Part of my (unofficial) job description is weaning my library from cards by computerizing our operations. We haven't had a public card catalog for years, but we still maintain an "inventory shelflist." We also have a card file that includes all of our current periodical holdings and a card file of our standing orders.
Until recently, we also kept a file of order cards (carbon copied and filed by vendor and title) for all monographs as well as a paper file of each and every interlibrary loan request. We also forced students to check out their reserve books on old-fashioned blue book cards. When we phased out the cards, my student assistants were worried that they wouldn't have any work to do any more, since they were spending so much time creating this paper trail. They got over it, though.
All the cards seem silly - especially in 2009. But I think I kind of "get" them.
There's something nice about thumbing through a drawer full of cards. It's nice to feel a physical representation of each and every book. Cards contribute to that nice library smell. They are neat and orderly and don't fail when the power flickers or the Internet connection goes down. Typing, sorting, and filing cards gives us something to do all day that is not terribly difficult, yet makes us feel important as librarians.
And darn it all, I don't think I have any more "free" time to sit around and read books in my automated library world than my card-based predecessors did. It just means I have different priorities and a different range of responsibilities. You can't quite say I get more done: I just get different things done.
Yes, a little part of me dies every time I recycle a library card. Yes, I have a large box of retired library cards in my basement - an endless supply of free one-sided note cards.
But like any nostalgic old fogey, I'm not going to pedal backward anytime soon. I praise the Lord Almighty for the number of access points in our OPAC, the precise computerized filing, and the lack of hassle with a crummy unforgiving typewriter.
Nothing kills nostalgia like a true blast from the past.
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There are things I often see in the past that will never be found within the present counterpart. Take the card catalog for instance. Its use requires patience, an appreciation for the structure of the catalogue, and the willingness to learn how its used. The OPAC has a tendency to make people more impatient, it doesn't suggest how the catalog is structured (hindering its understanding and use), and its seemingly easy to use (you just enter in some key words). However, to maximize the potential of the catalog requires some knowledge of syndetic structure, uniform headings, and access points. That being said, there is a certain power in OPACS, particularly IUCAT, that once mastered can produce results like nothing else. The downside to this is the lack of attention paid to subject classification. Unfortunately, this is a huge downside, as it makes the catalogue unreliable. I still prefer the card catalog because it does the same thing, at a fraction of the cost. In terms of saving time, what do we need to do that for anyway?
ReplyDeleteMy father-in-law is always complaining about the march of technology. My husband's standard reply is "Where do you want to stop Dad, at 8 track tapes?"
ReplyDeleteI guess the days of the card catalog are rapidly declining as well. However I have heard tell of a library who recently used their card catalog as a backup when their computer system was down for over a week.
I agree with you.. and I get that sense of nostalgia, as well. There is nothing like holding something in your hand, be it paper, files, cards, books. I just don't get the sense of satisfaction finding an article in a database that I do if I find the journal and open it... same with looking at a picture of art versus looking at art. I learned to use the library with card catalogs when I was a kid. But, there's no going back, and the convenience of having information gathered into one easily-accessible spot with multiple-searching capabilities won't convince anyone otherwise. Not that it should.. but I miss the old ways.
ReplyDeleteWow, nostalgia time it is! I'd completely forgotten about the carbons...
ReplyDeleteFrom what I've heard, old card catalogs make great wine holders. Random comment :)
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