Think of the Etruscans: fairly high level of civilization, but left very little of textual information in hard copy; consequently, we know very little about them. Perhaps we know more about the more ancient cunieform writers. Leonard
On 11/13/10 4:58 AM, "Gary Digman" <magg...@sonic.net> wrote: > Maybe our culture is disintegrating before our very eyes. Can a culture be > lost? > > Gary > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Monica Hall" <mjlh...@tiscali.co.uk> > To: "Christopher Wilke" <chriswi...@yahoo.com> > Cc: "Lutelist" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> > Sent: Friday, November 12, 2010 4:03 AM > Subject: [LUTE] Re: More digital facsimiles from the (public) libraries? > > >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Christopher Wilke" <chriswi...@yahoo.com> >> To: "lute-cs.dartmouth.edu" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu>; "David Tayler" >> <vidan...@sbcglobal.net> >> Sent: Friday, November 12, 2010 2:20 AM >> Subject: [LUTE] Re: More digital facsimiles from the (public) libraries? >> >> >>> David, >>> >>> Yes, indeed, as do academic presses in general. University presses >>> are >>> among the worst offenders, with many volumes priced out of the range of >>> individual buyers. I suppose they have to do something to recoup the >>> losses from the limited appeal of many specialized subjects. But are >>> these artificially inflated prices sustainable? Won't libraries just >>> stop >>> buying stuff they determine is not as important as X or Z? >> >> That is already happening. The specialized library where I used to work >> declined to buy a specialist book on Stradivarius which cost £80. Their >> funds just didn't stretch to it. I am having to wait until the British >> L:ibrary get around to cataloguing the copy I assume they will receive >> under >> copyright laws. Could be yonks if they are cutting back on staff to do >> the >> cataloguing (a highly skilled activity in itself). >> >> Monica >> >> Who can blame them if they need to make these budgetary decisions, but how >> scary is that? Publishers in turn will stop publishing the things that >> aren't so "important"... >>> >>> Things are increasingly turning to online resources, but this raises >>> real issues of ephemerality. What is the probability that someone a >>> hundred years from now will be able to access the exact online >>> information >>> that people the people in 2010 accessed? The long-term survivability of >>> much of today's information might very well depend on loose printouts, >>> made and preserved at some anonymous user's whim. Digital storage media >>> has also shown that it is far less reliable than first believed (CDRs >>> only >>> have about a ten year shelf life, for example.) >>> >>> Wow, that's much more of a free association rant than I first intended. >>> Anyway, I suppose it goes to show that the accomplishments of our >>> civilization hang by a much thinner thread than any of us realize. All >>> of >>> our artifacts might ultimately be far less permanent than the wooden >>> ceiling of an ancient Greek temple. >>> >>> Chris >>> >>> Christopher Wilke >>> Lutenist, Guitarist and Composer >>> www.christopherwilke.com >>> >>> >>> --- On Thu, 11/11/10, David Tayler <vidan...@sbcglobal.net> wrote: >>> >>>> From: David Tayler <vidan...@sbcglobal.net> >>>> Subject: [LUTE] Re: More digital facsimiles from the (public) >>>> libraries? >>>> To: "lute-cs.dartmouth.edu" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> >>>> Date: Thursday, November 11, 2010, 8:54 PM >>>> By charging high prices, sometimes >>>> hundreds of dollars, for these >>>> facsimile editions, the libraries are deprived of >>>> resources. >>>> The publishers count on extracting a toll from libraries. >>>> dt >>>> >>>> At 04:02 AM 11/11/2010, you wrote: >>>>> As a retired librarian it seems to me that everyone >>>> will be better off if >>>>> you have your way except the poor old libraries and >>>> librarians who need >>>>> money to keep their heads above >>>> water. Without us there wouldn't be any >>>>> books available or a decent place to read >>>> them. Why should people make >>>>> money out of doing an edition or even publishing a >>>> facsimile but the not the >>>>> people and organizations who >>>>> have made sure that these things are preserved in the >>>> first place? >>>>> >>>>> In any case even a facsimile is not a substitute for >>>> seeing the real thing. >>>>> >>>>> Monica >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Tayler" >>>> <vidan...@sbcglobal.net> >>>>> To: "lute-cs.dartmouth.edu" <lute@cs.dartmouth.edu> >>>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 9:33 PM >>>>> Subject: [LUTE] Re: More digital facsimiles from the >>>> (public) libraries? >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> Although I understand all of the issues, including >>>> compensating ppl >>>>>> for their time, charging money for facsimiles is >>>> basically evil, and >>>>>> in the long run everyone will be better served by >>>> having more music >>>>>> available--more concerts, more audience, more >>>> work. >>>>>> What all libraries should do is just put it all >>>> online, and then if >>>>>> someone wants to make an edition and sell it, fine. >>>> Just make a PDF, >>>>>> and upload it, and I guarantee that everyone will >>>> benefit. >>>>>> This also prevents players from owning a repertory >>>> by limiting access. >>>>>> >>>>>> If scholars want to sell the commentary as a >>>> separate book, that is >>>>>> also fine, and continues an established tradition. >>>>>> dt >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> At 12:32 PM 11/10/2010, you wrote: >>>>>>> Still something that I don't >>>> get: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> why are some public (public) >>>> libraries slowly making all their MS >>>>>>> available as a digital download - >>>> and I'm thinking about the the >>>>>>> Bayerisch Staatsbibliothek here >>>> in Munich, between others -, while >>>>>>> there are other PUBLIC libraries >>>> (hello, British Library ...) - that >>>>>>> still do not even seem to >>>> envisage that ... >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Shall we (as single members of >>>> the list) put some pressure on our >>>>>>> local >>>>>>> libraries? Send an email to the >>>> curators of their music departments - >>>>>>> maybe as rightful, registered >>>> members of the library, as I guess some >>>>>>> of us are - and ask about it? >>>>>>> (Of course, this doesn't want to >>>> diminuish at all the value of such >>>>>>> pubblication as the Dd.2.11 by >>>> the Lute Society. The scholarship part >>>>>>> is something you dont get in a >>>> digital facsimile ...) >>>>>>> Your opinion, listers? >>>>>>> Matteo >>>>>>> On 10 November 2010 20:19, Denys >>>> Stephens >>>>>>> <[1]denyssteph...@ukonline.co.uk> >>>> wrote: >>>>>>> [...] >>>>>>> >>>>>>> It's also worth >>>> noting that whilst some >>>>>>> of >>>>>>> the world's libraries are >>>> making digital copies of their musical >>>>>>> sources >>>>>>> available, there is >>>> currently no expectation that this, or indeed >>>>>>> any of the >>>>>>> Cambridge University >>>> Library manuscripts will become available as >>>>>>> free >>>>>>> electronic downloads. >>>>>>> Denys >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> >>>>>>> References >>>>>>> >>>>>>> 1. mailto:denyssteph...@ukonline.co.uk >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> To get on or off this list see list information >>>> at >>>>>>> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >>>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> To get on or off this list see list information at >>> http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >> >> > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > -- > > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 9.0.869 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3251 - Release Date: 11/11/10 > 11:34:00 > >
