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Re: More on N. Baker and Double Fold



On Mon, 16 Apr 2001 22:07:05 -0400, abg <abg@WORLD.STD.COM> wrote:

>To play the devil
>How many of you criticizing Baker have really looked at the microfilms in
>your holdings that you've made paper originals in terms of visual quality.
>Do the films convey not only the words, but the gestalt (if i may) of the
>original?

Ok! I'll bite Yes I have looked at reel after reel of microfilm and am
astonished at the sometimes poor quality, but at the same time I have also
seen the fragility of the original newsprint or books (in the case of old
city directories) and thank whomever for having had the ability to
microfilm the original material. Would I like to look at the originals yes,
but the more important thing is the information rather than the gestalt of
the original. And as stated in an earlier posting the microfilm imagine is
highly dependent upon the material being filmed. If the original is of poor
quality then the microfilm image will be of similar quality.

>Mf is great for quick, cheap, low end access to materials that may be too
>bulky or difficult to peruse on site; but that's all it is - a substitute
>for the real thing.

Yes, Microfilm is a substitute, but cheap? not hardly, not if the
institution has developed a proper RFP and scope of work. There is no
reason to throw out the originals after microfilming but how does one
determine who will have access to the originals and who will make the
determination? Who will provide the funds for preserving and conservating
the originals especially if the organizations funding is limited to begin
with. I have handled old city directories where in if one turned the page
it would crack in half, fortunately the material had been microfilmed which
was easier to handle.

Already the public is demanding that everything be digitized, and yet
people like Nicholson Baker demand that the originals be preserved. It
would be nice if organizations such as the MacArthur and Knight Foundations
would provide the funding to institutions rather than to Mr. Baker.
MacArthur Foundation grants usually know as 'genius' grants are usually in
the six figures for at least a period of 5 years. IIRC at least $250K per
year. Now what institution couldn't use that sort of money. What would your
institution do with the money?

>And that makes a great difference.
>We've been mfilming originals for years (I did it) for access purposes; but
>we've held onto the originals and treat them as the preservation material -
>the film is expendable.  Like making a VHS copy of a movie - would you toss
>the original film & save the VHS in its stead?  I think not.
>Ditto, imho, for digital copies of originals.
>Allan Goodrich/Boston

Unfortunately it is not an either or situation. There is nothing that says
you must throw out the original after microfilming. But as I stated earlier
what criteria will be used in determining access. I notice that Mr. Baker
does not provide for open access to the materials he has saved. A letter
must be sent to him asking for permission to review the materials. Would
such restrictive access be allowed at most of the publicly funded archives
and libraries. I think not.

At some point a compromise must be reached. There will always be people who
want to look at the originals AND we must preserve the originals. But we
must also make the information available to the user community, whoever
they may be. The accessibility can be either digitization or microfilming
or some future technology. Remember we are there to preserve, maintain and
make accessible the material in our care.

Peter Kurilecz
Richmond, VA

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