VIDEOLIB Archive: Re: [Videolib] Nothing about videos in ALA's State of Libraries report?

Peter Kaufman from Columbia gave an fascinating presentation on =20
"Teaching in the new (video) vernacular" at last fall's meeting of =20
the Coalition of Networked Information. He makes all kinds of =20
compelling points about the importance of video information. He =20
refers to a Lawrence Lessig presentation in which Lessig said that =20
"text is=85dead, that the written word has become =93the =91Latin=92 of =
our =20
modern times=94; that the ordinary language, the =93vulgar=94 or =
vernacular =20
language, the new language of the street is video and sound; and, =20
most important, that the tools of creativity...are in fact what =20
Lessig calls new and fundamentally
essential =93tools of speech.=94

> >
> > At 02:43 PM 4/23/2007 -0700, Gary Handman wrote:
> >> Beg to differ (as someone who's been around since Edison cranked =20=

> his
> >> first
> >> kinetoscope): ALA's decision (or oversight) is based on the fact
> >> that, despite
> >> the cultural and cognitive revolutions brought on by moving image
> >> technology,
> >> ALA and libraries in general still "don't get it" The container of
> >> the medium--
> >> it's form and format--are completely beside the point. The real
> >> issue centers
> >> around much more fundamental biases and misconceptions and =20
> downright
> >> myopia
> >> about the moving images that prevade libraries and library
> >> organizations.
> >> Exclusion of "VIDEO" from ALA's report is no more pathetic than the
> >> shabby way
> >> in which moving images continue to be treated in most libraries =20
> (both
> >> academic
> >> and public).
> >>
> >> The fact is, we're living in a post-print society. Insitutions that
> >> don't catch
> >> on to the fact are doomed to be marginalized or shut down =20
> completely.
> >>
> >> Gary Handman
> >>
> >>
> >> Quoting Amanda Ros :
> >>
> >> > Mike,
> >> >
> >> > Videos continue to circulate at a fairly steady pace in 7 of =20
> our 8
> >> > branches. While we are not purchasing videos, patrons are =20
> donating
> >> them
> >> > left and right--presumably because they are replacing them with
> >> DVD's or
> >> > their kids have outgrown the cartoons.
> >> >
> >> > ALA's decision to exclude VHS appears to me to be a response =20
> to the
> >> fact
> >> > the VHS is a dying media. It is getting more and more =20
> difficult to
> >> find
> >> > VHS supplies from our vendors. But, given that libraries still
> >> carry
> >> > videos, I think that they should consider addressing them.
> >> >
> >> > I'm curious though. How many of your libraries still have VHS
> >> > collections? Are you (the powers that be) considering dumping the
> >> > collection? If your library doesn't carry VHS but did at 1 time,
> >> how
> >> > long ago did you get rid of your VHS collection?
> >> >
> >> > Amanda Ros
> >> > AV Cataloger
> >> > Jackson-George Regional Library
> >> > tsav@jgrls.org
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > -----Original Message-----
> >> > From: owner-videolib@lists.berkeley.edu
> >> > [mailto:owner-videolib@lists.berkeley.edu] On Behalf Of
> >> > MichaelMay.5652831@bloglines.com
> >> > Sent: Monday, April 23, 2007 2:39 PM
> >> > To: publib@webjunction.org
> >> > Cc: videolib@lists.berkeley.edu
> >> > Subject: [Videolib] Nothing about videos in ALA's State of =20
> Libraries
> >> > report?
> >> >
> >> > ALA has released its "2007 State of America's Libraries" report:
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > http://www.ala.org/2007state
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > While DVD circulation has been one of the fastest growing =20
> areas at
> >> my
> >> > public
> >> > library, the report does not appear to mention video =20
> collections or
> >> > services.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Considering recent stats or trends at your library, do you think
> >> videos
> >> > should be mentioned in the 2008 report?
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > Mike in Dubuque
> >> >
>

