I am glad to see that other library organizations are protesting YIVO’s actions. Please see below.
Naomi Steinberger Sent from my iPad Begin forwarded message: From: "Cleveland, Susannah" <susannah.clevel...@unt.edu> Date: January 27, 2020 at 8:06:17 PM GMT To: MLA-L <ml...@indiana.edu> Subject: RE: [EXT] Re: [MLA-L] All the librarians at YIVO laid off Reply-To: "Cleveland, Susannah" <susannah.clevel...@unt.edu> At a member’s request, here’s the body of the statement we sent: On behalf of the Music Library Association, I write to express our organization’s strong disagreement with the decision to lay off all of YIVO’s librarians. Librarians are trained professionals who collect, maintain, and facilitate access to both physical and virtual resources. Experienced in the research process and deeply knowledgeable about their collections, librarians are the vital link between the public and the information that they seek. We believe that access to YIVO’s collections, and YIVO’s mission “to advance scholarship, research, and preserve the culture of Eastern European Jewry around the world,” will be greatly eroded without the participation and professional skills of librarians. In the absence of professional library staff, visitors to YIVO’s library will no longer be assured of informed access to their unparalleled resources. Therefore, the Music Library Association urges the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research to reconsider their decision to dismiss their entire librarian staff. All best, Susannah From: Cleveland, Susannah <susannah.clevel...@unt.edu> Sent: Friday, January 24, 2020 4:42 PM To: MLA-L <ml...@indiana.edu> Subject: RE: [EXT] Re: [MLA-L] All the librarians at YIVO laid off All, This is just an update to let you know that the MLA Board has submitted a statement to YIVO decrying this lay off. Many thanks go to Darwin for bringing this to everyone’s attention, to Linda Fairtile for doing the heavy lifting on drafting the statement, and to the Board to their additional tweaking and feedback. Best wishes, Susannah ------------------------------------------------------ Susannah Cleveland, she/her/hers President, Music Library Association Head, Music Library University of North Texas 1155 Union Circle #305190 Denton, TX 76203-5019 940-565-2859 From: Darwin Scott <dfscot...@gmail.com<mailto:dfscot...@gmail.com>> Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2020 8:16 PM To: Temmo Korisheli <koris...@library.ucsb.edu<mailto:koris...@library.ucsb.edu>> Cc: Anne Adams <annedoyleyad...@gmail.com<mailto:annedoyleyad...@gmail.com>>; Tamar Barzel <tamarbar...@gmail.com<mailto:tamarbar...@gmail.com>>; Kate Cleland-Sipfle <clela...@sou.edu<mailto:clela...@sou.edu>>; רחל ווטשטיין <rachelwetstein....@gmail.com<mailto:rachelwetstein....@gmail.com>>; MLA-L <ml...@indiana.edu<mailto:ml...@indiana.edu>> Subject: [EXT] Re: [MLA-L] All the librarians at YIVO laid off There is now a protest letter to the YIVO Board to sign here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1It_zJlvk2yoGCqRi7UBR8Rei_IEv6Q5X4qWAWL039Mo/edit?fbclid=IwAR0KjuKIopxYAj6grRiu7BA-sc_KTvWXLBNrxXLbSHIpuI4yl_F1dbHuwNg<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.google.com%2Fdocument%2Fd%2F1It_zJlvk2yoGCqRi7UBR8Rei_IEv6Q5X4qWAWL039Mo%2Fedit%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0KjuKIopxYAj6grRiu7BA-sc_KTvWXLBNrxXLbSHIpuI4yl_F1dbHuwNg&data=02%7C01%7Csusannah.cleveland%40unt.edu%7C11745b47b36747d83c4608d7a11e9f7b%7C70de199207c6480fa318a1afcba03983%7C0%7C0%7C637155025221454044&sdata=Gw1hCQM8Aa%2BxX7dtck6HLQZffXSpZl2PGWOAIxuqPUo%3D&reserved=0> On Tue, Jan 21, 2020 at 9:04 PM Temmo Korisheli <koris...@library.ucsb.edu<mailto:koris...@library.ucsb.edu>> wrote: Hello colleagues -- the links seem to be working now. https://forward.com/news/national/438538/yivo-yiddish-library/<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforward.com%2Fnews%2Fnational%2F438538%2Fyivo-yiddish-library%2F&data=02%7C01%7Csusannah.cleveland%40unt.edu%7C11745b47b36747d83c4608d7a11e9f7b%7C70de199207c6480fa318a1afcba03983%7C0%7C0%7C637155025221464041&sdata=tDRUZmfurs6WST9vmlHUnUBp%2BWu0oLEsS3MBydzQnGE%3D&reserved=0> https://forward.com/yiddish/438538/yivo-yiddish-library/<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforward.com%2Fyiddish%2F438538%2Fyivo-yiddish-library%2F&data=02%7C01%7Csusannah.cleveland%40unt.edu%7C11745b47b36747d83c4608d7a11e9f7b%7C70de199207c6480fa318a1afcba03983%7C0%7C0%7C637155025221464041&sdata=Cb2DQ1nYBbKC80CubqVlM6ON5hYw9gh2KgawP6oyBLA%3D&reserved=0> warm regards, ~Temmo Korisheli UCSB Music Library cataloguer | preservation | reference On Tue, Jan 21, 2020 at 12:04 PM Anne Adams <annedoyleyad...