CoHSL-list January 2008

cohsl-list@lists.fas.harvard.edu

5 participants
12 discussions

Fwd: Distortions in the production of Greek books

by KALAMOS BOOKS

Distortions in the production of Greek books http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_civ_4105022_31/01/2008_92815 By Paschos Mandravelis Umberto Eco once wrote that the only question that visitors to his library ever asked was "Have you read all these books?" In Greece the question should be tweaked to "Who reads all these books?" Figures from the National Book Center of Greece (EKEBI) reveal that in 2006 alone 9,209 titles were published in the country, an increase of 9.1 percent over 2005 and of 23.6 percent in the past five years. Is that good news for Greek culture? More and more Greeks are reading, so does that signal an intellectual renaissance here in Greece? If only it did, but, apart from the poor performance of Greek pupils in the OECD's Program for International Student Assessment, there are some odd statistics in EKEBI's survey. One might expect literature to be at the top of the list of titles. Yet 24.8 percent of the titles published in 2006 were on the theoretical sciences, compared with 20.7 percent for literary titles. Have Greeks suddenly got into sociology, Heidegger and globalization, or are publishers bringing out books without business criteria? In fact, there is a lack of Greek titles in the social sciences. Classic texts are absent and presumably an effort is now being made to fill the gap. On the other hand, publishers are businesspeople. Despite the zeal for their trade many of them still possess, the entire market cannot suddenly be displaying a preference for books that sell rather than potential best-sellers. The answer is probably to be found in the textbooks that are given to students. Here the state causes the distortion in the market, a distortion that may have positive outcomes for some. It is good that Wittgenstein's notes are published in Greek, even if the translator is the only person who reads it. It should exist, if only as a reference book. But with all this frenetic output of books, some things go awry. More and more doctoral theses from Greek universities are being published, funded by the State Scholarship Fund. These naturally belong to the public sphere and to the website of the National Documentation Center (EKT), when they are useful. A dissertation on local place names, for instance, is not going to be read; it's a reference work, which is useful in electronic form but not as a bulky printed volume that will only sell to school or university libraries. The absurd cycle of statism is apparent in the publishing industry. The state subsidizes the production of knowledge in the form of scholarships. The state buys the products in the form of books, and some intermediaries (publishers) profit while a vast number of interested parties (researchers, journalists and scholars) are essentially excluded. To avoid any misunderstanding, it is good for books to be published, even with state subsidies. But it would be better for everyone concerned if they came out on the Internet, at least in the case of dissertations. -- June Samaras KALAMOS BOOKS (For Books about Greece) 2020 Old Station Rd Streetsville,Ontario Canada L5M 2V1 Tel : 905-542-1877 E-mail : kalamosbooks(a)gmail.com www.kalamosbooks.com

