Review of new film THE LIBRARY IN CRISIS

Steve Fesenmaier writes a review of The Library in Crisis,
2002 46 mins. Filmakers Library Cost – ?????


filmakers.com

\”
Julian Samuel, an Asian-Canadian filmmaker, has made the most
comprehensive film to date about the gigantic challenges facing the
modern library. Using both Canadian and American libraries, and scholars
on the history of libraries from around the world, he gives an exciting
tour of some of the very real problems facing libraries in our
information age. One very poignant story is that of a small college
library being destroyed. As the creator of the library, the professor
says profoundly, \” They used to burn books – now they deaccession them.\”
One library expert talks about the leaders of the Canadian library
association as being \”entrepreneur types.\” ( I myself was told my first
day in library school that we new library students would probably have
to invent our own jobs since there were none – this was in 1978
Minneapolis.) I certainly wish that the film was much longer. I enjoyed
the library history, but it was not really needed. Samuel has told me
that he is planning on making a second part of the film, and that he may
include interviews with people like Sandy Berman, who certainly has
written and taped some even more powerful criticisms of the current
\”library in crisis.\” I also told Samuel about Nick Baker\’s landmark
\”Double Fold.\” There are about ten different library experts who do
briefly talk about threats including the WTO – which is seldom mentioned
in American library circles. Another expert points out that in 1976 the
Copyright Law was expanded to include software, thereby creating Bill
Gates mamouth fortune. Lots of nice libraries including Vancouver\’s new
library are shown, and current optical printing techniques are used to
create nice floating images. Sally Mason at the National Video Resources
project in NYC is compiling a list of contemporary films about
libraries. This one should certainly be at the top of the list. I myself
would like to see a four-part, four-hour PBS series hosted by Berman,
with an hour spent on at least four areas – privatizing libraries and
the WTO; the librarian profession – qualifications, pay scale, etc; Post
9/11 Threats to Libraries including Berman\’s concept of \”inside
censorship\”; and how to limit computerism. Until this fantasy series is
created, all librarians, library board members, and all library users
should watch this film and discuss it. Also, librarians should acquire
Altera Vistas two one-hour programs with Berman on some of these same
issues.

\”