The Downsizing of News Libraries
Newslib, a discussion list primarily for news librarians, usually hums. This past week, rising above the daily melody was a serious tone about the downsizing of yet another news library, that of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News. Reports on the discussion list indicate ten years ago, fifteen people provided news library services to both news rooms. This past summer, there were only six positions left and those will dwindle with the latest buyouts and staff reductions. Eli has the text of the e-mail that started off the discussion.
The last ten years haven’t been kind to news libraries. I haven’t been following or in the field long enough to know whether the number of downsizes we’ve seen in the last decade are more than usual, just average, or something else entirely. When the economy goes bad, people stop paying for luxuries. Newspaper and magazine subscriptions, to many people, are a luxury, so revenue at publications is down. Add to that the number of people who now get their news online and choose not to subscribe to a print publication and several other factors and you can see why many publications are struggling financially. When publications cut staff, often news librarians and other news library employees are on the chopping block.
With the help of news researcher Randy Notter, editor Amanda Bennett counters the idea that newspapers are dying. (If newspapers are alive and well, why don’t newspaper staffs seem to be alive and well?)
When Poynter’s Steve Outing wrote about dwindling news libraries, he emphasized how journalists need to make sure they create their own toolbox of research skills, lest the organization they work at doesn’t have its own library staff. Since some of these reporters will move on to become editors and publishers–those people making staffing decisions–what can we do to not only teach them research skills, but also the value of having someone who can assist with research? Yes, there’s a lot of value in knowing how to search the Internet efficiently or a commercial database inexpensively without turning to an expert, but what can news librarians do to counter the idea the all journalists doing their own research all of the time is the best solution, especially in this day and age when not everything is on the Internet? " … [T]hese days it’s important for the research department/library/info center to show they can do it better, faster, and more efficiently, and/or be the providers of that information," Liz Donovan tosses into the pile. Info pro at The Miami Herald for many years, Liz helped Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein with their research about Watergate when she worked at The Washington Post. She’s definitely someone with a perspective on these changes in news libraries.
The discussion on Newslib was a lot. I haven’t had time to read all of it. A few veteran news researchers shared tips on keeping editors and journalists aware of the value of the library and its staff. Others expressed frustration that we’ve seen so many excellent libraries and librarians get cut. Several speculated on what this means for the profession and publications without libraries.
Selling the value of the library to the editors, publishers, journalists, and anyone else who can advocate for it should be one of the news library best practices.*
Bennett writes that losing members of a news staff doesn’t change the news organization’s ability to gather news. I’m not sure that many news librarians would agree with that statement.
Thoughts?
*This link goes to an article about best practices in the July 2005 Information Outlook, the magazine the Special Libraries Association shares with its members. Access is restricted to SLA members.