16 years, 3 months

Fwd: Trends in Rare Book & Documents Special Collections Management

by KALAMOS BOOKS

This may be just sending the proverbial "Owls to Athens" but just in case ... June ======================== Primary Research Group has published Trends in Rare Book & Documents Special Collections Management (ISBN: 1-57440-095-9). This special report examines the management practices and business decisions of special collections libraries with a focus on rare books, manuscripts, maps, and other historical documents. The report profiles the John J. Burns Library of Rare Books and Special Collections at Boston College, the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, the L. Tom Perry Special Collections at Brigham Young University-Provo, the Huntington Library, the Newberry Library, the San Antonio Public Library, the Watkinson Library at Trinity College, the Special Collections Research Center at the University of Southern Illinois-Carbondale, and the Bancroft Library at the University of California-Berkeley. Interviews were conducted in November and December of 2007. Additional information through an online form was provided by San Jose State University Kent State University Map Library AGS Libraries, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and California State University-Chico. Some of the main findings of the report were that: ? Trends in special collections libraries management are relatively stable in terms of acquisitions, staff, and preservation strategy but are in a transition with newer issues such as choosing new technologies and growing an online presence with more searchable, browsable features. ? Consortiums and, to a lesser degree, relationships with commercial vendors have played a large role in bringing digitization projects, catalog availability, and general publicity to special collections libraries that otherwise might lack the resources to work on such projects. Similarly, many smaller libraries simply lack the resources to develop complex applications to manage data or streamline workflows, and are dependent on larger libraries to provide the programming expertise and developmental leadership to offer solutions, open source or otherwise. ? Relationships with commercial vendors to provide limited edition materials and other items for sale seem to be on the upswing. ? Nearly all librarians we spoke to mentioned an interest in digitizing their patron tracking system, for instance, but no vendors had provided a way to effectively address the needs of a special collections library. Most currently use entirely paper records, and the very few who used any kind of digital tracking had not progressed beyond simple Microsoft Excel sheets. ? We found that digitization generally has a dual purpose but is currently more effective in piquing interest and drawing Web traffic than it is in preservation. Digitization may also help with making available collections that are normally stored offsite, but a certain amount of technological infrastructure needs to be in place before any of this can happen. ? Online exhibits with metadata-tagged images and text also bring in significant additional traffic and publicity. These exhibits do not have to be large or comprehensive of the collection itself in order to draw in viewers and researchers, but lack of infrastructure and staff resources often blocks libraries from doing such projects. In these cases, consortiums can play a significant role in digitizing exhibits when the home institution is not equipped to work on such projects alone. ? In general, great productivity gains may be accrued if smaller, less well financed special collections could tap into the economies of scale and expertise of the larger, or better financed collections. For further information view our website at www.PrimaryResearch.com ============================= June Samaras KALAMOS BOOKS (For Books about Greece) 2020 Old Station Rd Streetsville,Ontario Canada L5M 2V1 Tel : 905-542-1877 E-mail : kalamosbooks(a)gmail.com (or) kalamosbks(a)aol.com www.kalamosbooks.com

16 years, 3 months

Literature Awards in Cyprus

by KALAMOS BOOKS

Literature Awards in Cyprus 25.JAN.08 http://www.famagusta-gazette.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=69&twindow=Def… The State Literature Awards were presented on Wednesday during a ceremony at Famagusta Gate in Nicosia. The awards were presented by Education and Culture Minister Akis Kleanthous. The poetry award went to Dina Katsouris for her work entitled Tis Aphroditis kai tou Adoni (Of Aphrodite and Adonis), the award for best novel went to Yiannis Theodorou, for his book O gios tis kataigidas (The son of the storm) and the prize for the best short story to Antonis Georgiou's Glykia Bloody Life (Sweet Bloody Life). The children's literature award went to Elena Pericleous for her book Prasinoi ippotes se mystiki apostoli (Green Knights on a secret mission). The youth literature award went to Kyriakos Margarites for his book, I symmoria tou Toledo (The gang of Toledo). The prize of the best illustrated book went to Hambis Tsaggaris or his book Kalikantzari � Kypriakes Istories (Goblins - Cypriot stories). =========================================== June Samaras KALAMOS BOOKS (For Books about Greece) 2020 Old Station Rd Streetsville,Ontario Canada L5M 2V1 Tel : 905-542-1877 E-mail : kalamosbooks(a)gmail.com (or) kalamosbks(a)aol.com www.kalamosbooks.com =================================

