Carter Blog

Readers, I just wanted to repost something you might have missed. I write occasionally for the Amon Carter Museum Blog, where this post that I authored was originally posted on June 18. Enjoy, and have a great weekend!



If you are one of the patrons of the Amon Carter Museum Library, all that you might see is the reading room, and one of the fine library staff members helping you find what you need in the library. The reading room is a great space - quiet and welcoming – designed by architect Philip Johnson. At the east end are the periodicals which the Carter subscribes to, along the south wall are the major reference works in the library (catalogue raisonné, etc.) and the Bio Files. On the west wall are the study alcoves, and the north wall displays the collection of exhibition catalogs held at the Carter. It’s a wonderful space, and as I said, really the only space that most patrons of the library see. Behind the scenes, though, it’s a different world.

For example, how does the Carter decide what resources to add to the library’s large collection of over 100,000 items? What path do these items take from the bookseller to the stacks? What happens when a patron requests a book? What about interlibrary loans? Also, the library is just not books, periodicals, and ephemera. It is also a repository for some very important archives – such as the archives of Laura Gilpin, Eliot Porter, Karl Struss, and important records relating to the history of the museum itself. What of the archives, then?

My mind was filled with these questions when I began volunteering at the library here at the Carter. My name is Jason Dean, and I am a student at Syracuse University earning my Master’s degree in Library and Information Science. Before I started my library science program, I contacted the Carter library about providing me some practical library experience. So far, working at the Carter has provided me with a wealth of experiences and knowledge, some of which I would like to share with you – and I might even be able to answer some of those “How does it work” questions I posed above.

For my first post, allow me to give you a brief description of how the museum selects what resources are purchased and then added to the collection. There is a document that states a broad collection development policy. It’s the tool that guides what the library collects. Though it offers some solid boundaries, it must also be flexible enough to accommodate new subject matter that may relate to new art entering the collection or special research projects. Any of the staff members (including curatorial staff) can propose the purchase of a book, but the final “veto” power rests with Sam, as he is the library director. Individual librarians have influenced the document as well, with their interests and their quest to expand the collection of the library in a meaningful way. These purchases can be sourced from any number of businesses, from ones we use every day – Amazon – to specialized rare book dealers. If an item falls within the areas outlined by the collection development policy, then the subject is researched to see if it will fit into the collection of resources we have here. If it does, then the item is purchased and integrated into the collection.

We also receive a great number of books which are gifts, or books that are sent in exchange by other museums. When the Carter exchanges books with another museum, generally we will send them exhibition catalogues they are interested in, and in exchange they will send us the books we want that the other museum has published. As I mentioned above, we have some very generous donors that give books outright to the library frequently. These gifts are recorded, and then they are researched to see if they fit into out collection.

Depending upon the size of the item purchased, it might simply go into the extensive bio files and skip the next step in the process altogether. However, if Sam, Jon, or Mary Jane think it best, the item will go on to the next step in the process.

What happens to the book next? Do we just put it on the shelf and leave it be? This question will be answered in the next post, which will take you through part of the behind the scenes area in the library. I hope you enjoyed this small look into the library, and I also hope you’ll keep checking “The N-Files” blog, as there is some great information about this wonderful library on the blog.

Trip Through Texas

For our summer vacation, Jen and I toured a part of our great Lone Star State that neither of us had spent much time in: Central and Eastern Texas, where Texas began. We had a wonderful time, and allow me to tell you about some of the highlights:

Washington on the Brazos - This state park is the birth of Texas independence. It’s a neat spot, but not really worth a return visit.

Independence - A very interesting little town. Independence was the home of Sam Houston, and the original location for Baylor. A neat spot, but we didn’t even get ut of the car.

La Grange - We liked La Grange! An older German town, La Grange has some beautiful architecture as well as some gorgeous scenery. We would love to go back to La Grange.

Round Top - Just a neat tiny little town, with neat buildings, and a wonderful antiques market. Might be worth a return trip during the music festival, or for the antiques market.

Bastrop - Home of the Lost Pines, we loved this spot. Neat shops and buildings. Lots of outdoor activities.

Lockhart - The Barbecue Capital of Texas. We ate at Smitty’s Market, and it was wonderful. Definitely will go back for the food, as well as the architecture.

- Jason Dean

Thoughts on the next Governor of Texas.

Dear reader - this post might be inflammatory, or might anger you. Allow me to issue a disclaimer before you read, and I continue writing. In this post, I am not advocating any specific political party, nor any specific candidate. I am, however, enumerating several concerns I have about the state of my home state, which I love dearly. Problems with this wonderful state have come to my mind recently, and I simply desire to share my concerns with you.

