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With respect, I think I already addressed your quibble. I acknowledged the backlog of materials yet to be digitized and explained how to expedite it on an as-ne

With respect, I think I already addressed your quibble. I acknowledged the backlog of materials yet to be digitized and explained how to expedite it on an as-needed basis. It's no more burdensome than it would be with more library funding. Storage is always necessary because big universities own several times more books than they could ever hope to shelve in their increasingly crowded campuses. Digging deep into a subject's history can require materials that don't exist in sufficient quantities for every interested library to have one, necessitating inter-library loans at a minimum. FYI Every online library catalog I've seen has a "browse shelf" feature. And how many times do you need to be shown how to use the microfilm machine?

atrettel 3y ago
Fair points, I was just trying to give an alternative perspective, especially since my needs are likely different than others on here. I appreciate the feedback. I tend to agree that storage is not a bad option, but so many libraries just cannot be bothered and would rather discard or sell materials. Fair point about the "browse shelf" feature of online catalogs, but I was talking about the ability to just open an adjacent book and just browse through the book itself. Instant access in other words. This is much more difficult if requesting things from storage, though the trick is to request several dozen books at once from storage. That is reasonable at some libraries but others will be greatly annoyed if you do that, due to limited shelf space for holds/requests. You are right that I do not need to be shown how to use a microfilm machine, but often different libraries or archives have different practices and conventions about how to use their machines, especially for the purpose of preserving the microfilm. Being shown how to use it is more about learning their conventions and practices so that you can continue to have access to their collections later, and also to learn any issues with the machines themselves. For example, some institutions like the Smithsonian require you to wear special gloves when handling microfilm and limits where you can save any scans. Other places are completely free-form, but different machines have different quirks or could be down at the moment. Quirks include blurry images, need to wind the reels in a certain way, slow fast-forward (problem for longer reels), missing parts, susceptibility to nearby vibration, etc. If the undergrad helping you doesn't even know what a microfilm machine is, I doubt they can truly help you figure out how to get this particular machine working right. I ended up figuring this stuff out myself, but I would have preferred some assistance from a professional to be honest.
jrochkind1 3y ago
> FYI Every online library catalog I've seen has a "browse shelf" feature. As someone who works in the field, I'm not actually sure what you mean, and am curious. can you point me to an example of a "browse shelf feature" in a library catalog you have used and found helpful? I'm just curious to see what you are finding, and liking.
- atrettel 3y ago
  This is a feature of some online catalogs where it lists adjacent books on the shelf. This is usually done by the call number, so it basically just lets you see what the previous and next call numbers are. Given that the call numbers are usually within some sort of classification scheme, this is a quick way to find related material. For example, consider this book at the University of Maryland's library: https://umaryland.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1594752 https://umaryland.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1594752 Scroll down to the bottom to see "Browse the Shelf". Notice that the call numbers are sequential. The Library of Congress has a similar feature even though only librarians are able to access the stacks: https://catalog.loc.gov/vwebv/searchBrowse https://catalog.loc.gov/vwebv/searchBrowse I don't mean to come off as dismissive of the feature. It is pretty useful! But I also value shelf access and just being able to dig into a book at a moment's notice.
  - sheepshear 3y ago
    Thank you for explaining it so well. Some libraries also have digital versions, allowing you to effectively browse the stacks from anywhere. The feature can and should be improved as it's a bit clunky. Digitization is a slow process, but we'll get there eventually. For now, we have growing pains.
  - jrochkind1 3y ago
    Thanks! The library of congress version is currently unavailable, perhaps it's gotten too much traffic from HN! the umaryland version, @sheepshear do you personally find this feature useful, you use this feature? Or you were just giving it as an example for others who might want it? Either way, this is a good example of the kind of "browse shelf" feature you were speaking of, looking more or less like this?

atrettel 3y ago

Fair points, I was just trying to give an alternative perspective, especially since my needs are likely different than others on here. I appreciate the feedback. I tend to agree that storage is not a bad option, but so many libraries just cannot be bothered and would rather discard or sell materials. Fair point about the "browse shelf" feature of online catalogs, but I was talking about the ability to just open an adjacent book and just browse through the book itself. Instant access in other words. This is much more difficult if requesting things from storage, though the trick is to request several dozen books at once from storage. That is reasonable at some libraries but others will be greatly annoyed if you do that, due to limited shelf space for holds/requests. You are right that I do not need to be shown how to use a microfilm machine, but often different libraries or archives have different practices and conventions about how to use their machines, especially for the purpose of preserving the microfilm. Being shown how to use it is more about learning their conventions and practices so that you can continue to have access to their collections later, and also to learn any issues with the machines themselves. For example, some institutions like the Smithsonian require you to wear special gloves when handling microfilm and limits where you can save any scans. Other places are completely free-form, but different machines have different quirks or could be down at the moment. Quirks include blurry images, need to wind the reels in a certain way, slow fast-forward (problem for longer reels), missing parts, susceptibility to nearby vibration, etc. If the undergrad helping you doesn't even know what a microfilm machine is, I doubt they can truly help you figure out how to get this particular machine working right. I ended up figuring this stuff out myself, but I would have preferred some assistance from a professional to be honest.

jrochkind1 3y ago

> FYI Every online library catalog I've seen has a "browse shelf" feature. As someone who works in the field, I'm not actually sure what you mean, and am curious. can you point me to an example of a "browse shelf feature" in a library catalog you have used and found helpful? I'm just curious to see what you are finding, and liking.

atrettel 3y ago
This is a feature of some online catalogs where it lists adjacent books on the shelf. This is usually done by the call number, so it basically just lets you see what the previous and next call numbers are. Given that the call numbers are usually within some sort of classification scheme, this is a quick way to find related material. For example, consider this book at the University of Maryland's library: https://umaryland.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1594752 https://umaryland.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1594752 Scroll down to the bottom to see "Browse the Shelf". Notice that the call numbers are sequential. The Library of Congress has a similar feature even though only librarians are able to access the stacks: https://catalog.loc.gov/vwebv/searchBrowse https://catalog.loc.gov/vwebv/searchBrowse I don't mean to come off as dismissive of the feature. It is pretty useful! But I also value shelf access and just being able to dig into a book at a moment's notice.
- sheepshear 3y ago
  Thank you for explaining it so well. Some libraries also have digital versions, allowing you to effectively browse the stacks from anywhere. The feature can and should be improved as it's a bit clunky. Digitization is a slow process, but we'll get there eventually. For now, we have growing pains.
- jrochkind1 3y ago
  Thanks! The library of congress version is currently unavailable, perhaps it's gotten too much traffic from HN! the umaryland version, @sheepshear do you personally find this feature useful, you use this feature? Or you were just giving it as an example for others who might want it? Either way, this is a good example of the kind of "browse shelf" feature you were speaking of, looking more or less like this?