@gmail.com<mailto:annedoyleyad...@gmail.com>> wrote: FYI: you can view the link via the cached version, however. Anne On Tue, Jan 21, 2020 at 3:01 PM Anne Adams <annedoyleyad...@gmail.com<mailto:annedoyleyad...@gmail.com>> wrote: Wow, that link isn't working either! Very interesting... Anne On Tue, Jan 21, 2020 at 2:58 PM Tamar Barzel <tamarbar...@gmail.com<mailto:tamarbar...@gmail.com>> wrote: Not the news release, but here's a story about it in the Forward: https://forward.com/yiddish/438538/yivo-yiddish-library/<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforward.com%2Fyiddish%2F438538%2Fyivo-yiddish-library%2F&data=02%7C01%7Csusannah.cleveland%40unt.edu%7C11745b47b36747d83c4608d7a11e9f7b%7C70de199207c6480fa318a1afcba03983%7C0%7C0%7C637155025221474048&sdata=4L1g45KEzhNSycnwSOu8omZP%2F%2Fiu%2BMlKImQbO3%2BMY2A%3D&reserved=0> On Tue, Jan 21, 2020 at 2:53 PM Kate Cleland-Sipfle <clela...@sou.edu<mailto:clela...@sou.edu>> wrote: The link https://forward.com/news/national/438538/yivo-yiddish-library/<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforward.com%2Fnews%2Fnational%2F438538%2Fyivo-yiddish-library%2F&data=02%7C01%7Csusannah.cleveland%40unt.edu%7C11745b47b36747d83c4608d7a11e9f7b%7C70de199207c6480fa318a1afcba03983%7C0%7C0%7C637155025221484042&sdata=KWzMEm1atGaVS%2FxjcAyETCu9JzcZuIrKHGBgCFLkxoQ%3D&reserved=0> isn't working. Does anyone have the actual news release? Kate Cleland-Sipfle pronouns: she,her, hers; one, one's<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Finside.sou.edu%2Fqrc%2Fpronouns.html&data=02%7C01%7Csusannah.cleveland%40unt.edu%7C11745b47b36747d83c4608d7a11e9f7b%7C70de199207c6480fa318a1afcba03983%7C0%7C0%7C637155025221484042&sdata=aDprpLqcTRCkC2UAVsvo1YxKsDafj9qE59Z0BBD7Kwk%3D&reserved=0> Professor, Cataloging and Metadata Librarian Hannon Library Southern Oregon University 541-552-6839 clela...@sou.edu<mailto:clela...@sou.edu> On Tue, Jan 21, 2020 at 7:53 AM Darwin Scott <dfscot...@gmail.com<mailto:dfscot...@gmail.com>> wrote: I received an e-mail this morning that stated in part "I have included Shelly Freeman, YIVO's Chief of Staff on this email. She will be able to respond to your feedback." I wrote a rather excoriating comment to YIVO last night. It's quite easy to contact YIVO from here: https://www.yivo.org/Contact-Us<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yivo.org%2FContact-Us&data=02%7C01%7Csusannah.cleveland%40unt.edu%7C11745b47b36747d83c4608d7a11e9f7b%7C70de199207c6480fa318a1afcba03983%7C0%7C0%7C637155025221494038&sdata=2V8VSuJ7MrCShIXXgk78IBqFSI0lPgTZ9EeuZBtmlOA%3D&reserved=0> . Select the General option for the message topic. I know of several librarians who have already contacted YIVO to express their anger and dismay. It doesn't take long to even write just s couple of sentences to them directly if this topic concerns you. But the lay off of all an institution's librarians should be a concern for everyone on this list. Regards, Darwin On Tue, Jan 21, 2020 at 5:30 AM רחל ווטשטיין <rachelwetstein....@gmail.com<mailto:rachelwetstein....@gmail.com>> wrote: "Shanda" is right; it means a disgrace (and well done on knowing that word!). I'd say that the generally better-known word "chutzpah" applies here too (with regard to fundraising, for example - I wonder what they're going to do with all that money they've apparently saved by no longer having to pay librarians). A library with no librarians? Let's see whether we're still going to be allowed to call ourselves "The People of the Book." And to think that just yesterday, I went to their website searching for some information on a particular Yiddish song, and had a passing thought about checking job openings. Pardon the cliche, but oy vey. Rachel Wetstein Israel Music Institute Tel Aviv On Tue, Jan 21, 2020 at 12:46 AM Darwin F. Scott <dfsc...@princeton.edu<mailto:dfsc...