In a recent post I asked why “keeping up” always seems to be forward looking and recommended that we remember to learn from the past.
Wednesday night when I was out to say goodbye to a friend and colleague (Kurt), and Sarah Shreeves, the Coordinator of our institutional repository, IDEALS, gave me some wonderful news based on that post.
The GSLIS Publications Office has decided to put the proceedings of the Allerton Park Institute and of the Clinic on Library Applications of Data Processing conferences in the IR.
Also to be included is all of Library Trends (with an embargo of 2 years) and, eventually, the GSLIS Occasional Papers series.
I got so excited that I sucked down 4 pints of beer in the middle of the week! Seriously, this sort of news makes my year, much less my week.
The Clinic on Library Applications of Data Processing conference proceedings from 1963 - 1995 are already available (472 items).
The Allerton Park Institute conference proceedings (476 items) are also up from 1954 - 1997.
Library Trends is currently represented by 52 (3): Winter 2004 - 53 (4): Spring 2005 (92 items). This is barely a beginning one might say, but seeing as it includes 2 of my favorites issues — one of which I do not have a physical copy of — it warms the cockles of my heart. Oh, The Philosophy of Information and Pioneers in Library and Information Science (have).
I have read a couple of the Allerton Park Institute proceedings already in all their physical glory. I am particularly fond of 1959, The role of classification in the modern American library, and recommend it to all and sundry interested in cataloging, classification, metadata, the LC Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control, and related topics.
Library Trends‘ theme issues are indispensable and the Occasional Papers series has some lovelies, too.
Sorry, but I cannot say anything regarding the Clinic on Library Applications of Data Processing proceedings. I shall have to remedy that, though.
A hearty “Thank you” to all involved in this! I only hope that more schools will do this. Anyone knowing of those who have already, please, feel free to comment here and write posts of your own. We should not just let these things languish in our repositories, nor leave them for the search engines to perhaps index and show to us on the 1st few pages of search results. We need to shout from the rooftops that they are available. So, consider this my SHOUT regarding the work of my institution’s IR. And, yeah, there’s a lot of other stuff — interesting, I have no doubt — in IDEALS also.
As they say, “What’s past is prologue.” (The Tempest (1611) act 2, sc. 1, l. [261], per The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Quotations.)
Go forth. Read. Learn. Keep up.
6 responses so far ↓
1 Walt Crawford // Jul 27, 2007 at 5:47 pm
That is good news. And I can say something about the Clinic. By the 1990s, the name was sounding a little old-fashioned, but the event was solid, and the book-form proceedings contributed to the literature. I seem to remember attending twice, and I’m sure about one of them–1988, “Design and Evaluation of Computer/Human Interfaces,” since I spoke at that one.
I’ll certain make use of IDEALS.
2 Mark // Jul 27, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Thanks for the input, Walt.
Who better to speak up for a conference on library applications of data processing than Walt Crawford folks? Therefore, go read.
3 jenny // Jul 27, 2007 at 6:09 pm
While I am very excited about this esp. since some of the cataloging on Allerton stuff is not the clearest. My cynical question though, is why are YOU so excited–you can see it in person!
4 Mark // Jul 28, 2007 at 9:51 am
Hey jenny. Very true about the cataloging records for the Allerton stuff (sure wish I could fix it!).
Very valid question you ask. I do generally prefer to have something in print that I can read and I love seeing these things in their original manifestations, but …
My main reason for excitement is that others can access these wonderful sources, from near or far.
But some of *my* reasons follow:
1 If it is the library’s copy (or otherwise not mine) then I cannot highlight or write in it.
2 I cannot keep it for future consultation.
3 I am allergic to the condition many of these older items are in.
4 They are sometimes quite frail and even if in decent shape may not be after the gentlest of efforts at photocopying.
5 Having a pdf I can save and use it for a long time. I can print it and write/highlight all over it if I desire. And I have yet to find a pdf that I am allergic to.
6 I will have access if/when I am no longer present to use the physical items.
7 I can point people to them with more than a disembodied citation.
8 As much as I love the physical items, I, too, love the convenience of “immediate” electronic delivery for many and varied reasons.
9 I can find them despite the bad cataloging that exists for the physical items. While I often forget where I found some source on the web, I am fairly sure that I will remember where to find these as they are some of my favorite sources. I have also blogged about them and can just search my blog now if I forget the rest.
I could probably think up a few more reasons for myself or for others that are part of my excitement, but this is a great start.
Yes, I love the print and am so very grateful to be where I am and to have access to them, but I may not always have that access and I am allergic to much of the older materials; materials that I, in fact, value.
As long as I have a web connection I have access to the digital copies and once saved to my computer I have “perpetual” access to a copy of my own.
I hope this gave you some sense of why I am excited.
5 Christina Pikas // Jul 29, 2007 at 1:45 pm
Library Trends — Yipee!!! Thanks for the heads up.
6 Mark // Jul 29, 2007 at 9:07 pm
You’re welcome, Christina.