16 years, 3 months

Please post: HEAD LIBRARIAN OF THE BLEGEN LIBRARY

by cejo＠uchicago.edu

POSITION AVAILABLE HEAD LIBRARIAN OF THE BLEGEN LIBRARY The American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ASCSA) invites applications and nominations for the position of Head Librarian of the Carl W. Blegen Library. The American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ASCSA) is one of the world's leading research and teaching institutions dedicated to the advanced study of all aspects of Greek culture, from antiquity to the present day. Founded in 1881, the ASCSA provides graduate students and scholars from some 180 affiliated North American colleges and universities a base for research and study in Greece. The ASCSA operates two major research libraries in Athens (The Blegen Library and the Gennadius Library), supports archaeological research and excavations in the ancient agora of Athens, in Corinth, and elsewhere in Greece, and disseminates information about its research through an active publications program. The ASCSA is a primary resource for American and international graduate students and scholars in Hellenic studies, from antiquity to the present day. The Blegen Library is a non-circulating library dedicated to the entire field of classical antiquity, with special emphasis on the language, literature, art, history and archaeology of Greece, with 90,000 volumes, ca. 700 print periodical subscriptions, and ca. 200 electronic subscriptions. The Gennadius Library, with 113,000 volumes and extensive archives, is devoted to post-classical Hellenic civilization. Although both libraries serve primarily a constituency of North American students and scholars, there is a large group of international library users, including many Greek scholars. Key responsibilities of the Head Librarian of the Blegen Library are as follows: -Provides leadership for the Blegen Library. Position reports to the Director of the School in Athens; - Manages the transition from a distributed model of information management to an integrated technical services unit serving both the Blegen and Gennadius Libraries; -In collaboration with the Managing Committee, Trustees, and staff of the School monitors change, thinks strategically, and sets future directions for the Library, blending an appreciation of print materials and the traditions of the School with the electronic needs of a modern library; -Provides leadership for creating and implementing an integrated collections development plan including digital materials, working in collaboration with the Director of the Gennadius Library, the Archivist, academic staff and committees of the School; -Manages the library facility of approximately 1,735 sq. feet of stacks and office spaces and 2,800 m. of shelf space; manages the Library's operating budget of approximately $315,000 for FY2008 (exclusive of salaries); and supervises a library staff of four full time employees, two part time, and occasional volunteers; -Oversees the collections of the library, including the acquisition, cataloging and indexing of print and electronic materials and the maintenance and preservation of library resources in both print and electronic formats; -Provides guidance and instruction for students, faculty, and visiting scholars in the use of print and electronic materials in ancient Mediterranean philological, literary, historical, archaeological, and art historical research; -Works with colleagues at related research libraries in Greece and abroad to develop and promote collaborative efforts. Works especially closely with the library of the British School at Athens in an electronic union catalogue and other shared initiatives; -Advocates for the Library and assists in on-going fundraising efforts for Library, including the occasional writing of grant proposals; -Oversees the Library's web presence and takes a leadership role in the continuing development of a centralized digital repository for ASCSA's electronic information resources. Position requirements: -ALA-accredited MLS or its equivalent; -Strong, demonstrated managerial skills, with substantial experience in a library environment, including significant managerial experience; -As a minimum, BA in classics or classical archaeology or related field; MA or PhD preferred. Expertise in one of the disciplines of the Blegen's collection (classics, prehistoric and/or classical archaeology, ancient history, history of ancient art); knowledge of relevant languages; -Demonstrated skills and experience in relevant information technology, including its use and management, and possessing a comprehensive understanding of the technology-driven information environment, including institutional repository development; -Understanding of unique needs of a graduate research library and familiarity with current issues in academic librarianship; -Knowledge of best practices and current trends in managing academic libraries and serving library constituencies; -Excellent communication, computer, organizational, and interpersonal skills; -Specific experience working with Ex Libris' ALEPH highly desirable. Salary commensurate with experience. Generous benefits package. Successful candidate will be expected to live and work in Athens, Greece. Review of applications begins immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Send a letter of application, a curriculum vitae, and three letters of reference to Professor Susan Rotroff, Chair, Committee on Personnel, American School of Classical Studies at Athens, 6 - 8 Charlton Street, Princeton, NJ 08540-5232 or email application to ascsa(a)ascsa.org. Website: http://www.ascsa.edu.gr. ASCSA is an EO/AA employer.

