The local studies librarian is alive and well as far as I am concerned:
here at Croydon Local Studies and Archives, I am privileged to work
alongside two extremely fine examples of the species!
They will now be invoiced for these kind words......
Chris Bennett
Archivist
Croydon Local Studies Library and Archives Service
Croydon Clocktower
Katharine Street
Croydon CR9 1ET
Tel: 020 87605400 x61112
Email: [log in to unmask]
Fax: 020 82531012
Opening hours: Mon 9-7; Tues 9-6; Weds 9-6; Thurs 9.30-6; Fri 9-6; Sat
9-5.
-----Original Message-----
From: From: Local-History list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Jane Howells
Sent: 26 May 2005 13:30
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: local studies librarians
Hear hear! We are fortunate to still have, 'de facto' a local studies
librarian, though I don't know what his official title is now, who is a
fount of knowledge and enthusiasm for the locality and its history. His
colleagues must get fed up with people asking 'Is X here?'
The other problem is space - to fit in the computers there is much less
shelf space so things like directories which used to be available for
browsing are no longer there without asking for their retrieval from
store.
And why are people using computers so noisy? Chatter plus mobile phones
...
Sorry, I'll get off my hobby horse.
Jane
-----Original Message-----
From: From: Local-History list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of jacqueline.cooper
Sent: 26 May 2005 11:19
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: local studies librarians
Someone in a recent answer mentioned the lovely phrase 'local studies
librarians'. Do such persons still exist? We seem to have largely lost
this
splendid breed (indeed the word librarian is being replaced by the word
manager) and are now expected to use computers instead of having someone
who
thoroughly knows the material guide us to elusive sources. Is this
happening
everywhere, and if so why are we just letting it happen? I think the
local
history community should begin a campaign to celebrate and retain the
role
of the local studies librarian.
Jacqueline Cooper
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