I'm glad this data is sparking some conversation! And, for the record,
I didn't detect any grumpiness in your post, Gary -- I share your
concern about both issues, but as far as the first point goes, I echo
Michael May's comment questioning folk's ability to retire, say, /ever/
given the increasing student debt load (not just the student loans, but
the increasing dependence on living off credit, etc.), spike in cost of
living, and the low salaries librarians earn relative to other
professional positions. Thank goodness for 403b's! But, I am
especially concerned about my colleagues in public libraries -- I can
think of at least a few off hand who run themselves ragged by splitting
their days between two part-time librarian positions with no benefits on
either side of the fence.
Re: Michael's post -- It would be wonderful to see classes in video
librarianship at library schools. Does anyone know of any currently in
the curricula or that have been taught in the past? I know that in my
relatively recent experience with LIS at UIUC, there weren't any
offerings that specific to video librarianship. I was fortunate enough
to have two wonderful prof's (a husband and wife emeritus / emerita
team, the Hendersons, who any fellow UIUC alum will likely know) who
allowed students to investigate their own specific interests within the
broader context of the courses (thinking specifically of a preservation
class and a tech services class), so that I was able to do projects on
film preservation, media censorship issues, the implications of ratings
and fee structures for media in public libraries, etc. There were so
many varied classes that choosing those that would give me a solid
foundation to be a generalist made it impossible to take all the
elective classes I was interested in, so I'm wondering if another tack
might be to somehow encourage library prof.'s and instructors to provide
more open ended assignments (like the ones I mentioned above) that might
lend themselves to 'media-flavored' customization.
Best,
*************************
Meghann Matwichuk, M.S.
Senior Assistant Librarian
Instructional Media Collection Department
Morris Library, University of Delaware
181 S. College Ave.
Newark, DE 19717
(302) 831-1475
http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/instructionalmedia/
ghandman@library.berkeley.edu wrote:
> Thank YOU, Meghann...
>
> This is useful stuff. I'm on the cusp of going on vacation for a couple
> of weeks. Given the grumpiness of my previous note, probably not a minute
> too soon. Last night I mentioned my comments re the MLIS to my wife Pam
> (a long-time corporate librarian) and she promptly proceeded to kick my
> butt. Guess I've been in academia too long.
>
> I do, however, feel strongly (and intractably) about the importance of
> specialization in the field of film and video, the importance of film and
> video to libraries, and the need for professional training and experience
> in that specialization (regardless of how one defines "professional")
>
> Best,
>
> Gary
>
>
>
>> Thank you, Gary. To answer your second point, I'd like to clip a line
>> from the email invitation to participate in the Video Librarian survey:
>>
>> "You are eligible to participate in this survey if you consider yourself
>> a video librarian, and are currently working in a library, museum or
>> archive with video materials (DVD,
>> VHS, digital formats, etc.)."
>>
>> Michael may have more to add, but to my mind, we were interested in
>> allowing our respondents to self-identify as video librarians, knowing
>> that there are many library workers who are primarily responsible for
>> video collections in libraries who do not have an MLS (especially in
>> some public libraries -- let's not forget that some public libraries
>> hire directors who do not have their MLS). I think it's valuable for us
>> to know that, and agree that conversation about the implications of that
>> 13% who do not have an MLS but are acting as librarians are important to
>> discuss (and of course extends beyond the subset of librarians we
>> surveyed).
>>
>> Best,
>>
>> *************************
>> Meghann Matwichuk, M.S.
>> Senior Assistant Librarian
>> Instructional Media Collection Department
>> Morris Library, University of Delaware
>> 181 S. College Ave.
>> Newark, DE 19717
>> (302) 831-1475
>> http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/instructionalmedia/
>>
>> Gary Handman wrote:
>>
>>> Very very interesting, Michael and Meghann.
>>>
>>> I was struck in particular by the demographics. If 40% of us are
>>> between 50 and 59, 40% of us within a reasonable stone's throw of
>>> retirement. Wonder what happens then. My guess is that the
>>> aforementioned 40% were hired into or slid over into mediadom as a
>>> result of the so-called "video revolution" of the 1970s and 80s...a
>>> time in which the content universe and the delivery technologies were
>>> unique to libraries...the enterprise itself was unique. This is no
>>> longer the case. Media delivery, as we all know, is rapidly
>>> converging with other forms of information delivery. I think there is
>>> an almost universal perception (outside of our small professional
>>> clique) that the specialization is no longer really needed (if it ever
>>> was). This, of course, is utter bushwah...but tell that to
>>> administrators closely watching the bottom line. Weird that an
>>> academic administrator would _never _think about dumping or
>>> amalgamating subject bibliographer/selector positions, but a media
>>> librarian's postion...???
