![everything that rises must convergecataloging, collaboration, & consortia:coordinating practicesin museums, archives, & librariesBackground illustration by Harper’s Magazine Co.(1857-1902):"The new bridge system in New York City” [Printed material]. Brooklyn Museum Libraries.Alyssa CarverFinal Presentation – 04/26/2011LIS-698 (Practicum)](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/practicum-convergence-110426213827-phpapp02/85/For-LIS-698-presented-04-26-2011-1-320.jpg)
For LIS-698, presented 04/26/2011
- 1. everything that rises must convergecataloging, collaboration, & consortia:coordinating practicesin museums, archives, & librariesBackground illustration by Harper’s Magazine Co.(1857-1902):"The new bridge system in New York City” [Printed material]. Brooklyn Museum Libraries.Alyssa CarverFinal Presentation – 04/26/2011LIS-698 (Practicum)
- 2. the internship:Project M-LEAD (Museum Libraries Education and Digitization) at Brooklyn Museum nature of the work:cataloging a vertical file collection of art institutional materials (from galleries and other museums) in order to provide access to these “hidden” materialsBrooklyn Museum exteriorphoto by Jan van Raay; from Brownstoner.com.
- 3. why librariesvs.archives?Much of this material falls into the category of ephemera, defined variously as:“the minor transient documents of everyday life” (Rickards, 2000)and:printed items that are not books, “produced/distributed outside the standard publishing model” (Young, 2003)… which means ephemera collections often fall outside the scope of both archives and libraries. The files may contain everything from news clippings to gallery guides, exhibition catalogs, postcards, posters, event announcements, correspondence, invitations, newsletters, annual reports, press releases, and small publications.Brooklyn Museum Libraries, call no. ND187 Am3library-isharchive-ish
- 4. the grey area:between information and artifact…do these divisions make sense? Historically speaking, ancient “libraries” were really archives of original documents.
- 5. The modern development of typographic printing and the sudden increase in quantity of printed matter created a divide between books and objects…
- 6. While bureaucratization of governments over the last century gave rise to the practice of separating “records” from other kinds ofdocuments.and where do museums fit in? In ancient times, the word “museum” was used to describe buildings dedicated to the muses. These institutions, too, primarily housed texts and sacred documents.(Martin, 2007)Nightby Adolph Weinman, Brooklyn Museum sculpture garden;photo from ephemeralnewyork.wordpress.com.
- 7. digital access to collections: erasing the divideDifferences exist, but cultural heritage institutions share: a commitment to public service and lifelong education
- 8. the goals of collecting and preserving resources for future generations
- 9. and the mission to provide access to their rich stores of knowledge Patrons don’t really understand or care about the administrative differences affecting access to each type of collection. They just want the content.users
- 10. cataloging in consortia: improves user access Since widespread acceptance of MARC standards has brought archival and library practices closer together again...
- 11. Will the push to digitize all collections (from museum objects to documents) create another converging set standards that coordinate the skills of archival, library, and museum professionals?
- 12. We can start by collaborating more actively within our own institutions
- 13. And through consortial efforts, like NYARC. Arcade is the catalog of the New York Art Resources Consortium, combining the library collections of the Frick, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Brooklyn Museum into a single, searchable online catalog. When dealing with obscure materials, Arcade can be a valuable cataloging resource. I can look to the other institutions to make sure we are using the same AACR2 formats, or isolate items they have already cataloged. Technical services librarians are working (behind the scenes) to help the user!
- 14. References:Martin, R.S. (2007). Intersecting missions, converging practice. RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage, 8(1) , 80-88.Rickards, M. (2000). Encyclopedia of ephemera: a guide to the fragmentary documents of everyday life for the collector, curator, and historian. New York: Routledge. Young, T.G. (2003). Evidence: toward a library definition of ephemera. RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage, 4(1), 11-26.“If we could posit that librarians, archivists, and museum professionals are not separate and distinct professions but, rather, different facets of a single unified profession, I believe that we would find our ability to serve the needs of our communities strengthened. If we reenvision ourselves as public servants, charged with the responsibility for collecting and organizing the materials that document our rich and diverse cultural heritage and enhancing access to those materials for our communities, we will discover that we can reshape our practices, learn from one another, and better meet the needs of our users.“ -- Martin, p. 88
Editor's Notes
- #2: French philosopherPierreTeilharddeChardin (1881-1955), “Omega Point”