Soon, the great state of Texas will elect a new Governor. For those of you unfamiliar with this post, and our politics, Texans have historically been mistrustful of most forms of government, leading us to create a constitution that dramatically limits the power of the governor. So, the office is mostly a ceremonial one, but one with a very important power - what T. Roosevelt called the “bully pulpit.” The governor is reflective of the majority (hopefully) of Texans, and as such has a very important task. I have assembled this “wish list” of things I hope the next governor will address, and hopefully, solve:

First, the state of highway transportation - as evidenced by Interstate 35. Jen and I recently attended a wedding in San Antonio. The drive, according to the distance and speed, should have taken four hours. It took eight hours, because for most of the distance between Fort Worth and San Antonio, 35 is a four lane highway. Four lanes are simply not enough to handle the massive amount of traffic that travels that corridor daily. Why not fix it? The state doesn’t have the transportation funds to do so - a story that plays out over and over again in many places in the state. Our next governor should attempt to solve this difficult, and widespread problem

Second, the state of public education in Texas. Texas has one of the worst public education systems not only in the United States, but the “western world.” As a former educator, allow me to tell you that the system is a complete mess for the students. Poor funding, confusing standards, and conflicting racial expectations are just a few of the problems students face in the public education system in Texas. Overall, the state is consistently near the bottom of rankings between states, and has been there for years. Our next governor should grab the board of education by the scruff of its neck and set it on a path that creates a quality, meaningful education for all students. One so good that private, exclusive schools are put out of business. Texas should be a beacon of education, not an embarrassment to a great state and nation.

Third, some sort of review of death penalty policies and procedures. Texas has a notorious reputation when it comes to the application of capital punishment. Just las week, I read this article in the New Yorker highlighting the problem:
Trial by Fire, by David Grann
Something must be done to either change the system by which capital punishment is administered in the state, or abolish it altogether. Our great state should not be besmirched by a reputation for executing innocent citizens.

Fourth, address all this secession nonsense. Someone really needs to calm these people down:














































And, no I don’t mean Rachel Maddow. Texans all have a bit of a rebellios streak in them, but frankly, that sort of behavior is disrespectful to our nation, regardless of how we feel about it. As a matter of fact, one of the great early Texans, Sam Houston, fought hard against secession - and I feel that he is still right today. As a Texan, it’s amusing to talk about Texas as a nation, but honestly, Texas as a nation was a mess. It wasn’t until the US annexed Texas that things got better. And, to be frank, Texas would not function without federal money. Personally, I find this offensive, as well as to friends and family members of mine that have served our nation in the armed services. The governor needs to explain to these secessionists that their discourse is not helpful, and to calm down and do something constructive with their passions.

Fifth, do something about our state shrine, the Alamo. This is a personal sore spot to me. I am not going to say much else about my complaints, but if you are curious, look back to this post:
The Alamo
Much like was done with another important Texas site, the Governor’s Mansion, the state should partner with the public to reclaim this sacred site, and erase all the traces of crass commercialism from Alamo Plaza. Restore the walls of the Alamo, and make this a place that celebrates Texas heritage - and not just Anglo heritage, as it tends to do today. Also make it a place of remembrance, not only for those who lost their lives in the Texas revolution, but also a place of remembrance for all Texans who have given their lives in service of their state, and nation.

I hope this makes you think about what you would like to see change with the next governor of Texas. And I hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed writing it.

- Jason Dean

IST 511, Final Day

(Originally posted elsewhere on July 24.)

Just got back to the room from the end of session barbecue. It feels great to be done with this part of the courses! It’s such a relief, but I will also look forward to the fall semester, and more opportunities for learning. Overall, it was a phenomenal experience – one of the best educational experiences I have ever had. Scott and Natasha did a great job giving everyone beginning the LIS program a level playing field so we can all now go forth and get more into the finer points of librarianship.

Our poster session was today, which I very much enjoyed. It was great to hear people’s comments about our idea, and talk to many people about an issue of which they might not have been aware. It was also fun to see what other groups had created in the short time we had for the assignment. Overall, it was a nice day, and a great way to wrap up this week of intensive study. I sure am ready for home, though!

- Jason Dean

IST 511, Day Four

(Originally posted elsewhere on July 23rd.)

Today’s discussion was about ethics, our profession, and the many concepts and ideas that those phrases bring to mind. We started off by talking about the definition of what librarianship is to the public as well as how we define ourselves. I felt that this was a very interesting topic, and a great formal introduction for everyone in the class. This topic was followed by a broad discussion of ethics, and areas in which the ethics of our profession might conflict with other ethical schema. In all of these conflict areas, there is no easy or clear cut choice as to what one should do in those situations. It confirmed for me that librarianship is very much a dynamic field, and a profession I am proud to associate myself with.

We also talked briefly about how to resolve complaints in the library – specifically when patrons object to materials in a library collection. This discussion highlighted for me the need of libraries to have a broad array of well thought out policies to deal with a myriad of problem areas. This enables all library staff, and not just accredited librarians to make good, clear decisions according to pre-established guidelines.

After class, our group wrapped up our poster project by completing our brochure. I look forward to the opportunity to share what we have learned in this process with everyone who attends the poster session.

- Jason Dean

IST 511, Day Three

(Originally posted elsewhere on July 22nd.)

I think today was my favorite day of 511 so far.

