grumble at local library

[Scion7]

I live in a small town about 35 minutes from the University and its library - but this local yokel bookcubby DID have a copy of the 1980 Grove on its reference shelves.  But today I stopped in there and noticed that the New Grove set, and several other reference works, were gone.  I asked the librarian what happened, and she said they removed them due to non-use and space considerations.  Now, there is more empty space on the shelves in this library than the Stockhausen slot of your local music store, so that's just bollocks.  "It's all online now" says she - I said, "oh, so the library purchased the license for the online New Grove?"  Blank stare, she did give me.  After a few seconds, "well, yeah, they can use Google ..... "   At this point, I realized this country music backwoods female was clueless, so I sighed, and asked what they did with the old "hardcopy" volumes - they are across the parking lot in another storage building.  Next week I will enquire what they want for them.  I just may make a killing!  I would go talk to the library director about the need of putting them back on the shelves for students, but I know I would fail in that endeavor.

This is sad on many levels.  Oh, well, the University library is there to take solace in.

[DaveF]

If the volumes are in store, does this mean that they are still on the catalogue and could be accessed if required by a reader?  (This is another librarian coming to the defence of his transatlantic colleague.)

[(poco) Sforzando]

Somehow I doubt Gondolin is your true location, but if you can nab the 1980 set, don't hesitate. I have four of the paperbound volumes myself plus all the small biographies of composers. There are some who think (despite some outdated scholarship) that the 1980 was a superior edition to the more recent one.

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Your first mistake, which identified you as a hopeless non "library science" insider was to use the word "book". They are not "books" you heathen; they are "bound, printed material".

In my experience, it seems that many librarians (especially outside of universities) are not very interested in books, reading, or music, and don't know (or care) very much about any particular subject area. 

[The new erato]

A grumble in the jungle?

[Scion7]

Well, I bought the online/CD New Grove with my budget for the Univ, but the 1980 edition has longer articles in some cases.  I use that set a lot (in spurts.)  They are going to be sorted for sale, is my understanding.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

I bought the New Grove (2001) at my local public library for $1 a volume.  Not many days go by when I don't refer to it for one thing or another.  Still, in future, I'm looking forward to downloading its contents entire right into my brain. 

[DaveF]

In my British experience (things may be different in the US), front-line staff are not strictly "librarians" but unqualified, very low-paid library or information assistants.  If you want your public library service staffed by subject specialists, perhaps you need to go down to your town hall with your cheque book and offer to make a very large donation towards the funding of such a service.  My own local authority (and employer) has seen something like a 30% cut in its funding over the past 3 years (with more to come), which of course falls disproportionately on the (non-essential) library service.  Some specialist areas may suffer, or customers requiring these areas may have to pay towards them, yet somehow we're managing to keep things going.  (And we have an online subscription to all the Oxford reference books, including Grove  )

[Scion7]

I bought the New Grove (2001) at my local public library for $1 a volume.

That is an incredible bargain - especially if they are in near-mint condition.

[ZauberdrachenNr.7]

That is an incredible bargain - especially if they are in near-mint condition.

Near mint is the right description - I was able to remove the call numbers with no damage to spines.  You'd never know they are ex-lib., if you didn't see the lib. stamp on the head and fore-edge. 

[Sean]

I live in a small town about 35 minutes from the University and its library - but this local yokel bookcubby DID have a copy of the 1980 Grove on its reference shelves.  But today I stopped in there and noticed that the New Grove set, and several other reference works, were gone.  I asked the librarian what happened, and she said they removed them due to non-use and space considerations.  Now, there is more empty space on the shelves in this library than the Stockhausen slot of your local music store, so that's just bollocks.  "It's all online now" says she - I said, "oh, so the library purchased the license for the online New Grove?"  Blank stare, she did give me.  After a few seconds, "well, yeah, they can use Google ..... "   At this point, I realized this country music backwoods female was clueless, so I sighed, and asked what they did with the old "hardcopy" volumes - they are across the parking lot in another storage building.  Next week I will enquire what they want for them.  I just may make a killing!  I would go talk to the library director about the need of putting them back on the shelves for students, but I know I would fail in that endeavor.

This is sad on many levels.  Oh, well, the University library is there to take solace in.

I've posted on such matters at libraries several times. It's all part of the democratic mindless majoritarian mass takeover of society. A civilization in decline, and all you get is blank stares. The horde will accept any psychosis as elite value and standards lying above them are denied and eroded.

[The new erato]

I've posted on such matters at libraries several times. It's all part of the democratic mindless majoritarian mass takeover of society. A civilization in decline, and all you get is blank stares. The horde will accept any psychosis as elite value and standards lying above them are denied and eroded.

Huh? (Insert blank stare)

[Sean]

Perhaps the less said the better here. It's obvious we're living in some sort of end times.

[Ken B]

Huh? (Insert blank stare)

The scary thing is I know exactly what Sean means, and I more or less agree. I do though think he overestimates what fraction of future generations really cared about the arts.

[Sean]

[The new erato]

The scary thing is I know exactly what Sean means, and I more or less agree. I do though think he overestimates what fraction of future generations really cared about the arts.

It was ever so. The people that actually heard any of Beethovens music while he was alive, was probably numbered in the thousands. Certainly the public that Beethoven and Schubert wrote for was miniscule. I for one don't think we are worse off today and I don't subscribe to any end time descriptions, I find them pretty simplistic.

[Karl Henning]

Perhaps the less said the better here. It's obvious we're living in some sort of end times.

ROFL