Judith Thomas
Robertson Media Center
University of Virginia Library
Charlottesville, VA 22904
(434) 924-8814 | jthomas@virginia.edu

--Apple-Mail-48--575932755
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Type: text/html;
charset=WINDOWS-1252

Peter Kaufman from Columbia gave = an fascinating presentation on "Teaching in the new (video) vernacular" = at last fall's meeting of the Coalition of Networked Information.=A0 He = makes all kinds of compelling points about the importance of video = information. =A0 =A0He refers to a Lawrence Lessig presentation in which = Lessig said that=A0 =A0"text is=85dead, that the written word has become = =93the =91Latin=92 of our modern=A0times=94; that the ordinary language, = the =93vulgar=94 or vernacular language, the new language=A0of the = street is video and sound; and, most important, that the tools of = creativity...are in fact what Lessig calls new and fundamentally

>
> At 02:43 = PM 4/23/2007 -0700, Gary Handman wrote:
>> Beg to differ (as = someone who's been around since Edison cranked his
>> = first
>> kinetoscope): ALA's decision (or oversight) is based = on the fact
>> that, despite
>> the cultural and = cognitive revolutions brought on by moving image
>> = technology,
>> ALA and libraries in general still "don't get = it" The container of
>> the medium--
>> it's form and = format--are completely beside the point. The real
>> issue = centers
>> around much more fundamental biases and = misconceptions and downright
>> myopia
>> about the = moving images that prevade libraries and library
>> = organizations.
>> Exclusion of "VIDEO" from ALA's report is no = more pathetic than the
>> shabby way
>> in which = moving images continue to be treated in most libraries (both =
>> academic
>> and public).
>>
>> = The fact is, we're living in a post-print society. Insitutions that =
>> don't catch
>> on to the fact are doomed to be = marginalized or shut down completely.
>>
>> Gary = Handman
>>
>>
>> Quoting Amanda Ros = :
>>
>> > Mike,
>> >
>> > = Videos continue to circulate at a fairly steady pace in 7 of our = 8
>> > branches. While we are not purchasing videos, patrons = are donating
>> them
>> > left and = right--presumably because they are replacing them with
>> = DVD's or
>> > their kids have outgrown the = cartoons.
>> >
>> > ALA's decision to exclude = VHS appears to me to be a response to the
>> fact
>> = > the VHS is a dying media. It is getting more and more difficult to =
>> find
>> > VHS supplies from our vendors. But, = given that libraries still
>> carry
>> > videos, I = think that they should consider addressing them.
>> = >
>> > I'm curious though. How many of your libraries = still have VHS
>> > collections? Are you (the powers that = be) considering dumping the
>> > collection? If your library = doesn't carry VHS but did at 1 time,
>> how
>> > = long ago did you get rid of your VHS collection?
>> = >
>> > Amanda Ros
>> > AV = Cataloger
>> > Jackson-George Regional Library
>> = > tsav@jgrls.org
>> = >
>> >
>> > -----Original = Message-----
>> > From: owner-videolib@lists.ber= keley.edu
>> > [mailto:owner-videolib@li= sts.berkeley.edu] On Behalf Of
>> > MichaelMay.5652831@blogli= nes.com
>> > Sent: Monday, April 23, 2007 2:39 = PM
>> > To: publib@webjunction.org
>&= gt; > Cc: videolib@lists.berkeley.edu
>> > Subject: [Videolib] Nothing about videos in ALA's = State of Libraries
>> > report?
>> >
>> = > ALA has released its "2007 State of America's Libraries" = report:
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> = > http://www.ala.org/2007state
= >> >
>> >
>> >
>> > While = DVD circulation has been one of the fastest growing areas at =
>> my
>> > public
>> > library, the = report does not appear to mention video collections or
>> > = services.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> = > Considering recent stats or trends at your library, do you think =
>> videos
>> > should be mentioned in the 2008 = report?
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> = > Mike in Dubuque
>> >