We started off the day by talking about systems – an area of the library that is very interesting to me. Hearing Natasha explain systems, then having some librarians active in systems come in to talk to us was a great combination, and really introduced me to some new ideas and concepts that I can take back to my home library. I learned some about digital preservation, a field that interests me as well. It was a great morning.

But the afternoon was even better! We met Dr. Lavender, and he showed us some of the highlights from the special and rare collections here at SU. This is an area that very, very much fascinates me. He showed us some of the most wonderful works – including the most fantastic illuminated manuscript I have ever seen. It was really a great presentation, and I look forward to taking his class next summer. Wonderful! We also looked at different areas of preservation in the library. This was a great look into the two different ideas about conservation – for rare books, or for items that circulate regularly. I enjoyed both of those presentations – but like I said, Dr. Lavender’s part was my favorite.
Overall, a great day!

- Jason Dean

IST 511, Day Two

(Originally posted elsewhere on July 21.)

Dr. Nicholson discussed overall copyright ideas and issues with us this morning in 511. This is an area that librarians need to have some good knowledge of, but most people coming into library school have very little knowledge of the area. The broad introduction was very interesting to me – and actually will be a help to our group this week as we are talking about copyright issues on our poster. I think the main theme from copyright is “watch the money.” It’s the money trail that gives you a clear indication of a copyright violation, or a fair use issue. Also new to me was the knowledge that the US government does not reserve copyright on any of its works – unlike most other governments in the world. I think about how often I use images from the White House’s flickr, for example – and I am glad to love in the US, where the government does not hold on to those copyrights.

The second half of the day dealt with searching. We became more familiar with the resources of the SU Library though this, which is good. The most exciting part of the searching demonstration was the “what’s next” aspect. I really enjoyed seeing the beta site for the library, and I am excited about using that on a regular basis – seeing if it grows to meet the needs of the patron population here. I also enjoyed seeing the Summon search feature – something I will take home and discuss with the director of the museum library I work at. Overall, it was a very productive day capped by a presentation about commercial options for librarians. The presentation was very interesting, but not for me. The environment and purpose of Razorfish and other agencies like it seems to run counter to my own belief schema and I really don’t think I would be a good fit.

- Jason Dean

IST 511 First Day

(Originally posted elsewhere on July 20th.)

We just wrapped up our first day of IST 511, and we covered a great deal of information. We looked at the history of libraries – something that interests me because of my passion for history. We also talked a great deal about issues in the future of librarianship – what problems we will face when we graduate and go into libraries all over the country. It was a great day, and a wonderful – if a bit overwhelming – way to get started in this wonderful program. I want to say that the quality of the presentations, as well as the professors here at Syracuse, have been consistently very informative and very high quality.

I think my best “pearl” I took from the sea of knowledge given to us today would be the idea proposed by Dr. Nicholson that libraries should look at casinos. I laughed when he suggested it, along with the rest of the class, but he really does have a great point. Both spaces are designed to provide a variety of highly engaging activities for people who come in through the door. Of course, the end result of that engagement is very different, but studying casinos as a model for libraries would be helpful. The casino provides a place where its users want to stay for long periods of time, engaged in the services that the casino provides. The library provides a “fix” for the information addiction people have – and in whatever form people have it. I cannot point to any specific research or ideas, but the overall thought has been mulling around in my head all day, and will continue to do so.

- Jason Dean

My Apologies

Readers, I have not fallen off the side of earth. The previous two weeks have been challenging, and very busy. I am not the type to advertise those sorts of things, so let’s just say I was very busy with school (which I was). I apologize for falling behind a bit on the blog posts, but all is well again and I am back in the blogging groove. I am writing for the blog all afternoon, so have no fear.

I will also cross post the blogs from my Syracuse summer residency here, just to give you a taste of that - as well as my upcoming experiences doing reference work in a library.

Thanks for hanging in there!

- Jason Dean

A Tale of Two Videos

Readers, we will be out of town beginning tomorrow, and so I simply want to share two thought provoking videos that I think are very pertinent for this current time with you. Please feel free to comment about them in the comments section below. Have a great weekend!

Jason Dean

The Alamo

Readers, I am not sure how many of you have traveled to San Antonio and seen the Alamo. If you have, like Jen and I, you were more than likely very disappointed. Only two structures from the original mission compound remain - the famous chapel, and the convento, where the final parts of the battle played out. The rest of the Alamo is gone. Given up to hotels, Madame Tussaud’s, and really bad souvenir shops.

Did 183 (ish) men die in this place so we could view wax figures? I say they did not. Their legacy deserves a better memorial. I believe that the Alamo grounds should be reconstructed, so that visitors gain a greater sense of the battle, as well as the scale of Mexican San Antonio. This would be a much more fitting honor for those men, and would fit (or exceed) the expectations of visitors. Hopefully, we will soon see a change in governors here in Texas, and the new Governor will proceed with making this dream a reality - a state park for the Alamo. Not a national site, though - I think the Alamo should belong solely to our great state. If you’d like more information check out this article from the November 2008 issue of Texas Monthly.

You Aren’t Here, by Gary Cartwright

- Jason Dean