| International Association of Libraries and Museums of the Performing Arts Société Internationale des Bibliothèques et des Musées des Arts du Spectacle |  |
Can SIBMAS survive in our today's global village?Willem Rodenhuis Documents et Témoignages des Arts du Spectacle: Pourquoi et Comment? / Collecting and Recording the Performing Arts: Why and How? Société Internationale des Bibliothèques et des Musées des Arts du Spectacle / International Association of Libraries and Museums of the Performing Arts 20ème Congrès International / 20th International Congress Antwerp 4-7 September 1994. Acta. Antwerp : 1995, pp. 106-107 The other day I was struck by a very pessimistic view on the possibilities of organisations like SIBMAS, FIRT, OISTAT, put forward by a colleague, saying that these forms of worldwide unions have outlived themselves, being relicts of the passed days of the cold war. Instead of the predictable conferences with their questionable output it would be recommendable to organise ad hoc circles of colleagues, united for temporary goals and subjects of interest. This form of loose organisation, apart from a global permanent body like SIBMAS, would largely be allowed by the technological development of Internet, E-mail, telefax and what is still to be invented for us in the next future. I took the liberty to disagree with my colleague and I'd like to share my arguments with you, adding some proposals for a more detailed cooperation as SIBMAS-members. My first objection to my colleague's argument dealt with the state of affairs in the realm of technological innovation. Indeed, it is astonishing to see what new possibilities for communication are available. Thinking back in time only five years, for instance, my library had no telefax, no Internet, no E-mail, no CD-ROM at its disposal. These inventions made it possible for us to build up an effective network, consisting of the eleven Dutch university libraries, headed by the Royal Library in The Hague. Especially the consultation of colleagues on issues like subject- and title cataloguing, the maintenance and standardisation of a thesaurus and peculiarities of the collection building has improved considerably. Still, the effectiveness of all these technological innovations depends largely on the time one can spend on being "on line". Whom of you keeps an eye on the E-mail post delivery in a reliable schedule and finds time to answer in due time? Contrary to my cited opponent I prefer to keep in contact with my colleagues vis ࠶is. Especially those who work in performing arts libraries (both university- and acting school libraries) cannot be missed in setting out a productive strategy for the acquisitions and its budgeting. It is my observation, and saying so means nothing new, that the people themselves should direct the system and benefit from it directly. Continuing with the human condition as a norm to deal with technology I see a second positive argument for an organisation like SIBMAS. Seen against the background of the still increasing number of students who take the opportunity to study abroad for one or more terms with an Erasmus (EU-countries) or Tempus (former eastern European countries) grant it is very helpful to be acquainted with colleagues abroad. SIBMAS offers the perfect network for this exchange. Letters of introduction to the chosen library (after consultation of the blue book...!) facilitate the concrete beginning of a student in his or hers temporary surroundings. Giving an outline of the present situation and the technological challenges we meet as librarians or curators we should not say good bye to the network SIBMAS offers. I'd rather discuss with you an historic parallel, offered by the events of the 15th century when the invention of the technics of book printing threatened the existing monopoly on information, possessed by the monasteries. Until the Renaissance the clergy (i.e. the monasteries) housed the unparalleled skill of copying, translating and the production of books, preventing its availability to those who did not belong to their ranks (i.e. the nobility, the merchants, the farmers). The invention of the book printing broke this monopoly, causing a tremendous spread of information, in fact being one of the touchstones for the development of democracy in Europe and leading to the decline of the important role of the monasteries in medieval society. Nowadays the big worldwide operating publishing companies (inclusive the television networks) can be seen as in the position of the Renaissance monasteries, in practice possessing the monopoly on the selection and decision to publish information. However, technological innovations push the position of the (university) libraries as a medium for exchange considerably. Still, we are not ready to take up the role, but the potential is promising. We need to discuss our situation, to evaluate our findings, to develop new sources of revenue while acting as a "brokers in high tech generated information". This being true for the broad field of science (think of medicine, law and jurisprudence) the actuality for our fields of interest seems still behind the horizon. However, taking into regard the very fast technological developments and the corresponding budgets spent (think back only five years...), I think it reasonable to begin to formulate answers to the challenges coming up soon. Consulting each other being active in comparative realms is a "conditio sine qua non" for the flourishing of our organisation. Trying to initiate a concrete project that could be carried out in the circle of SIBMAS-members I'd like to introduce to you a proposal for a CD-ROM on performing arts periodicals. For at least a decade this could satisfy the needs for students and researchers for up to date information about performing arts research. In my opinion a network of young post-graduates should guarantee the updated information per language and/or country. We as SIBMAS members should commit ourselves to look for correspondents who are able to do the job. After your consent I'm prepared to do the preliminary work, consisting of an investigation of the state of affairs with a similar project undertaken by Prof. Ortolani and Chadwyck Healy publishers. Secondly, to see if the SIBMAS network could be of help to this project. Thirdly, I want to investigate the possibilities for an EU-subvention for this project. I already discussed this project at a The Hague branch unit, but more information is needed. Those colleagues I already consulted about the project gave a stimulating response, among them Bob Taylor and Richard Buck. Coming to a conclusion of this short, thousand words introduction: Yes, there is a concrete reason and basis for the existence of SIBMAS, taken into regard the very need projects and objectives guaranteeing each member's commitment and skills. In my opinion the CD-ROM project could serve as a vehicle to stimulate our activities, resulting in a concrete bibliographical instrument, the CD-ROM on performing arts periodicals. Don't hesitate to contact me during the conference and give me your view. After putting together a small task force we can make arrangements and begin to realise the project during the upcoming year. 20th Congress URL: http://www.sibmas.org/congresses/sibmas94/antw_30.html |
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