>>>
>>> In any case...makes one ponder and fret about the long term.
>>>
>>> Oh, by the way, at the risk of being labelled reactionary and
>>> backward-looking, in regard to your statement: Most (87%) video
>>> librarians hold a Masters in Library or Information Science. A handful
>>> hold only an Associates or Bachelors (3%),
>>>
>>> in my neck of the academic woods, there's no such thing as a librarian
>>> without an MLS. In light of my statement above re the instability of
>>> the professional specialization, I'm wondering if this is such a musty
>>> notion, after all. I think we need all the creds we can bring with us.
>>>
>>> Gary
>>>
>>>
>>> At 11:57 AM 7/12/2007, you wrote:
>>>
>>>> [Please excuse cross-posting. -- MM]
>>>>
>>>> All,
>>>>
>>>> A few months ago we sent out a request for those self identifying as
>>>> "video librarians" or those in charge of managing video collections
>>>> at their institutions to participate in one or more surveys on those
>>>> subjects. We have now finished the surveys and have initial summary
>>>> data back that we would like to share with you. You can access the
>>>> PDF files with the summaries on the VRT (ALA Video Round Table)
>>>> website at: http://www.ala.org/ala/vrt/vrtresources/vrt2007surveys.htm
>>>>
>>>> We will be doing additional analyses of the data over the next
>>>> several months and hope to report on it in one or more publications
>>>> or presentations. We would encourage any of you that would like us
>>>> to focus on particular areas to let us know, as we would like to be
>>>> able to present on those areas of most interest to librarians. Also,
>>>> if you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact either of
>>>> us directly.
>>>>
>>>> Also newly available at the VRT website and of possible interest to
>>>> media librarians are the notes of the 2007 meeting of the Digital
>>>> Media Discussion Group, which meets annually at ALA Midwinter
>>>> Conferences to discuss a variety of issues pertaining to digital
>>>> media and libraries: http://www.ala.org/ala/vrt/aboutvrt/vrtdmdg.htm
>>>>
>>>> Thank you,
>>>>
>>>> Michael Brewer & Meghann Matwichuk
>>>> brewerm@u.library.arizona.edu <mailto:brewerm@u.library.arizona.edu>
>>>> mtwchk@UDel.Edu <mailto:mtwchk@UDel.Edu>
>>>>
>>>> *************************
>>>> Meghann Matwichuk, M.S.
>>>> Senior Assistant Librarian
>>>> Instructional Media Collection Department
>>>> Morris Library, University of Delaware
>>>> 181 S. College Ave.
>>>> Newark, DE 19717
>>>> (302) 831-1475
>>>> <http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/instructionalmedia/>
>>>>
>>> Gary Handman
>>> Director
>>> Media Resources Center
>>> Moffitt Library
>>> UC Berkeley
>>> ghandman@library.berkeley.edu
>>> http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC
>>>
>>> "In societies where modern conditions of production prevail, all of
>>> life presents itself as an immense accumulation of spectacles."
>>>
>>> --Guy Debord
>>>
>>>
>
>
> Gary Handman
> Director
> Media Resources Center
> Moffitt Library
> UC Berkeley
>
> 510-643-8566
> ghandman@library.berkeley.edu
> http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC
>
> "In societies where modern conditions of production prevail, all of life
> presents itself as an immense accumulation of spectacles."
> --Guy Debord
>
>
> VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.
