Marvin Taylor, “’I’ll Be Your Mirror…” (2002)

-         most libs, SC poorly reflect culture

-         collecting NY’s Downtown Scene (and similar) a needed way to hold up a mirror to our culture

-         challenges obtaining items, classifying them

-         example of SC Libr as activist, staying with or ahead of trends

For a bright future, recognize trends.

Access

Keep focused on institutional goal

-         difference between a teaching collection and a research collection

It’s better to provide collection-level description for all or nearly all, than to do beautiful item-level cataloging on a tiny percent of what you’ve got. Descriptive access activities are paramount, “the most important thing you will do” in SC work, DM says.

Hidden collections

-         not cataloged

-         “merely” have paper-only finding aids. On the one hand, teach researchers how to use, the value of; on the other: code it with EAD (some say too time consuming, hard; others say HTML not supported by WWW Consortium – EAD allows multi-level tags, better searching)

-         okay to be public about backlog, how long it takes

-         pamphlets.

Shifts in teaching techniques (student participation, primary research) and research interests leading many new users to SC – and/or a chance to recruit new users. (Traister polemic.)

Public programs

Stewardship

Work with scholars and experts in field to identify new directions, what’s important

Beth Patkus, “Assessing Preservation Needs: A self-Survey Guide” (NEDCC, 2003)

-         systematic preservation programs include

o       environmental control

o       disaster plan

o       storage & handling procedures

o       reformatting statement

o       binding & repair procedures

o       conservation procedures, contacts

-         this guide helps staff to conduct survey and

o       identify potential hazards to collection

o       prioritize areas of collection for preservation

o       identify preservation activities that will do the greatest good

o       prioritize needs of collection and identify steps to carry out plan

-         possible ways to prioritize:

o       use

o       storage

o       condition

o       value

o       format

o       also consider: value (intrinsic and informational), feasibility, urgency

Doug: “These  collections are not going away.” Need professional care, etc.

Some say The Original will become Obsolete; just need one. Others see research value in every thing and try to save; call for multiple originals for access (Baker).

Technology

SC have the primary sources for what can make a digital library or digital exhibition unique and important.

Scholarly discourse is moving beyond paper.

User demand.

Broadens access opportunities.

Done to standards, preservation: original handled less. But: migration. Then again, don’t we expect to replace other access technologies, like microforms and photocopies?

Understanding of collection, organization of info, and tech needed.

CLIR (Council on Library and Information Resources) report: digital is not a service, but is another collection to manage. It had a life cycle (creation, use, maintenance, destruction). Metadata needed. Providing metadata: up to 50% of cost of digital collection.