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Re: [ARSCLIST] Interesting WSJ Article on when libraries should discard their holdings.
All this culling at libraries is a screaming endorsement of Google's plot to digitize as many
printed words as possible and make it all searchable. Yeah, they're going to have to make their
money back and yeah there are copyright issues. But 100 years down the line, people might be very
thankful that their digitizing engine was running full throttle as printed books got dumpstered.
-- Tom Fine
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kiwi O'Connell" <kiwioconnell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, December 04, 2006 1:16 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Interesting WSJ Article on when libraries should discard their holdings.
I would like to put a different slant on this, being a sound archivist. I
have worked on hundreds of oral histories, many of which have a
transcription which accompanies them. In my experience, I have found that
many of the transcriptions do not reflect the intention of the spoken word.
The transcriber has put a whole new meaning to what was meant by the
'talent'.
In cases, such as this, I advise that the researcher/interested party read
and listen simultaneously. Let them be the judge. For instance, I found
one nameless interviewer, who also happened to transcribe the work, to put
in entire sentences, and change around the meaning of other sentences, to
make themselves appear, perhaps, intelligent. I find this unethical, to say
the least.
I think there is a place for both, and that culling collections be done with
great care. What may not be important now to that library, may mean a
million dollars to others in the future. I do realize that space is a
problem for many.
My sixpence worth.
Cheers
Marie
Marie O'Connell
Sound Archivist/Audio Engineer/Sound Consultant
3017 Nebraska Avenue
Santa Monica, CA, 90404
Ph: 310-453-1615
Fax: 310-453-1715
Mobile: 601-329-6911
www.cupsnstrings.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
[mailto:ARSCLIST@xxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Roger and Allison Kulp
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 11:35 PM
To: ARSCLIST@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Interesting WSJ Article on when libraries should
discard their holdings.
Which is how I feel about an iPod,or CD player.As much as I love vinyl,and
shellac,and will never own anything else,I have no such attachment to the
printed word.Most books are just a waste of space,when you have the
internet,and e-books.Space that you can fill up with more records :) !
Roger Kulp
David Lennick <dlennick@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: The day I curl up with a good
computer....shoot me.
dl
Jack Palmer wrote:
Remarkable. I'm just the opposite. Anytime I want to absorb any book,
I read it. I listen to audio books when I am driving long distances,
but seldom at home. I prefer the real book. I have always preferred
the written word. One reason I seldom use the phone for business but do
use e-mail. Jack
----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Fine"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, January 03, 2007 6:21 PM
Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Interesting WSJ Article on when libraries should
discard their holdings.
I think in the age of the Internet and online reservation/hold
systems, local libraries probably can get rid of a lot of overlap over
time. I know our local branch here in Bedford Hills NY is massively
growing its DVD and audiobooks holdings, somewhat growing its music
CD's and slowly discarding more and more print books. The deep stacks
just don't circulate and when there are several other
rarely-circulated copies in the county library system, they need to
clear out space. I understand the reasoning very clearly, but I hope
the efforts are all coordinated so one or two copies of
seldom-circulated works remain available. At least the "classics." As
for sound recordings, there is a specific arts/music library in the
system, which still circulates vinyl (although the records are usually
not in good condition).
Agree that there's a difference between a research/archive library and
a local public library. A PUBLIC library is funded by and answerable
to the public. In other words, if the people want DVD's and
audiobooks, it's the library's job to provide them. A librarian who
looks askance at a fellow wanting to borrow "Terminator 2" DVD
instead of the dusty copy of "For Whom The Bell Tolls" book should not
be working at a public library.
For what it's worth, new and bestseller books seem to circulate hard
and fast, but the reading crowd these days doesn't seem interested in
the deep stacks. In my case, I am happy enough with this trend because
my middle aged eyes don't like paperbacks so I've been slowly
replacing my favorite books with usually first edition and excellent
condition hard covers for a couple dollars each at various library
sales. But, for the record, I don't pretend to be a bibliophile and
actually prefer audiobooks for most new stuff. I can process aural
info faster than I can read and I remember things told to me or heard
via audiobook or radio more clearly than things read.
-- Tom Fine
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