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#critlib 2016-03-07: white gloves
Storify of the March 7 2016 #critlib chat "you don’t have to wear white gloves: critical approaches to rare books", moderated by @ForgetTheMaine. For more info about #critlib, including past and future chats, visit critlib dot org.
- Preliminaries
No #critlib chat tonight. It's next week, & we'll discuss critical approaches to #rarebooks. http://critlib.org/white-gloves/ pic.twitter.com/qJhUjKAXac- Today! Join us for a chat on #critlib approaches to rare books, modded by @ForgetTheMaine. 11am Pacific/2pm Eastern. http://critlib.org/white-gloves/
- also @ForgetTheMaine is doin' a #critlib about rare books today at 2 PM Eastern holllllaaaa http://critlib.org/white-gloves/
- Introductions
- Hi #critlib, I'm a cataloger at an academic library in the middle of Minnesota. I've done some #rarebooks cataloging, excited for the topic!
- Melissa here, new grad and prepping for #ARLISVRA2016. Excited to lurk/lunch on this one! #critlib
- Hey #critlib I'm a cc Instruction & Outreach Lib'n. Mostly lurking & hoping to read convos later! Thanks to @ForgetTheMaine for the topic!
- Q1. Tell everyone about your experience with rare books, if any. Were you allowed/encouraged to handle the materials?
- @activitystory no handling? booo! #critlib
- A1 I've worked with artist books mostly, which are rare works of art in book form, & zines. Do those count? #critlib https://twitter.com/ForgetTheMaine/status/706918862642659328 …
- @AcornElectric Definitely! #critlib
- I have never been able to understand this kind of thing, but I think it still happens, alas. #critlib https://twitter.com/marccold/status/706920235970994176 …
- @ForgetTheMaine This was not in the States, though, so I was also to blame for not being sensitive to local norms. #critlib
- @ForgetTheMaine Oh, yes, I think the default assumption sometimes is that you're there to steal, rather than research. #critlib
- This assumption needs to die in a fire. #critlib WE ARE NOT DRAGONS GUARDING A HOARD. https://twitter.com/marccold/status/706921733878579200 …
- @violetbfox Only took being scolded once for not holding a rare coin "correctly" to conclude it wasn't for me (until grad school). #critlib
- @violetbfox that's unfortunate. We do a lot of outreach to encourage everyone to use our rare books as research/inspiration! #critlib
- Lots of #critlib A1 comments about #rarebooks #speccolls seeming intimidating. https://twitter.com/violetbfox/status/706920530906095616 …
- Big drive in UK to counter this idea. @britishlibrary & @UkNatArchives have policies saying no gloves on TV #critlib https://twitter.com/melissa_hubbard/status/706924753165152256 …
- Important to remember how easy it is to seem arcane and obscure. And to actively fight that. #critlib #speccolls https://twitter.com/melissa_hubbard/status/706919958291345415 …
- I remember being nervy undergrad, but still, I don't think I make it as easy as I could for all readers :S #critlib https://twitter.com/marccold/status/706920235970994176 …
- And I've heard plenty of tales of even experienced library/archives users being stymied by unexplained #speccolls procedures. #critlib
- Q2. What can rare book librarians do to break down barriers between repositories and the communities they serve?
