Re: [ha-Safran]: The Hasafran mailing list
I guess most people who want to comment on this topic have done so. I have read them all. Actually most of what I want to say has been said. But I still want to say something from a non-Jewish, Chinese librarian in a one-person Judaica Library from the other side of the world. I have joined this listserv for 12 years and been to convention once, in 2004, New York. I know a lot of you on-line and met some of you in person in NY, which was a great experience to me, who is a loner in this corner of the East. I must say that a lot of the discussions here does not relate to my tiny library. Yet it is actually because of this, that I find this listserv very helpful and nourishing and I learn a lot, which I would never have come across with, no matter academically or politically. I also enjoy knowing the personal chatter among us, it is like having a break and getting to know each other better. I will continue reading the emails I like and delete those that do not interest me. So please make the subject clear in the subject line. To tell you the truth, I look forward to receiving emails from this listserv everyday. Those who work in one-person libraries may understand my feelings. Let me not forget to thank our voluntary listserv moderator who dutifully sends us news on the happenings of libraries and librarians everyday. Regards, Brenda * Brenda Yi, Librarian Jewish Community Centre One Robinson Place 70 Robinson Road Mid-Levels Hong Kong S.A.R., China http://www.jcc.org.hk E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tel: (852)2589-2660 Fax: (852)2877-0917 * Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 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
Re: [ha-Safran]: The Hasafran mailing list
I second Anne's position. I am not on the East Coast but I enjoy knowing what's happening (good events and bereavement), cultural notices (they give us ideas) and political arguments. Please, delete this message and others - it's not so difficult. Shoshanah Seidman Northwestern University MidWest Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (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
Re: [ha-Safran]: The Hasafran mailing list
When books are written that take radical or unconventional stands it is important for us as an organization to discuss. I'll stop goofing around for a moment and be quite serious. The book Outwitting History by Lansky brings up some really delicate issues that superficially might not appear to be so. One of the underlying themes is the Diaspora v.s. Israel question. That may sound curious but I definitely suggest that everybody take a gander at this work. There are certain ideas that will most definitely shock more than a few especially if you are members of the conservative/masorti movement. Shabat shalom Besos de Valencia (Espana) Alba Toscano Sinagoga conservador/masorti La Javura http://www.uscj.org/world/valencia Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 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
RE: [ha-Safran]: The Hasafran mailing list
I completely agree. If you find the information too cumbersome, delete. I too have made Alba's acquaintance, and others, and cherish the time I have with my online friends. Joyce J. Brown Chester County, PA Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 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
Re: [ha-Safran]: The Hasafran mailing list
This has nothing to do with building a strong community. Let's just drop it and move it. Vicki Korobkin Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 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
RE: [ha-Safran]: The Hasafran mailing list
Dear Safranim I agree with Lee's comments. Being based in an academic library in the UK, I find ha-Safran very useful on occasion and it's interesting to hear about what's going on in the US, as we have such a small community of Jewish librarians over here. However, a lot of the postings aren't relevant to me and they do clog up my inbox (when I came back after the Christmas break, thinking there'd be hardly any emails, I had over 200, many of them from ha-Safran and another listserv). This is fine as long as people make the subject clear in the subject line, so I can then delete the irrelevant postings without needing to read them. Shabbat Shalom Vanessa Freedman Hebrew & Jewish Studies Librarian UCL Library Services University College London Gower Street London WC1E 6BT Tel: +44 (0) 20 7679 2598 (Internal ext. 32598) Fax: +44 (0) 20 7679 7373 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] **Please remember the environment and only print this if necessary** Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 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
Re: [ha-Safran]: The Hasafran mailing list
If it weren't for this list I would never have met Alba Toscano. We have only seen each other panim al panim once, at the convention in Denver, yet because of this listserv I consider her my good friend who lives in Spain. I think we have a powerful online community and isn't one of the tenets of Judaism to build strong community? Enid Sperber Temple Israel of Hollywood Synagogue and Schools Los Angeles, CA 90046 Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL) === Submissions for Ha-Safran, send to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 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
Re: [ha-Safran]: The Hasafran mailing list
Very quickly, I, too, enjoy the whole of the list dedicated to Jewish books, jewish libraries and those who work in them and those who love the books, who read them, think about them, and cherish them. Chana/10025/Upperwestside Sanyasin * (* is there a hebrew word for this kind of journey in later life?) Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (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
RE: [ha-Safran]: The Hasafran mailing list
I thought that libraries were there to broaden the mind And sadly now I find Some librarians with a narrow mind Have no compassion for those with passion And reject the notion that all forms of knowledge are entwined To make the whole greater than the parts oh what a grind To discover that not only love is blind!! Yoel Sheridan Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.tenterbooks.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) === 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
Re: [ha-Safran]: The Hasafran mailing list
On this lovely list, the Jewish Fed of Greater Philly in partnership with Jewish Outreach Partnership offered, for the outlandish price of only 6$$$, Outwitting History by Aaron Lansky. I sent in my 2 box tops and 6 one-dollar bills and it got to Spain 8 days later. I love this book. I have marked up this book. I have trashed the binding. I have marked it with pen, pencil and coloured markers and turned down the corners. While reading this book, I have had no less than 4 major revelations about life, the universe and an incredible amount of other stuff. And then, on page 294, I found this: "The next day (after the bombing of AMIA in Buenos Aires), I (Lansky) wired the head of the Jewish community in Buenos Aires, offering to replace every volume that had been destroyed. Four months later, our bibliographer, Neil Zagorin, and ZACHARY BAKER, then head librarian of the YIVO, traveled south to make the necessary arrangements..." And I thought: Bless my ears and whiskers, blimey blimey. I know that Zachary guy from AJL. Not like we're bosom buddies or anything or that I would ever come close to recognizing him in a dark alley. But it's nice to feel connected like that to people for whose opinions you have read, respected and considered commentating on on the AJL list. I like to see what lectures are being given (which give me ideas for what I can do around this here popsicle stand) and what jobs are being offered (which I shall never be able to apply for) and what projects people are involved in. Besos de Valencia Alba Toscano Sinagoga conservador/masorti La Javura Valencia (Espana) http://www.uscj.org/world/valencia Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (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