@princeton.edu>> wrote: Colleagues – We should all take notice when one of the great cultural archives decides to lay off all of its librarians: https://forward.com/news/national/438538/yivo-yiddish-library/<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforward.com%2Fnews%2Fnational%2F438538%2Fyivo-yiddish-library%2F&data=02%7C01%7Csusannah.cleveland%40unt.edu%7C11745b47b36747d83c4608d7a11e9f7b%7C70de199207c6480fa318a1afcba03983%7C0%7C0%7C637155025221504033&sdata=jyVrT8mW6iTAg4FSvhudOryDpx%2FMKdWFrJRTCJQ9QKU%3D&reserved=0>. In this case, it is YIVO: Institute for Jewish Research (https://www.yivo.org/<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yivo.org%2F&data=02%7C01%7Csusannah.cleveland%40unt.edu%7C11745b47b36747d83c4608d7a11e9f7b%7C70de199207c6480fa318a1afcba03983%7C0%7C0%7C637155025221504033&sdata=ZtFOLPdqJnKFIKfto8tl%2FGRko3Fd735JX9LeYz88vaA%3D&reserved=0>). I find this to be appalling—this collection has one of the greatest collections of books on Jewish music, and, I believe, the largest collection of Yiddish sheet music, so this news has a direct impact on us not only as music subject specialists but also as librarians and archivists. Sounds like someone is perhaps thinking “It’s all online now—just get rid of the librarians; who needs them?” It’s easy to get a list of the board of directors (https://www.yivo.org/Board-of-Directors<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yivo.org%2FBoard-of-Directors&data=02%7C01%7Csusannah.cleveland%40unt.edu%7C11745b47b36747d83c4608d7a11e9f7b%7C70de199207c6480fa318a1afcba03983%7C0%7C0%7C637155025221514017&sdata=xr6WmRZnMIwI%2B8CZ%2B5O3hBizUmFsiaHo9Nshe9vzlUs%3D&reserved=0>) and the list of the scholarly advisory council (all faculty from august institutions, some of them yours): https://www.yivo.org/Scholarly-Advisory-Council<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yivo.org%2FScholarly-Advisory-Council&data=02%7C01%7Csusannah.cleveland%40unt.edu%7C11745b47b36747d83c4608d7a11e9f7b%7C70de199207c6480fa318a1afcba03983%7C0%7C0%7C637155025221524012&sdata=Tzs0hFd2t5CoHKLj%2B43UiKEsMAQESNlxyBLnTCHHATI%3D&reserved=0>. I plan to make one or two calls tomorrow to find out why this was done and the impact it has on scholarly research not to have experts available to advise on the materials. As a goy, my Yiddish is limited, but I do know the word (Shanda / Schande), and it applies here. I wonder if they thought no one would notice on a national holiday? Please consider expressing your thoughts on this directly to people involved with YIVO. I can only suggest a timely letter from the MLA Board might be in order following a bit more work on getting the full story. Regards, Darwin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Darwin F. Scott, Ph.D., M.L.S. Mendel Music Librarian Arthur Mendel Music Library The Woolworth Center of Musical Studies Princeton University Princeton, NJ 08544-1007 Phone: 609 258-4251 E-mail: dfsc...@princeton.edu<mailto:dfsc...@princeton.edu> Website: http://library.princeton.edu/libraries/music<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Flibrary.princeton.edu%2Flibraries%2Fmusic&data=02%7C01%7Csusannah.cleveland%40unt.edu%7C11745b47b36747d83c4608d7a11e9f7b%7C70de199207c6480fa318a1afcba03983%7C0%7C0%7C637155025221524012&sdata=ohRf2AHa6RSaI2j3SJ7yKbShWT%2Bhp2u2Sccxi4gz2as%3D&reserved=0> Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MendelMusicLibrary<https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMendelMusicLibrary&data=02%7C01%7Csusannah.cleveland%40unt.edu%7C11745b47b36747d83c4608d7a11e9f7b%7C70de199207c6480fa318a1afcba03983%7C0%7C0%7C637155025221534003&sdata=so8z0Lj0%2BbEPSgK%2BIZ9S5bIKiWpr7THWprbfU2QnOik%3D&reserved=0> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -- Tamar Barzel, Ph.D. Assistant Research Scholar New York University Division of Libraries 70 Washington Square South, #710 New York, NY 10012 tb...@nyu.edu<mailto:tb...@nyu.edu> Office: (212) 998-2421 Cell: (646) 732-9679 she/her/hers -- Anne Adams she/her -- Anne Adams she/her **************************** arp (1948-2010) **************************** To unsubscribe: mla-l-unsubscr...@indiana.edu To contact the listowners: mla-l-requ...@indiana.edu To change options: <https://iulist.indiana.edu/sympa/suboptions/mla-l> Archives: <https://iulist.indiana.edu/sympa/arc/mla-l> Music Library Association homepage: <http://www.musiclibraryassoc.org>
__ 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: hasaf...@lists.service.ohio-state.edu To join Ha-Safran, update or change your subscription, etc. - click here: https://lists.service.ohio-state.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran Questions, problems, complaints, compliments send to: galro...@osu.edu Ha-Safran Archives: Current: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.service.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html Earlier Listserver: http://www.mail-archive.com/hasafran%40lists.acs.ohio-state.edu/maillist.html AJL HomePage http://www.JewishLibraries.org -- Hasafran mailing list Hasafran@lists.osu.edu https://lists.osu.edu/mailman/listinfo/hasafran