June-- Thanks for your response. I do consider it important to take into account one's audience as well as the nature of the material one is showing when making a presentation. Nonetheless, as a rare book and manuscript librarian, I see myself on the cutting edge of things when it comes to the use of technology. As those of us who attended the presentations at AJL on the use of various forms of photography to read palimpsests and damaged manuscripts know, technology can sometimes be of immense help in studying early pieces, as well as in making it easier to present these pieces to large groups of people. But, I still hold with the idea that a public speaker must be knowledgable in the range of tools available to assist in making a presentation, as well as skilled enough to be able to select the proper tool for the proper job. Also, as educators, I believe it is our job to teach that discretion to our classes and audiences as well, no matter their age or level of experience. I consider it part of my job among other things to teach those who come behind us that technology, while of great help in many situations, will not "bring in the kingdom". There is an art to making an audio only presentation, and there is an art to listening to and learning from such a presentation. If the next couple of generations give up on this art form, it will be as much our fault for not teaching them the advantages of this approach and demonstrating it in our own work as it will be theirs for ignoring it.
Dan Rettberg Rare Book and Manuscript Bibliographer Klau Library Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Cincinnati, Ohio <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>[EMAIL PROTECTED] Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the AJL =========================================================== Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: Hasafran @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu SUBscribing, SIGNOFF commands send to: Listproc @ lists.acs.ohio-state.edu Questions, problems, complaints, compliments;-) send to: galron.1 @ osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html History: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/history.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org
