The Digital Age Comes to the Ivory Tower - A visit to some public and private special collections
- By Susan Halas
The Bancroft Library.
By Susan Halas
This month AE looks in on a variety of experts from the world of special collections with an eye toward updating our readers on their interests, needs and how technology has changed their focus. There's something here for the book dealer who wants to do more business with these kinds of libraries and archives. There's also information for the collector who may need help with research or other scholarly pursuits.
It would be impossible to speak personally with all the thousands of women and men who make up this unique and rapidly changing field, but we did touch base with the following experts. Their contact information and links to their sites appear at the end of this article.
*Anthony Bliss, Curator, Rare Books and Literary Manuscripts
Bancroft Library at the University of California at Berkeley
* Katherine Hedin, Curator of Rare Books and Special Collections at the University of Minnesota Law Library
* Liza Kirwin, Curator, Archives of American Art, Washington DC
* Gina Olaya, Director, Tribal & Public Relations for Cherokee Nation Entertainment
* Louis Pitschmann, Dean, University Libraries the University of Alabama
*Alice Schreyer, Director, Special Collections Research Center at the University of Chicago
Special Collections are Potential Buyers
No two of the special collections we spoke with have identical interests or expertise, but all except the Archives of American Art (which only acquires through donation) are prospective buyers of books and related antiquarian materials. They do read their emails. They do read catalogs. They do subscribe to magazines and journals in their fields of interest.
Many of them participate in free on-line listserv XLIBRIS where some of the finer points of antiquarian scholarship are discussed and debated. This list is strictly non-commercial. That said, there is much to be learned from reading the posts or archives and dealers may submit catalog announcements, but only on Tuesdays.
Except for the Archives, they are all interested in receiving quotes on material relevant to their areas of particular interest. The key here is doing your homework. "We welcome and encourage offers targeted to our interests," said Chicago's Alice Schreyer. "Send your query or quote. If we haven't done business before introduce yourself." She and others explained that the offer does not need to be an elaborate presentation. A well written description sent by email will do. There is no need to send photos unless requested.
More often than not the sticky wicket is getting paid in a timely manner. Libraries as a group still want to be invoiced, still have purchase orders, still pay slowly and still expect special consideration. "It might take us a while, but we do pay, said Alabama's Pitschmann. "A library won't stiff you."
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The Digital Age Comes to the Ivory Tower - A visit to some public and private special collections
- By Susan Halas
Born Digital Means a Shift in Focus
This group is avidly interested in the world of technology and its implications for libraries. Pitschmann was one of several who used the term "Born Digital," to refer to the whole generation coming up that has always used the computer and other electronic devices as their primary means of getting information. "We're finding that all our university libraries are technology driven, collaborative, multi media, and much more heavily used than in the past," he said.
"The majority of our users prefer the digital format," said Minnesota's Hedin, "They find it easier to use and easier to search. It also saves wear and tear on the primary source material."
"We have a compelling mission," said Liza Kirwin, curator at the Archives of American Art. She stressed the immediacy of the digital technology saying, "When we get a new donation we don't wait five years to put it up. It's important to have access right away."
The enormous push to digitize books has had a corollary effect of shifting the acquisitions spotlight to other kinds of materials, especially unique items like manuscripts, diaries, or letters. Special collections are also seeking photographs, scrapbooks, broadsides, or similar ephemera that help add depth and focus to their other holdings. "Manuscripts, sound recordings, pictures, illustrations, you name it, we're interested," said Bliss of the Bancroft Library.
He, like others, was quick to point out that the move to put entire collections on-line has not in any way diminished the interest in the specialty reading room. "The Bancroft has one of the busiest university rare book rooms in America," he said, estimating "over ten thousand in-person visitors there annually."
Special Collections Aren't Poor & They Are Selective
While money is tight all over, it is not nearly as tight at the special collections as it is in other parts of the library world. Many mentioned an income stream from endowments and grants. Others pointed to generous benefactors. Alabama has allies at the legislature "where the library budget has been increased every year for the past ten years." Some like the Cherokee Nation are fortunate to have income generating for-profit businesses which help support their cultural and heritage acquisitions.
But all the curators and librarians who spoke with AE Monthly were tactful but emphatic about one thing: Not all gifts are created equal. While they might fight tooth and nail to buy (or have donated) something really desirable, they will decline gifts that don't fit their needs or wants. However, in some cases they may help the donor find an appropriate home at another library or institution.
Making Use of Special Collections
Whether you're a dealer or collector or just someone with a question special collections welcome your interest. There are however some provisos:
If you plan to visit in person and you want to have your research materials ready for use when you get there: Do call ahead. Do make an appointment. Do realize that some of these collections are vast and spread out over many buildings. Be sure to allow sufficient time for the things you want to be found and assembled for your use.
Also, despite the emphasis on on-line and electronic technology, don't be surprised if everything isn't digital yet. There's still a great deal of microfilm and its older cousins out there and you might find that what you want is provided in these older formats.
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The Digital Age Comes to the Ivory Tower - A visit to some public and private special collections
- By Susan Halas
De-accessioning
Though some local libraries in a scramble to make space may throw out, give away or sell duplicates or unwanted contributions, this is seldom the case in the more rarified world of special collections. "We don't de-accession," said Minnesota's Hedin, "not even duplicates. Once we acquire it for our specialty it's here forever."
Reach AE Monthly writer Susan Halas halas@hawaii.rr.com
LINKS & RESOURCES to the people and collections mentioned in this story:
Anthony "Tony" Bliss
Curator, Rare Books and Literary Manuscripts
Bancroft Library at the University of California Berkeley
abliss@library.berkeley.edu
http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/info/
http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/collections/
Alice Schreyer
Director, Special Collections Research Center
University of Chicago Library
schreyer@uchicago.edu
www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/spcl/
Katherine Hedin
Curator of Rare Books and Special Collections
University of Minnesota Law Library
k-hedi@umn.edu
http://library.law.umn.edu/riesenfeldcenter.html
Lou Pitschmann
Dean, University Libraries, University of Alabama
lpitschm@ua.edu
Publishers bindings:
http://bindings.lib.ua.edu/sitesearch.html
http://www.lib.ua.edu/libraries/hoole/collections/
These are just two of the many special holdings and libraries at Alabama
Liza Kirwin,
Curator, Archives of American Art (Smithsonian Institution)
Washington DC and NYC
kirwinL@si.edu
http://www.aaa.si.edu/
Gina Olaya
Director, Tribal & Public Relations
Cherokee Nation Entertainment, Oklahoma
gina.olaya@cnent.com No web site
EXLIBRIS - an online listserv for libraries and special collections
Join or leave EX LIBRIS listserv
https://listserv.indiana.edu/cgi-bin/wa-iub.exe
Contact moderator Everett Wilkie
ewilkie@ix.netcom.com
Resources at the University of Virginia
Many members of the faculty at the University of Virginia Rare Books School are special collections staff. Here is a list
http://www.rarebookschool.org/faculty/
An alphabetical list by name of institution of many special collections is also at their site:
http://www.rarebookschool.org/directories/#A
Other Links
Rare Books and Manuscripts Librarianship
http://www.rbms.info/publications/rbml/index.shtml
FAQ rare books
http://www.rbms.info/yob.shtml
Fine Books and Collections
http://www.finebooksmagazine.com/
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