Nov. 1st, 2006 11:53 am
librarian vs. historian brains.
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mizarchivistSome people may make the mistake that those seeking the material and those keeping the material think in similar ways.
Some of you know from urban legend, bad PR, and personal experience- this is not remotely reality.
The following is a rant and not a request for fixing. Please only read it if you can restrain the urge to offer techno fixes beyond how to effectively hide the body through newfangled electronic means. Kthnxbye.
Case in point- today.
Historian-to-remain-nameless, a regular here, wants to talk about an important issue with my colleague (the Other Librarian) he has determined. I brace myself. I have a feeling this will not be a new conversation.
He has determined that there's material in archive collections in our repository that are not immediately accessible.
Some of you know from urban legend, bad PR, and personal experience- this is not remotely reality.
The following is a rant and not a request for fixing. Please only read it if you can restrain the urge to offer techno fixes beyond how to effectively hide the body through newfangled electronic means. Kthnxbye.
Case in point- today.
Historian-to-remain-nameless, a regular here, wants to talk about an important issue with my colleague (the Other Librarian) he has determined. I brace myself. I have a feeling this will not be a new conversation.
He has determined that there's material in archive collections in our repository that are not immediately accessible.
Point 1. I was not responsible for processing all the material in our catalog. That's been done by many many people over the past 25 years.
Point 2. We have guides for many of the collections. They are word/pdf/whatever attachments that are attached to the record.
Point 3. These guides must be opened to be searchable. This is a cold hard fact of this software system. They aren't searchable. This will not change. Not without several million bucks to pay for spliftier software and a bevvy of very well trainedmonkeys assistants to do my bidding.
Point 4. I'm sort of going flat out already on all the other projects that have been deemed important to go back and recatalog.
Point 5. If a researcher can't be bothered to do some critical thinking about where one might find material sie is interested in- like looking geographically or by larger organization, then that's not my fucking problem.
Point 6. The critical historian isa technophobe Old School. He's not bothered to learn how to search our catalog despite the many bits of detail that can help browsing and related searches. Suck it up buttercup. Welcome to the 21st century. Use the flickery box.
I explained as politely as I knew how with as much reasoning and detail why I was saying No. I see some form of alcohol in my future. I may even be able to wait until after work is ended.Point 2. We have guides for many of the collections. They are word/pdf/whatever attachments that are attached to the record.
Point 3. These guides must be opened to be searchable. This is a cold hard fact of this software system. They aren't searchable. This will not change. Not without several million bucks to pay for spliftier software and a bevvy of very well trained
Point 4. I'm sort of going flat out already on all the other projects that have been deemed important to go back and recatalog.
Point 5. If a researcher can't be bothered to do some critical thinking about where one might find material sie is interested in- like looking geographically or by larger organization, then that's not my fucking problem.
Point 6. The critical historian is
