Where is the relevance?: weblogs, RSS, and archivists
For some time, I have thought that there were not archives and special collections weblogs because archivists and special collections librarians, simply, were not interested in the format. But, now, I am re-thinking this idea.
In an effort to be better informed, I subscribed to the Archives and Archivists listserv over the weekend. For years, I used to be a subscriber, but the sad fact about lists is that listserv messages quickly become additional items vying for time and attention in an already crowded in-box.
When I originally subscribed to this list years ago, I had never heard of RSS, aggregators, or weblogs. So, returning to the list this weekend, I had a new perspective. What struck me was that much of what I saw posted could easily and more effectively be posted on a weblog. In fact, it can be argued that archivists already know how to write weblogs; they just have not been given (or convinced to use) the technology.
RAIN (Records/Archives in the News) is an excellent weekly roundup of news stories involving records management and archives. Peter Kurilecz, a Virginia-based certified records manager and archivist, gathers links for stories relevant to archivists, records managers, and curators and posts the links with excerpts to the Archives and Archivists listserv each week. It is an incredible resource, but, as a digest-format subscriber, I used to dread RAIN posts. Now, however, I see all sorts of potential. Imagine a RAIN weblog with RSS–a bookmarkable URL, archives and records management news in a subscriber’s news aggregator instead of lost in his/her e-mail inbox, an easily searchable archive of posts, permalinks, and much more.
But, what does it take to make this happen (excluding creating the weblog myself)? Librarians, in general, it seems, are adopting RSS and weblog technology, slowly but surely. Yet, I would argue that many of the weblog workshops for librarians are “preaching to the choir” of tech and reference librarians. There is little in either the titles of these workshops or the methods of advertising them to convince archivists and special collections librarians that these workshops are useful or relevant for their field.
Is anyone conducting workshops especially for archivists? Is anyone working with archivist groups and associations on this? Is anyone interested in this at all?
[Updated 1.30.04: corrected Peter Kurilecz's title. Also, see my lengthy response in the comments section]
9 comments January 19th, 2004