News Library News Online
Vol. 22, No.2/Winter 2000

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Library Profile: The Sacramento Bee Editorial Library

 

Sacramento Bee Library Staff 11/24/99
Left to Right

Front Row: 
Roberto H. Romero
Pete Basofin, Chief Librarian

Second Row:
Monica Jackson
Becky Boyd

Back Row:
Jason Coughran
Jacqueline Betz

 

Sacromento Bee Library

By Pete Basofin

While it isn't known when The Sacramento Bee Editorial Library began operation, we do know that clipping and indexing of the paper began in earnest in the 1950s. This extensive clip collection is stored in dozens of file cabinets in a large basement "cage." The library staff is located on the second floor, down the hall from the newsroom in a space adjacent to a freight elevator. (We're likely the only newspaper library with its own freight elevator!)

The Library's six full-time employees keep the facility open seven days a week. The staff maintains an electronic archive of published stories, microfilm copies of the paper, print photos, a 2600-volume book collection, and a small run of current magazines and newspapers. Two of the six staffers hold masters degrees in library science. Librarians provide research assistance to the newsroom and other departments five days a week. The Library is staffed 365 days a year: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 365 days a year. We pride ourselves in keeping the text archive always current 24-hours after publication.

An integrated computer archive stores news art, photos and articles. The Bee installed Software Construction Company's (SCC) MediaServer (MS) last year to replace the Cumulus photo database and the SII-LASR text archive. The MediaServer system runs on two clustered DEC PCs connected to a level-5 RAID array (although SCC could run easily on a single computer and drive). About 75 wire, staff and handout photos enter the archive daily. Approximately 160 stories also go into MS each day. The text archive stretches back to March 1984 and we are currently moving LASR back-data into the new system. Once the newsroom converts to full pagination (using the Unisys Hermes product), the library will begin using MS to enhance stories as well as store them. Incidentally, both the SCC images and stories are searchable from a web browser, so in the future people working in every Bee department will access the electronic archive from PCs and Macs connected to the building's LAN and chain's WAN. Outside workers will also have web access to MS as well as other intranet resources.

The Editorial Library has maintained the intranet for the newsroom since the Internet came to the Bee. Currently, the intranet provides access to the obligatory set of outside links (arranged by beat), as well as searchable internal databases, including a book catalog, local voter registration records, and indexes of the local criminal courts. These Microsoft Access databases are connected to the intranet using FrontPage and Internet Information Server scripts. In addition to the intranet resources, reporters with PCs can search several CD-ROM tools: Random House Dictionary, World Book Encyclopedia, PhoneDisc, etc. A small CD jukebox currently houses these items. The library will soon install CD-ROMs on a new 25-gig KwikDISC device capable of networking dozens of disks.

The Bee Library provides research/reference primarily to news reporters, editors, photographers and artists. Occasionally we answer requests from business departments, the publisher and corporate executives. Typical newsroom questions are answered using in-house clippings, books, microfilm, and web-based resources. The staff relies heavily on commercial information services, including Dow Jones News Retrieval, LEXIS-NEXIS, AutoTrak, Merlin Information, MetroScan property listings, IAC Insite, and NewsLibrary. Of course, the Internet has opened a vast (if sometimes unwieldy and unreliable) repository of information used in a good percent of stories that appear in the paper. The Library handles about 300 requests a month from the newsroom. In addition, a librarian operates BeeSearch, a reader information service fielding about 400 requests a month for copies of articles, funeral notices and other materials. The inauguration of the Bee's web-based archive (www.sacbee.com/search/) this year has reduced the demand for BeeSearch services somewhat.

For several years, librarians have provided technical assistance in computer-assisted reporting projects. Reporters have relied on our expertise in acquiring electronic data and converting it for in-house manipulation with spreadsheets and database management programs. Currently, the library maintains a CAR PC equipped with Microsoft Access, FoxPro and Excel that houses data files acquired for investigations and in-depth stories. Recent collaborations include stories analyzing Sacramento crime patterns, school performance tests, pesticide pollution and cancer risk, local real estate values, as well as a fun look at pet licenses to discover the most popular dog and cat names.

Librarians introduced the Internet to the newsroom in 1993. Since then, we have offered informal coaching and introductory classes in the use of Web browsers and web tools. A new round of Internet training will coincide with the shift to pagination and the purchase of large numbers of PCs for the newsroom next spring. Library staff will contribute two hours of Web instruction to the formal NT/Unisys training provided to reporters and editors.

Pete Basofin is Chief Librarian of the Sacramento Bee. His email address is pbasofin@sacbee.com.


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