- A2 OUTREACH and clear, but open, policies and procedures for using rare books. RB can be great inspiration #critlib https://twitter.com/ForgetTheMaine/status/706921375999639553 …
- @lynnemthomas Ditto: Huge commitment (REQUIREMENT) to providing undergrad + community access. #critlib
- @ForgetTheMaine the videos that your library does are a good start! #critlib
- @lynnemthomas I don't ask for gloves beyond photographs and prints, but students need to be prepared to be asked to do so elsewhere #critlib
- @ForgetTheMaine A2 I'm at a museum, so I try to pop down and talk to the patrons as the tour ends. Sharing my enthusiasm helps. #critlib
- Feel free to adapt to your own reading room rules re gloves … https://derangementanddescription.wordpress.com/2014/01/13/do-i-need-to-wear-gloves-in-the-archives-a-helpful-flow-chart/ … #critlib
- @rowmyboat Yes, yes, yes. But oh my, there's so much to do... #critlib
- @rowmyboat agreed A2 - we do all we can to catalog and provide our collection finding aids and indexes - first priority #critlib
- THIS. 85% of my collection is post 1850. Not "rare" by many other collections' definitions. #critlib https://twitter.com/violetbfox/status/706924530732818433 …
- @violetbfox Lots of surprise about that. Trying to explain that we're painting a pic of local hist, not stockpiling valuable stuff. #critlib
- @violetbfox Amen! Lots of ours are 20th century, just from really really small printing runs. Specialized subject! #critlib
- @violetbfox this is good b/c it also breaks the stereotype that a rare book is something that's hundreds of years old #critlib
- @BkBindersMuseum reach out to instructors to seek collab on assignments? Depending on discipline, I’ll bet they’d be thrilled #critlib
- @BkBindersMuseum Find where the community you want to engage with is already hanging out on the internet. forums, FB, Reddit, etc? #critlib
- @BkBindersMuseum How's your metadata? In good shape? Publicly accessible? Findable on Worldcat (or whatever)? #critlib
- @violetbfox We're working on the Worldcat part, but yes, we have an accessible Koha catalog that I'm adding to daily. #critlib
- @BkBindersMuseum No suggestions, but in similar pos'n: rare bs lib in professional org. No immediate faculty/students to draw on! #critlib
- Q3. What do we need to collect to ensure that rare books is more than old white texts?
- *nods* If institutional focus is 'stuff by, abt belonging to our members' & women only admitted from c20th #critlib https://twitter.com/melissa_hubbard/status/706925747814993920 …
- @melissa_hubbard Our collection here was founded as a John Milton Room....so JM dominates...we're gotten away from that a ton. #critlib
- include both domestic and international authors of color #critlib https://twitter.com/ForgetTheMaine/status/706925330544660480 …
- A3 Materials by/about POC, reflections of the world we live in, community sourced, zines, artist books, etc #critlib https://twitter.com/ForgetTheMaine/status/706925330544660480 …
- A3 If you're lucky enough to be able to buy rare materials, I bet stuff that's not big name dead white dudes is cheaper. #justsayin #critlib
- @ForgetTheMaine Pay attention to your subject area - for us, turns out women in bookbinding is remarkably well-documented. #critlib
- A3. #critlib It absolutely is cheaper in many cases, depending on subject area. @rowmyboat
- @ForgetTheMaine Guess what I'm getting at is avoiding the *popular idea* of museum as don't touch, not for you. (Not real museums) #critlib
- @ForgetTheMaine Whereas I feel a library should be more this is yours, this is our community's, use carefully but please use. #critlib
- A3 - we also collect prints, broadsides, mss collections, art books on/by prisons/prisoner such as those by @Justseeds #critlib
- @ForgetTheMaine and I'd also say take these acquisitions and make good use of any display/exhibit space to highlight them. #critlib
- A3. This. Exhibits/displays should be inclusive, too. #critlib https://twitter.com/BkBindersMuseum/status/706927098292621312 …
- @lynnemthomas I literally JUST installed a Women in Bookbinding exhibit on Friday! #critlib #WomensHistoryMonth
- @violetbfox a lot of this seems to overlap with archives, so i guess where do rare books and archives split/converge? #critlib
- @kellykietur @violetbfox #critlib IMHO, that varies by library. Many RBR/Specolls combined with archives!
- A3 .@agoodlibrarian If you're lucky enough to be person in charge of colldev policy, that can be changed. Incrementally? #critlib
- .@agoodlibrarian (I say that as a lib w/o sufficient budget to prestige-collect even if I wanted to.) #critlib
- @melissa_hubbard what's the mission? If mission has anything to do w/community, there's your argument. #critlib
- I'm not sure there are that many rare book colls that are that prestige centric at this point. #privilege #critlib https://twitter.com/melissa_hubbard/status/706928351076810752 …
- @melissa_hubbard Perhaps explain that prestige/value is subjective, and there's value to be found outside the Big Names? #critlib
- .@melissa_hubbard I think the only thing to do is really push the "use" point -- an inclusive collection drives use. #critlib
- Q4. Can rare books be critical or radical? Can they be separated from capitalistic value?
