Some Library-Persons wrote:
We are now switching to OPALS.... Returns not in yet....
Being viewed online is a positive thing.
Was the monetary investment worth it?
First you have to define "Worth What?".There is Library Thing and other
organizations that cost all of 25 bucks for a life-time niche in their
system which is especially good for small libraries. And 25 clams isn't
going to break anybody's bank much.
Has it resulted in an increase in use of the library by members?
Ah. That's a trick. Depends on how you interpret the word USE. A ghost
lives in a castle but as long as they are careful, you shouldn't be
seeing them too often. You will never know how many different
individuals use the online catalogue. The Online Catalogue is like the
Serengeti Wildlife Reserve, i.e., it takes the existance of humungous
lot of wildebeasts to feed al little pride of lions. When I was a
school-college girl I used to bang around in the card catalogue (or
Chemical Abstracts or Social Science abstracts) for hours looking for
stuff. This did not necessarily mean I would take that material out of
the same library where I was looking up the info. Often one of my
professors already had the material in their private collection of
journals and/or books. I would ask them if the article was worth the bother.
There are a lot of stages between looking up, and finally walking in to
have a look see. A b'zillion persons browsing the online catalogue
probably won't get more than a baker's dozen of physical bodies into the
library but, on the other hand, the catalogue is extremely good P.R. for
the synagogue. Synagogues without classes or libraries are sad dying
places.
Over these last 16 years of running the Sinagoga La Javurá library, I've
noticed that people need a personalized invitation to come on over. They
call or email: "I found a book in your online catalog about such a thing
which isn't exactly what I was looking for but could you tell me where I
might find something similar about this or that related topic." So, you
get all nice and charming and say: "Why, yes I do bla bla bla.... info
info info.... and what's your email address and I'll put you on the
list... And, if you happen to be in the 'hood on the way home from
school/work, why not pop in for a cuppa and we'll see what we can't dig
up."
For me the point of a synagogue library is to bolster up the existance
of the synagogue. Just last Wednesday, the local Valencia Sheriff Guys
called up for a completely unrelated matter. I entertained them with
coffee and chocolate bit banana bread in the sinagoga the walls of which
are lined with the library. They staid a whole 45 minutes (which is
unheard of with peace officers) but I let them run the conversation,
time whooshed by and when the cake was gone, I sent them on their merry
with calendars and some muesli-walnutbutter balls. Will they come back?
Doubtful. But they took away a positive image of the synagogue and the
library. F
No synagogue in its right mind would stop the publication of a weekly or
monthly paper or e-bulletin which is a temporal catalogue of the
services and activities of the organization. In fact most synagogues
today are dancing all over Facebook. The word must get out to the
members or the members will stop coming. That said, a synagogue can't
afford a dead spot within the services offered to its members. Thus, an
online library catalog, with an introductory page with recent activies
and new acquisitions is another source of P.R. that can not be dismissed
out of hand by a board of directors. The library is the Go-To Place for
info when the rabi is off doing hospital rounds. Having a healthy
library and librarian (also healthy) is like having that fire
extinguisher out there in the hallway ready for all evenutalities.
Anyways. Blather blather.
Happy new secular year to one and all. I hope everybody started off on
the right as opposed to the other foot and may all your projects be fun..
Besos de Valencia
Alba
********************
Alba Toscano, presª
Sinagoga conservador La Javurá
calle Uruguay 59, pta 13
46007 Valencia (España)
email: lajav...@lajavura.org <mailto:lajav...@lajavura.org>
tlf 963 802 129
móvil 658 721 769
UStream: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/la-javura-on-line
Webpage: http://www.lajavura.org
Skype: albatoscanovalencia
Blog de Bitacora de los Viajes con La Javurá
<http://bitacoralajavura.posterous.com/>
__
Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author
and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL)
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