Jessamyn
The Vermont State University has a remarkably short-sighted money saving plan to go "all digital" with their libraries. This is a terrible idea. Once announced, they've been back-tracking, changing their website to make this seem more palatable. The Vermont Library Association released a statement yesterday. It's not quite enough "Fuck this dumb idea!!" for my tastes but it's pretty strong https://www.vermontlibraries.org/vla-statement-regarding-vtsu-library-closures
VLA statement regarding VTSU library closures | Vermont Library Association

Feb 14, 2023 at 4:56pmWeb
Show threadJessamynFeb 14, 2023

And let's look specifically on what this VTSU FAQ page looked like before and after the blowback.

Before (thanks Internet Archive): https://web.archive.org/web/20230208233740/https://transformation.vsc.edu/announcing-changes-to-vermont-state-university-athletics-and-libraries/
After: https://transformation.vsc.edu/announcing-changes-to-vermont-state-university-athletics-and-libraries/

Announcing Changes to Vermont State University Athletics and Libraries – VSCS Transformation

Show threadJessamynFeb 14, 2023

Reading more about this, staying mad.

"University president Parwinder Grewal said, 'If more than 500 students could have responded, maybe we would have made a different decision.'"

Just a classic "We asked for your input in a way that didn't make you interested in responding and as a result of your non-response have decided to take things away from you" situation. How dare they.

Show threadJessamynFeb 14, 2023
Sorry, the citation for that bullshit comment was the very nice people at @bookriot https://bookriot.com/vermont-state-university-digital-only-library/
Vermont State University Gets Rid of Physical Library for Digital-Only, Despite Protests

Despite student protests, Vermont State University is donating most of the library's physical books and going digital-only.

BOOK RIOT
Show threadEira TanseyFeb 14, 2023
@jessamyn @bookriot this is bad and everyone who contributed to this bad decision should feel bad
Show threadNothingEspeciallyCleverFeb 15, 2023
@TeamMidwest @jessamyn @bookriot or at least go into another line of work. Jeez,,,
Show threadʎllnɔsFeb 14, 2023
@jessamyn WTAF!?
Show threadAaron OFeb 14, 2023

@jessamyn It's never too late to reverse a bad decision...

Such bureaucratic BS.

Show threadEmilyFeb 14, 2023

@jessamyn

“But the plans were on display…”
“On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.”
“That’s the display department.”
“With a flashlight.”
“Ah, well, the lights had probably gone.”
“So had the stairs.”
“But look, you found the notice, didn’t you?”
“Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.”

Show threadJessamynFeb 14, 2023
@Emilyy Best laugh I've had all day, thank you.
Show threadDavid MichaelsFeb 14, 2023
@jessamyn @Emilyy this was my exact thought reading that!
Show threadDavid MolesFeb 15, 2023
@jessamyn Haley “We get hundreds of emails a day. We don’t have time to read them all. And if we did open it, it definitely was not titled, ‘You need to take this survey to save your library’” Agan is my new hero
Show threadLis CareyFeb 14, 2023
@jessamyn Am I misreading, or did they actually not talk to librarians before deciding on this all-digital insanity?
Show threadJessamynFeb 14, 2023
@LisCarey I'm not certain. To my read it sounds like librarians were informed-not-asked about this and, surprise surprise, there are going to be union issues along with all the other ones.
Show threadLis CareyFeb 14, 2023
@jessamyn I do hope they have a strong union. Sounds to me like VSU admin thinks librarians are clerical help, not professionals with knowledge and experience in how this whole "useful academic library" thing works.
Show threadHector CorreaFeb 14, 2023
@jessamyn wow...there are intending to close the physical libraries too! yikes!
Show threadJessamynFeb 14, 2023
@hectorjcorrea They are waffling on that point, but yes that was the initial plan.
Show threadJason LevineFeb 14, 2023
@jessamyn This seems like just a terrible, terrible idea.
Show threadJessamynFeb 14, 2023
@delfuego It is! I mean "all digital" libraries can work, kind of, but they need careful planning, a very tech-forward staff and student body, and need to be done with intention not just to save money.
Show threadJason LevineFeb 14, 2023
@jessamyn And it doesn't feel like the sort of thing that's a drop-in replacement for physical libraries, which have so many functions that just can't be done, much less done well, virtually.
Show threadMark SaltveitFeb 14, 2023
@jessamyn
As if delivering text data is the only function a library provides. Have they never heard of studying? Or quiet? Or guidance?
Show threadJessamynFeb 14, 2023
@taoish Exactly, or public technology access, media creation, serendipitous discovery....
Show threadEtudiantFeb 14, 2023
@jessamyn did you read John Walter's blog post about exploring why? Interesting reading: https://thevpo.org/2023/02/13/so-why-is-vscs-really-closing-its-libraries/#more-14003
So Why Is VSCS Really Closing Its Libraries?

The Vermont Political Observer.
Show threadJessamynFeb 14, 2023
@etudiant I read his twitter summary and agree with it entirely. This is a weird way to back into what could possibly be, with a lot more planning and consultation, an eventual direction (fewer print materials, no firing of any library staff, continuing to keep the buildings open) and it's so aggravating they went with this direction/presentation.
Show threadWilfried KlaebeFeb 14, 2023
@jessamyn I feel eerily reminded of a scifi novel by Vernor Vinge, "Rainbows End", where people try to close and (destructively) digitize a physical library...
Show threadBarry GoldmanFeb 15, 2023

@jessamyn also to consider... how secure is digital information over ranges of 100 yrs? paper can last that long. tho i don't know what average age of books and jnl in libraries are these days..

i hope old paper is being stored SOMEwhere.

i also recall an article about extra information encoded/scrawled on card catalog cards that has been lost when we switched THAT to digital

Show threadJessamynFeb 15, 2023
@barrygoldman1 there are a lot of considerations before making a change this drastic, agreed. The Vermont state college collections are good collections that won't be easily absorbed into public library collections no matter what they say. And digitizing, especially digitizing well, requires more deliberateness than they are going to be able to bring before July 1.
Show threadBarry GoldmanFeb 15, 2023
@jessamyn plus i have to admit.. college library full of books was one of my favorite places at many colleges... sigh