Re: [ha-Safran]: The Hasafran mailing list
I'm new to HaSafran but I've been a member of many mailing lists going back more than 20 years and thought I could share some useful thoughts on this matter. First, each group is different and therefore the style and scope of its communication is correspondingly shaped to meet the needs of that community. These discussions emerge in all lists eventually and sometimes repeatedly, especially as new members join and the list grows and changes. From observing the nature of the messages passed through HaSafran in the months since I joined, I've come to understand that this mailing list serves to support a sense of community among the members. In other words, it's more about providing a collective identity, with a large share of a social component, that it is about a strictly professional relationship. This makes a lot of sense, considering we're a widely dispersed and often isolated collection of individuals. We can talk to each other in a way we can't always talk to our geographic neighbors. If you are in a general library, can you say "Tanakh" to the librarian in the next office without explaining? If you are the sole librarian in your institution, can you discuss "Cutter numbers" and "deaccessioning" with your neighbors? And, as in so many similar cases, that sense of shared understanding and values evolves into a sense of community that spills over into other areas of our lives. Another way to look at it is that this virtual community fills an important niche or void in our lives, professional and otherwise. I think it would be good to accept this as the nature of this group and move on. Second, some of the issues raised have less to do with this wider scope and more to do with the mechanics of communicating. A lot of frustration could be avoided if subject headings were more articulate and other important information was more prominent (or simply included) in many of the messages. I've often marveled at folks posting items with subjects headings like "need advice" or "a question" or announcing at event at "Temple Beth El" or "the Jewish Community Center" (really? is there only one in the whole world?). Many problems with email communication could be avoided if folks spent a couple of seconds before hitting the Send button to think about their audience. Ask yourself, Is this going to make sense to someone that doesn't work or live in the same area? Is the topic of this note clear? Is there other information -- a complete citation, URL, address -- that will make this more useful to the recipients? (There were two recent postings about new additions to the AJL site that did not include the URL! Sure I can look it up, but why should I have to?) Along these lines, I'd like to recommend that event announcements include some location and date info in the subject header. I want to know about events even if I can't attend -- that's part of being professionally aware, in my view -- but I also want to know right off the top whether or not I can go or share with local colleagues. Including "SF - 5/20" in the subject doesn't seem to me to be an onerous requirement and I think this is a reasonable guideline. Similarly, if you are posting any item, use the subject field to provide a clear indication of what the message is about. The recent posting headed "Chumash for 4-6 graders" is an example of a good application of this idea. Finally, and this seems to be such a no-brainer for a library list, provide clear and complete bibliographic information and links for any of the items you cite. As someone who joined HaSafran to be able to be part of this community, I ask that we don't try to fix the scope or the style of the discussions that take place here -- it isn't broken from that perspective -- but that, at the same time that we try to make what we share as clear and as useful to others as possible. Thanks for your indulgence, -- Lee Jaffe, UC Santa Cruz Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (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
RE: [ha-Safran]: The Hasafran mailing list
I respectfully disagree as well. I enjoy seeing what the NY chapters and others are doing, topics being covered, names of lecturers (perhaps they are names I want to be familiar with). I also enjoy the political arguments because it indicates the diversity of Jews on Hasafran and who they are, where they stand both professionally and politically. And Hasafran is an online community - community is the key word, I hope. Though I'm in a big city and know other Judaic librarians, I essentially work in isolation and Hasafran is something I look forward to checking. Deleting is quick and painless, much easier than weeding books! Toby Harris, Librarian Temple De Hirsch Sinai (206)315-7398 Seattle (206)323-8486, Ext. 7481 Bellevue Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (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
Re: [ha-Safran]: The Hasafran mailing list
Dear Judy and Yossi, I for one, enjoy the human, Jewish touch of Hasafran, with death notices and appreciations, mixed in with professional matters.I find it anything but tedious. Naomi Morse Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (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
RE: [ha-Safran]: The Hasafran mailing list
I believe our HaSafran community encompasses people all over the US, Canada, Israel and the world. I personally am connected to many people outside my region whom I've met at Convention and even just through virtual communication on the Web. It enriches my experience to learn about programs conducted in places other than my own region, and to know what others are doing in our profession. The subject line is usually adequate to determine if I need to open a message, so if something isn't pertinent to me I don't feel compelled to read through the whole thing. How sad that someone would wish to curtail and censor the information which is so freely offered and so relevant to many. Joyce Levine, Librarian North Shore Hebrew Academy High School 400 North Service Road Great Neck, NY 11020 (516) 487-2424 ext. 1140 Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (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
Re: [ha-Safran]: The Hasafran mailing list
Judy, I politely disagree. I am no longer - at this moment anyway - working in the field, but I find the cultural notices, bereavement notices and political arguments very enlightening in terms of self-definition of our role as information people. I never worked in a social vacuum and I think these are all part of the professional picture. I would hope that the subject line in each message would enable subscribers to use the delete button appropriately. I do not post my personal issues on the web but it is good to know that I won't make a gaffe should I happen to meet someone at a conference or socially because of this posted information. As for there being a tight East coast community of librarians, I wish I had been part of it when I practiced in the field -but I never found it to exist. Perhaps the whole point of the messages to which you object is to enable those of us outside this putative community to become part of it and to forge new useful social and professional connections. Anne Jaron Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (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
