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Re: [ARSCLIST] Interesting WSJ Article on when libraries should discard their holdings.



Computers and servers can crash like mad.lots of information gets lost all of the time.Somebody needs to keep the originals,even if not everyone wants to own them.


                           Roger Kulp
                     

Tom Fine <tflists@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: 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" 
To: 
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  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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