[344] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Re: Child of Computerspeak
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Judy)
Wed May 27 17:32:25 1992
Date: Wed, 27 May 1992 16:22:21 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
From: Judy <SZ5%NIHCU.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
I couldn't disagree more. We're not in the archives business,
archivists are. We don't need to preserve information in its
original format, we need to provide access to information. Of
what intrinsic value is an encyclopedia? Or a sheet of microfiche?
It's not the piece that's important, rather, it's the information
it contains. Now, I love rare books and I think that there are
_SOME_ that are worth preserving because they happen to be of
interest as a book without regard to the information it contains.
But, as a whole, we are in the business of getting information to
our patrons regardless of format. I keep thinking of us in a
category with the old ice men. Those who thought they were in the
ice business are now out of business, those who realized they were
in the refrigeration business moved with the times are kept on
being in business. If we don't move with the times, we'll be
out of business, too.
Judy Schneider
US GAO Library
sz5@nihcu.bitnet
sz5@cu.nih.gov (Internet)