16 years, 3 months

Epigraphers Collaborating to Improve Library Collections

by Charles E. Jones

>From a notice on the Ancient World Bloggers Group Blog: http://ancientworldbloggers.blogspot.com Over at <http://www.currentepigraphy.org/> Current Epigraphy we're taking some steps to try to improve library holdings of epigraphic publications. We hope that we'll be joined there by other scholars and librarians. This was Gil <http://artsci.wustl.edu/%7Eclassics/faculty.php?facID=21> Renberg's idea: a place to share notices of useful publications (print or electronic) that seem to have escaped the collections dragnet and are therefore dangerously (preservation) or disruptively (research support) underrepresented in a nation's or a region's libraries. We're trying to use the blog medium to our advantage as well, so we're tagging relevant posts as concerned with "rare publications". This gives us a <http://www.currentepigraphy.org/category/publications/rare_publication/> thematically browseable list, together with a <http://www.currentepigraphy.org/category/publications/rare_publication/feed /> corresponding web feed. You can read more about the initiative at CurEp: "New <http://www.currentepigraphy.org/2008/01/22/new-and-rare-publications/> and Rare Publications" (22 Jan 2008). Members of cohsl and fclsc are encouraged to participate actively or passively! Yours, -Chuck- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- Charles Ellwood Jones Head, The Blegen Library The American School of Classical Studies at Athens 54 Souidias Street, GR-106 76 Athens, Greece <Tel:(+30)> Tel: (+30) 210-72-36-313 (ex.103); Fax:(+30) 210-72-50-584 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----

16 years, 3 months

Trelawny

by KALAMOS BOOKS

One of the most colourful Philhellenes in Greece c.1820 was Edward John Trelawny I have most of the books published by and about him in English, but my customer wants to know what has been translated into Greek for his collection (which is destined for a College Library in California) I have a copy of "Anamnésesi tés Hellénikés Epanastaseos'" But so far have been coming up empty in my on-line searches (Worldcat/ Greek BIP/ Anemi etc.etc.) Any other suggestions where I might look ? or any known titles in Greek (however old) that I could perhaps run to earth for him ? Thanks in advance ================ June Samaras KALAMOS BOOKS (For Books about Greece) 2020 Old Station Rd Streetsville,Ontario Canada L5M 2V1 Tel : 905-542-1877 E-mail : kalamosbooks(a)gmail.com www.kalamosbooks.com

16 years, 3 months

Book on Greece published in China

by KALAMOS BOOKS

Chinese book on Greece http://www.ana.gr/anaweb/user/showplain?maindoc=6062617&maindocimg=1389861&… The first book on contemporary Greece ever published in China was presented in Beijing on Friday. The 428-page book was written by assistant professor and researcher at the Institute of European Studies Song Xiaomin, who has had a long and fruitful collaboration with the Press and Communication Office of the Greek Embassy. The book, published by China's most prestigious and influential think tank, the Institute of European Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Chinese Journal of European Studies is written in Chinese and depicts various aspects of contemporary Greece such as its history, its political system, economy, culture and tourism. The book is prefaced by Minister of State and Government Spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos, and contains a message by Greek Ambassador to Beijing Michalis Kambanis. In his preface Roussopoulos stresses that the book comes at a very exciting time, just before the Beijing Olympics and after the Athens 2004 Games, thus strengthening the bonds between the two countries, inviting the two peoples to learn more about each other. "My country offers brand new reasons why it should be rediscovered, loved, and respected" Roussopoulos writes. =============================== June Samaras KALAMOS BOOKS (For Books about Greece) 2020 Old Station Rd Streetsville,Ontario Canada L5M 2V1 Tel : 905-542-1877 E-mail : kalamosbooks(a)gmail.com (or) kalamosbks(a)aol.com www.kalamosbooks.com

16 years, 3 months

Chinese book on Greece

by KALAMOS BOOKS

16 years, 3 months

Finds of the week

by KALAMOS BOOKS

Interesting 19th.C dictionaries Note that according to WorldCat some of you already have either one OR the other of the titles that were bound together in this volume, but not necessarily both ... June S ================== POLYMERES, GEORGIOS Lexikon angloellenikon. Syntachthen kai ekdothen pros chresin ton spoudazonton ten angliken glossan, hypo Georgiou Polymere. Hermopolis, Syra, G. Polymere. 1854, First Edition. Hard Cover. "Lexikon angloellenikon. Syntachthen kai ekdothen pros chresin ton spoudazonton ten angliken glossan, hypo Georgiou Polymere. En Hermoupolei, Ek tes typographias G. Polymere" BOUND WITH "Lexikon tes kath' emas ellenikes dialektou : methermeneumenes eis to arhaion ellenikon kai to gallikon : meta geographikou pinakos ton neoteron kai palaion onomaton / ypo Skarlatou D. tou Byzantiou. Ekdosis deutera ..Athenesi Typios Alexandrou Gkarpola.1857" Two mid-19th C, Greek dictionaries bound together . Note by previous owner on ffep (page 321-2 repaired and a few words underlined in Polymeres) nevertheless the overall condition is very good. Binding sound and tight, leather spine is scuffed and worn, boards showing shelf wear. Very Good. USD 600.00 ========================================================= June Samaras KALAMOS BOOKS (For Books about Greece) 2020 Old Station Rd Streetsville,Ontario Canada L5M 2V1 Tel : 905-542-1877 E-mail : kalamosbooks(a)gmail.com www.kalamosbooks.com