>
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Thank YOU, Meghann... This is useful stuff. I'm on the cusp of going on vacation for a couple of weeks. Given the grumpiness of my previous note, probably not a minute too soon. Last night I mentioned my comments re the MLIS to my wife Pam (a long-time corporate librarian) and she promptly proceeded to kick my butt. Guess I've been in academia too long. I do, however, feel strongly (and intractably) about the importance of specialization in the field of film and video, the importance of film and video to libraries, and the need for professional training and experience in that specialization (regardless of how one defines "professional") Best, GaryThank you, Gary. To answer your second point, I'd like to clip a line from the email invitation to participate in the Video Librarian survey: "You are eligible to participate in this survey if you consider yourself a video librarian, and are currently working in a library, museum or archive with video materials (DVD, VHS, digital formats, etc.)." Michael may have more to add, but to my mind, we were interested in allowing our respondents to self-identify as video librarians, knowing that there are many library workers who are primarily responsible for video collections in libraries who do not have an MLS (especially in some public libraries -- let's not forget that some public libraries hire directors who do not have their MLS). I think it's valuable for us to know that, and agree that conversation about the implications of that 13% who do not have an MLS but are acting as librarians are important to discuss (and of course extends beyond the subset of librarians we surveyed). Best, ************************* Meghann Matwichuk, M.S. Senior Assistant Librarian Instructional Media Collection Department Morris Library, University of Delaware 181 S. College Ave. Newark, DE 19717 (302) 831-1475 http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/instructionalmedia/ Gary Handman wrote:Very very interesting, Michael and Meghann. I was struck in particular by the demographics. If 40% of us are between 50 and 59, 40% of us within a reasonable stone's throw of retirement. Wonder what happens then. My guess is that the aforementioned 40% were hired into or slid over into mediadom as a result of the so-called "video revolution" of the 1970s and 80s...a time in which the content universe and the delivery technologies were unique to libraries...the enterprise itself was unique. This is no longer the case. Media delivery, as we all know, is rapidly converging with other forms of information delivery. I think there is an almost universal perception (outside of our small professional clique) that the specialization is no longer really needed (if it ever was). This, of course, is utter bushwah...but tell that to administrators closely watching the bottom line. Weird that an academic administrator would _never _think about dumping or amalgamating subject bibliographer/selector positions, but a media librarian's postion...??? In any case...makes one ponder and fret about the long term. Oh, by the way, at the risk of being labelled reactionary and backward-looking, in regard to your statement: Most (87%) video librarians hold a Masters in Library or Information Science. A handful hold only an Associates or Bachelors (3%), in my neck of the academic woods, there's no such thing as a librarian without an MLS. In light of my statement above re the instability of the professional specialization, I'm wondering if this is such a musty notion, after all. I think we need all the creds we can bring with us. Gary At 11:57 AM 7/12/2007, you wrote:[Please excuse cross-posting. -- MM] All, A few months ago we sent out a request for those self identifying as "video librarians" or those in charge of managing video collections at their institutions to participate in one or more surveys on those subjects. We have now finished the surveys and have initial summary data back that we would like to share with you. You can access the PDF files with the summaries on the VRT (ALA Video Round Table) website at: http://www.ala.org/ala/vrt/vrtresources/vrt2007surveys.htm We will be doing additional analyses of the data over the next several months and hope to report on it in one or more publications or presentations. We would encourage any of you that would like us to focus on particular areas to let us know, as we would like to be able to present on those areas of most interest to librarians. Also, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact either of us directly. Also newly available at the VRT website and of possible interest to media librarians are the notes of the 2007 meeting of the Digital Media Discussion Group, which meets annually at ALA Midwinter Conferences to discuss a variety of issues pertaining to digital media and libraries: http://www.ala.org/ala/vrt/aboutvrt/vrtdmdg.htm Thank you, Michael Brewer & Meghann Matwichuk brewerm@u.library.arizona.edu <mailto:brewerm@u.library.arizona.edu> mtwchk@UDel.Edu <mailto:mtwchk@UDel.Edu> ************************* Meghann Matwichuk, M.S. Senior Assistant Librarian Instructional Media Collection Department Morris Library, University of Delaware 181 S. College Ave. Newark, DE 19717 (302) 831-1475 <http://www.lib.udel.edu/ud/instructionalmedia/>Gary Handman Director Media Resources Center Moffitt Library UC Berkeley ghandman@library.berkeley.edu http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC "In societies where modern conditions of production prevail, all of life presents itself as an immense accumulation of spectacles." --Guy DebordGary Handman Director Media Resources Center Moffitt Library UC Berkeley 510-643-8566 ghandman@library.berkeley.edu http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC "In societies where modern conditions of production prevail, all of life presents itself as an immense accumulation of spectacles." --Guy Debord VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.
--------------070709040708050803080500--
VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.