Dear Gary, It wasn't until early this morning that it hit me and then all the analogies began streaming in. Your timing for "retirement" does comes at the end of an era/beginning of a new one. The main analogy is that for people like you and I, who grew up during the analog era, the last 15-20 years have been essentially comparable to the first 15-20 years of the advent of moving images. I'm equating the birth of film to the birth of the internet. The internet arrived, access to information was at the tips of one's typing fingers and a new system for the distribution of all kinds of information was available to everyone (more or less). In 1895 after several years of experimentation, motion pictures were being shown in many parts of the world and provided access to worlds beyond anyone's imagination. In 1995, we were making decisions about whether we liked Mosaic or Netscape better as browsers. I liked Mosaic (but then I liked betamax over VHS). Roughly 17 years later, around 1912, motion pictures came into their own and serious feature-length films were becoming standard fare, attached to film directors whose development of film style left a lasting mark. In 2012, content distribution is taking a serious turn to streaming and leaving its mark about how we think about owning digital files of images - moving or still, and sounds - music or spoken content. Content itself is becoming more physically intangible. We can personally own books, films, music, but they do not reside on shelves, rather they reside somewhere Out There and we need devices to access them and to pay to "store" them. So, you are leaving us at a time where we have crossed the threshold to the next phase of technology.
I remember when I first met you in person, as opposed to online. It was in Austin in 1995 at the Summer Institute at U of T at Austin entitled, Video, CD-ROM and Beyond. I remember giving a paper about film preservation and making some off the cuff remark about video on demand. Be careful what you wish for, I guess. Here we are with access to more things than we thought were even possible 17 years ago. Now about you and what you have done for us: I started my career at a time when correspondence meant writing memos and letters. Retrieving one's phone messages meant rewinding the audio-cassette on the answering machine attached to one's analog phone (and prior to that, calling into one's answering service and talking to someone who gave you your messages). Then modems and clunky e-mail and the internet arrived. And then Gary gave us videolib and a new way of professional communication. In the old days the easiest way to find a distributor for a film was to contact someone who might know. Information was passed along verbally by those who knew or who knew someone who would know. Many reference books tended to be out of date by the time they were published and so after a few years on the job, a media librarian finally had the training to get the job done in a timely manner based on he or she knew. Listservs arrived and continued the wonderful personal contact that we all felt during a conference where we could discuss topics without physical or temporal borders. Listservs changed everything and for media librarianship Gary's helming of this invaluable professional resource is undeniably one of the most important developments in the field in the last 15 years. Videolib has truly changed the face of the media librarian profession. Thank you Gary. Thank you for your vision, for your guidance, for your patience and persistence, and for your sense of humor. You are indeed important to the archeology of media librarianship. May I suggest that we all compile an essential screening list for Gary, so that he could occupy his time appropriately later this summer? My contribution is the final episode of the second season of Twilight Zone. The Obsolete Man (episode 65) was originally broadcast June 2, 1961 and starred Burgess Meredith as a librarian, who, in a future totalitarian state, is judged obsolete and sentenced to death. It's pretty powerful, particularly the totalitarian stuff but in no way reflects current individuals on this listserv. Who knows, maybe Gary will helm the next iteration of communication, this time between retired (obsolete) media professionals. Oksana who will have to watch deg's clip when she crosses the border to the U.S. Concordia University Montreal, Canada At 11:17 AM 02/04/2012, you wrote: >Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls It is with >a mix of melancholy, ebullience, slight >trepidation, and vast relief that I announce my >forthcoming retirement from the University of >California Berkeley and the Media Resources >Center on June 28, 2012. Today marks my 33rd >anniversary with the University, and this year >my 36th as a librarian (a fact which seems more >than a little surreal to me). Iâve been >director of the Media Center for about 28 of >those years, and there hasnât been week, good >or bad, that has gone by without my murmuring a >little thanks for the cosmic hiccups that >allowed me to stumble into such a cool and >personally rewarding gig. I simply cannot >think of anywhere that I would have been happier >professionally, or another position in which I >would have grown and learned and contributed as >much. In some sense, I feel a bit like Mark >Twain, who was born during the fiery appearance >of Halleyâs Comet, and who went out with its >reappearance, 74 years later. I began my career >in media in the early 80s, at the dawn of the >home video age (or the âVideo Revolutionâ as >it was often hyperbolically called in the >library literature at the time). Iâm bowing >out of the business at a time when the >technologies and economics of video production >and distribution, and the video content universe >itself are again in a state of radical >flux. Along with these changes, video >collections and service in libraries are also >bound to experience major tremors and >evolutionary shifts. Iâm not sure whether >Iâm leaving the scene feeling sanguine or >pessimistic about this future, but in any case >itâs definitely going to be an interesting and >challenging next decade. I am going to miss all >my long-time professional pals profoundly, both >those on the library side and the distributor >side of the fence. I grew up with a number of >you in this field, and along the way youâve >become a kind of extended workaday family, >complete with the obstreperous get-togethers, >occasional bickering, and comforting >sympathy. Iâm also heartened by the number of >young, creative, and energetic colleagues who >have hopped on board in more recent >times. Definitely makes me less gloomy about >prospects for the future. Not sure exactly what >Iâm going to do next: Iâd like to continue >teaching film somewhere on campus or off; Iâm >up for grabs as a consultant; want to write a >bit; gotta catch up on all the national cinemas >Iâve given short-shrift to over the years; >want to log in more gym time; would like to hone >my banjo and ukulele-playing chops; want to get >back to freelance cartooning and >illustration. At very least, Iâm aiming at >becoming an accomplished and well-known Berkeley >flâneur and café personality. As for the fate >of the UC Berkeley Media Resources Center In >light of the dire econommic straits into which >UC has been shoved, it is almost completely >unlikely that my position will be filled any >time soon. The future of the redoubtable MRC >collection and website remains murky, at >best. I canât really think about all of this >too much; itâs just too damn depressing to >ponder, and Iâve got other things on my mind. >In other words, après moi, le deluge, and >thereâs not a damn thing I can do about it. >For the time being, Gisele Tanasse (MLIS), crack >MRC Operations Czarina, will look after the >shop. She has also graciously agreed to keep an >administrative eye on videolib and >videonews. (Note, however, that sheâs going >out on maternity leave from May until around the >end of September, so youâre pretty much on >your own during that hiatus. Play >nice!). Giseleâs email is >gtana...@library.berkeley.edu. Iâll be around >and wrapping things up for the next few >months. My civilian email address after June is >going to be garyhand...@gmail.com and Iâm also >on Facebook. Iâd love to stay in touch (but >please donât contact me about anything having >to do with copyright or fair use). Best of luck >for the future, comrades! Continue fighting the >good fight. It really has been an honor and a >delight working with you all. Salud! Gary >Handman Gary Handman Director Media Resources >Center Moffitt Library UC Berkeley 510-643-8566 >ghand...@library.berkeley.edu >http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC "I have always >preferred the reflection of life to life >itself." --Francois Truffaut VIDEOLIB is >intended to encourage the broad and lively >discussion of issues relating to the selection, >evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, >preservation, and use of current and evolving >video formats in libraries and related >institutions. It is hoped that the list will >serve as an effective working tool for video >librarians, as well as a channel of >communication between libraries,educational >institutions, and video producers and distributors. VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.
