The Future of the Past

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
James V. Carmichael, Professor (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/

Abstract: he recent specter of missile launchers looming over the deserts of Iraq and Kuwait, near the site of Susa where Alexander the Great in 324 B.C. performed a mass marriage between himself, and his soldiers and Eastern princesses in order to affect a unification of his empire, emphasizes the fragility of historical record. The architectural and historical remains of the region are indeed irreplaceable, representing a span of civilization occupying at least one-third of the average "History of the Book" course. Today most library professionals are only peripherally interested in the history of the book or their profession's history. The more pressing demands of feeding dollars into the computer technology and publishing industries while maximizing their customer service potential rightly take precedence. Still, it is startling to realize that twenty years ago school children could describe in detail achievements of social worker Jane Addams, while even library school students have been hard pressed to name one librarian who worked among the urban poor and immigrants during the same epoch. Why have we "lost" that information?

Additional Information

Publication
North Carolina Libraries 49 (Summer), 99-101
Language: English
Date: 1991
Keywords
Libraries, History, Professional, Social work

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