16 years, 3 months

Call for papers - Ancient Libraries Conference

by KALAMOS BOOKS

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Stephanie Budin <sbudin(a)camden.rutgers.edu> Date: Jan 18, 2008 9:51 AM Forwarded from the ANE list. -Stephanie Budin ANCIENT LIBRARIES CONFERENCE SCHOOL OF CLASSICS, UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS 9-11 SEPTEMBER 2008 Libraries operate as the core foundation of research and study in the modern Western world. Historically, they have enabled the preservation and transmission of knowledge from antiquity to the Middle Ages, to the contemporary era. Yet in the diachronic history of the library, we still lack fundamental facts about its institutional role, organisation and mode of operation in the ancient world. This is especially acute as both archaeological research and the study of ancient literary texts have enabled significant advancement to our knowledge and understanding of ancient written culture and its various loci of production and dissemination. The conference aims to re-open discussion of the role, function and users of ancient libraries. We are keen to explore the shifting conditions under which the library operated as a physical and institutional entity, but also as intellectual and symbolic space over the long span of antiquity. In addition, we wish to investigate a variety of scholarly practices and social and intellectual networks that developed within the domain of the ancient library. We thus hope to illuminate the relationship between the library and the broader culture of reading, writing and intellectual exchange in antiquity. Conference organisers: Dr Jason König (jpk3(a)st-andrews.ac.uk) Dr Katerina Oikonomopoulou (ao40(a)st-andrews.ac.uk) Professor Greg Woolf (gdw2(a)st-andrews.ac.uk) The conference is part of the activities of the Leverhulme-funded ' Science andEmpire in the Roman World' project (http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/classics/science-and-empire/). It will bring together literary scholars, historians and archaeologists of all periods of Graeco-Roman antiquity specialising in the above fields. Confirmed speakers include: Ewen Bowie, Annette Harder, George Houston, Christian Jacob, William Johnson, Richard Neudecker. We invite papers on the following broad themes: • The library as both material and intellectual archive: its history, significance and development • Libraries and the reading culture of antiquity • Patterns of source usage, cross-referencing and annotating in antiquity • The institutional function of ancient libraries, and their role in ancient intellectual life • Libraries and patronage, or benefaction • Libraries and acquisitiveness, material or intellectual • The organisation and operation of ancient libraries • The topography of the ancient library: libraries and civic space • Public and private libraries in the ancient world Scholars, including postgraduate students, are asked to send 300-word abstracts to Katerina Oikonomopoulou (ao40(a)st-andrews.ac.uk) by the 30th of April 2008. -- Katerina Oikonomopoulou Leverhulme Research Fellow School of Classics, University of St Andrews KY16 9AL Tel. 01334 462609 ============================= - June Samaras KALAMOS BOOKS (For Books about Greece) 2020 Old Station Rd Streetsville,Ontario Canada L5M 2V1 Tel : 905-542-1877 E-mail : kalamosbooks(a)gmail.com (or) kalamosbks(a)aol.com www.kalamosbooks.com -- June Samaras KALAMOS BOOKS (For Books about Greece) 2020 Old Station Rd Streetsville,Ontario Canada L5M 2V1 Tel : 905-542-1877 E-mail : kalamosbooks(a)gmail.com www.kalamosbooks.com

16 years, 3 months

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CoHSL-list January 2008