noted collector of blues 78's...
either as shellac or on tape)...and a copy of the blues/gospel discography
(I may be the only user?)...

Steven C. Barr

> So, I can search on Charlie Parker for instance. Oh, there's a 2CD
> anthology by Rhino but it's at the Yonkers library. OK, place a hold right
there online and the
> actual physical product, in this case a 2CD set, turns up at the Bedford
Hills library a few days
> later. I get an e-mail letting me know it's there.
>
> There's a similar system for Putnam County, where I live, but it's not as
sophisticated or fast.
> But, our local library is nice enough to call us instead of "impersonal"
e-mail. Seriously, I don't
> care which way I'm notified, I just appreciate the notification.
>
> Apparently, some libraries in some areas charge a small fee to
grab-and-hold, but not around here.
>
> A nice trend I'm noticing is that local libraries -- notorious for being
feifdoms of head librarians
> and/or board members, and thus not known for organized buying and amassing
coherent collections -- 
> seem to be checking the network and thus you're not seeing every library
go out and
> duplicate-purchase the latest best-seller. This frees up funds for deeper
and more eclectic local
> collections, summed into one deep/wide mass by the networked borrowing
system. For instance, Bedford
> Hills is amassing a very good DVD collection -- much more than what a
typical video-rental store
> would have as far as variety. The main reason is that they have one
librarian who is a movie buff
> who trolls local non-Blockbuster video stores and convinces them to sell
her circulated movies very
> cheap (a couple of dollars). Some of these stores are owned by movie buffs
who will try out all
> manner of small films, foreign films and documentaries -- just because
they like to watch them. They
> go into rental circulation and most never get rented. So, to write off the
inventory for taxes, it's
> very convenient to unload them for free or cheap to the librarian. Thus,
instead of 50 copies of the
> "king Kong" junky remake, like a Blockbuster, the library has 500+
different titles and is rapidly
> growing. My company gave them a donation to acquire more documentaries and
a local guy from the
> horse-farm set gave them a very generous donation to acquire more foreign
films.
>
> -- Tom Fine
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "steven c" <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> <snip>
>
> > "Grab-Hold..." of WOT? Are you taking belongings for repair? Buying
> > replacements?
> > Winning things on eBay? Or e-mailing your lunch order to some digitally-
> > accessible eatery?
> >
>