- @ForgetTheMaine If inclusiveness could drive use, which is not guaranteed...yes? Prestige usually = use #critlib
- .@agoodlibrarian *nods* Often depends upon terms of endowments, frex. #critlib
- @agoodlibrarian the first folio sees almost daily use because it is so PRESTIGIOUS, every class session usually #critlib
- A4 show value without making it about monetary value. What's culturally significant about your collection? #critlib https://twitter.com/ForgetTheMaine/status/706928677288808450 …
- A4. my fav thing is when a students draw attn to items no one else paid much mind to before (like this: http://library.syr.edu/digital/guides/d/douglass_book.htm …) #critlib
- .@melissa_hubbard I think I need to start making that direct comparison more often. #critlib #lessexpensivethanElsevier
- @lynnemthomas Yes! Everyone who comes in when I'm on the desk hears that this is ALL FOR THEM. They no doubt think I'm nuts. :-) #critlib
- .@lemurchild I have begun saying to every class "a little part of me dies inside if you don't come back before you graduate" #critlib
- @kellykietur Competing for stuff on the market? Likely. Faceoff for "ur doing it wrong"? Donor Agreements. Important. #critlib
- @lynnemthomas i was thinking more along the lines of stuff on the market!
- .@kellykietur That's easy: most money wins most often. Depends on scenario. #critlib
- @lynnemthomas @kellykietur There is always a ticking bomb above auctions...like if we don't get this now it'll go private
- @lynnemthomas @kellykietur and it'll never see the light of day again.
- @ForgetTheMaine @kellykietur We just don't do them and live with disappointment. Not enough money, too much red tape. #critlib
- Genuine enthusiasm is also a key factor. #critlib https://twitter.com/activitystory/status/706932058434699264 …
- A4 Be ok w deaccessioning? Especially if thing's not in your purview. Maybe in someone else's & you could transfer. #cooperation #critlib
- @BkBindersMuseum True. Tough to balance access and holistic view of book. #critlib
- Conclusions
- Thanks for hosting a great chat @ForgetTheMaine! I liked thinking through promoting our RB in a non-capitalist, inclusive way #critlib
- Thanks to @ForgetTheMaine for a great topic and doing an excellent job moderating #critlib for the first time!
- excuse self link, but if you’re interested: article co-written w/ curator on exploring arch/sc w/ students #critlib http://surface.syr.edu/sul/140/
- thanks for a great #critlib @ForgetTheMaine (my first day-time chat!)
- Hey RBMSers, go check out today's #critlib, a rare books discussion! https://twitter.com/violetbfox/status/706933054003154944 …
- lets send links to special collections? - here's mine http://guides.lib.jjay.cuny.edu/SpecialCollections … and our digital collections http://dc.lib.jjay.cuny.edu/ #critlib
- @ForgetTheMaine I arrived late and by accident, but that was FUN. #critlib
- @LNBel http://library.bookbindersmuseum.org for the catalog, and http://www.bookbindersmuseum.org for the museum as a whole. #critlib
- Thanks @ForgetTheMaine for the thought-provoking questions and discussion! Will seek ways to work SC into instruction sessions #critlib
- Also, if you want to find special collections on social media, there's a wiki! … http://specialcollectionssocialmedia.pbworks.com/w/page/67443183/Special%20Collections%20and%20Social%20Media#view=page … #critlib
- Also, if you want to find special collections on social media, there's a wiki! … http://specialcollectionssocialmedia.pbworks.com/w/page/67443183/Special%20Collections%20and%20Social%20Media#view=page … #critlib
- Stumbled across super interesting #critlib discussion on #rarebooks #speccolls. Come away w at least 1 v useful idea (note to self: voices).
- Some fascinating #rarebooks discussion on #critlib tonight, especially about prestige and engagement.
