[ARSCLIST] Libraries disposing of records

[Steve Ramm <Stevramm@xxxxxxx>]

I specifically said "I don't want to start a discussion" but I see I  did.
 
My only take on this is that when the Temple University library needed to  
dispose of their 78 rpm records (to build a new Student Union) they called 5  
local knowledgeable person here (I was one but less knowledgeable than the  
others). They said "take what you want". I know that when it got to me (5th) I  
could only find about 75 records I wanted for FREE! The rest were duplicate runs 
 of Carusos and other common Red Seals and lots of 10in and 12 in classical 
78  sets. The pop stuff was mostly pop vocals and bands on red label Columbias. 
Many  of these were "donated" to the Temple library. They didn't even have a 
78  player. My guess is about 10,000 remaining records were discarded.
 
I took a few interesting records which will be preserved but the cost of  the 
University maintaining the collection was too much.
 
By same token the Frankllin Institute here in Philly needed to build an  Imax 
Theater and - since overy few were using their library they auctioned off  
the contents. I was lucky to get their run of Talking Machine and Phonograph  
Weekly from 1918-1942 (they broke up in lots). But no one was asking to use them 
 so they may be better off this way. Think of all the kids learning about 
space,  etc at the Imax theater. Certainly more than used the library.
 
It seems to me that general libraries might cull out things which are  
duplicated. If they have the 12 CD set of Victor Carusos they can discard the  78s 
-(I know the sound transfers may be controversial), and they can sell them  at 
book sale to raise money for others. Believe me the Harry Potter books will  
be sold in a few years also. Just go to Blockbuster and see the extra copies of 
 previously-rented DVDs being sold for $5.00 two months after their 
popularity  has peaked.
 
Well, I guess I rambled more than I wanted.
 
Anyway... I'm not sure those on the list have an answer to the problem.  
We're too close to the subject to understand why folks throw things out.
 
And we haven't discussed the need for libraries to keep encyclopedias when  
everything is on the Internet! And the World Book fits on ONE CD-ROM (which  
seems to come with EVERY PC you buy.
 
Steve Ramm