In the last issue of Hadashot
several staff members reviewed the accomplishments of the CRC. One of the
accomplishments of this column has been to guide readers to new ideas about
books and knowledge. The column I wrote on the story of the two brothers
who met on what became the site of the 1st and 2nd Temple has been quoted
and referred to by librarians ever since. In my columns I have tried to
show a process of finding information and turning that information into
useful knowledge. Later in this column I will tell you how this process
will be part of my new venture.
I would like to review some of the Library's accomplishments that allow library readers to help themselves.
1. We put up signs to help readers. It is amazing how a sign can help readers find what they want more effectively. The Library has signs on each tier of book shelves. The stacks have signs and posters to guide the readers to the place to find their books. Each book tier and area of the reading room has an identification number to ease locating of materials. These location codes are posted and in the library guidebooks.
2. The Library's computer catalog now has over 23,500 items from all branches of the Library. Every item added to the collection since 1995 is in the computer catalog. The catalog is also available on the World Wide Web at : http://206.217.66.102/htc/. This is a temporary URL and will be changed when the vendor upgrades their software in October. While the cataloging is far from complete, it is a vast improvement over the card catalog. Since the Library never had an inventory, the card catalog has items that have been missing for over 40 years. Every item in the computer catalog that has been recataloged has been processed and relabeled. I have been complimented that our spine labels are much easier to read and they make finding a book much easier than most of the big university libraries in the area.
Cataloging is a never-ending project. The idea and mission of cataloging is to organize and record the information about a library item so that it can be found and used. The catalog contains not only books, but also videos, CDs, articles, analytics, "see" references, museum objects and even the Library's equipment. Some books are easy to catalog because they have clear information on the title pages and cataloging in publication. Some books are difficult because they are missing vital information such as author, date of publication, and publisher. Serials are a special challenge because they are published periodically and have multiple authors. Publishers that change the name of their publications make cataloging difficult and make readers struggle to find the issues they need.
3. The Library branch in the Blitstein Teachers Institute has blossomed from a small collection of text books into two attractive rooms with new book shelves holding over 3000 volumes. The collection contains books in areas that support the curriculum. In addition to Judaica volumes that largely duplicates what is in the main collection, the library has literature, psychology, business, education, and computer science books that are not duplicated in the main library. All items are cataloged in the library management system.
4. The Library has received major gifts
from CRC members over the past five years. Their names have been mentioned
in my columns. The Library has been able to fill in major gaps in our collections
thanks to these gifts. However, gifts are a mixed blessing. Chances are
that two CRC rabbis have similar interests and collect many of the same
books. The Library keeps what we need and then passes the others to appropriate
places. The CRC office itself has many of the duplicate gifts. These gifts
are an important source of out-of-print books that the Library could never
purchase at a book store.
The above paragraph may sound unclear,
but let me describe knowledge in terms that are very familiar. Rabbis make
sermons. Think of the value rabbis add to data to make sermons that share
knowledge. For example, a rabbi will start with an idea from the
sidra
(or any other source). This idea is one of the datum. The rabbi will look
for sources in the Torah and later rabbinic and Jewish literature to support
the idea. These sources (data) are gathered and then become information.
The information is integrated into the rabbi's experience, background and
previous knowledge to help synthesize new ideas. These new ideas are integrated
to make the knowledge that will be shared in the sermon. The knowledge
is received by the congregation and if it effects a change in behavior,
it is part of the person's knowledge. Each step adds value to the previous
step. The initial idea needs the added value of the sources; the sources
need the value integrating them into new thought worth sharing and finally
the congregation benefits from the integration, synthesis and integration
into knowledge.
This adding value is not limited to sermons.
The project could be anything that requires gathering data and adding value
before passing it on to another person. My new venture will be helping
organizations and businesses understand the process of adding value to
information and turning that information into knowledge. This process is
called knowledge management and it is what I have been doing for over 30
years and never knew it before four weeks ago. Cataloging is the most important
aspect of the organization, storage and retrieval of knowledge. Knowledge
is the most valuable human endeavor that can be shared but never touched,
felt, or seen. Librarians are experts in adding value to data through their
dedication to organizing, storing, and retrieving data and information.
In future columns, I will continue discussing adding value to data.
Librarian's
Lobby Home page
Adding value to data and information
to make knowledge
Libraries are store houses of knowledge. Books
are the frozen knowledge of their authors. Understanding the terminology
of "data", "information" and, "knowledge" is important to understanding
how each one of you adds value to information. Data is easily stored and
retrieved in a computer data base. The pieces of data are assembled to
become information. Information is integrated in the brain then changes
it into knowledge. Knowledge is learned by humans based on information.
Once learned knowledge changes behavior.
Daniel D. Stuhlman is
president of Stuhlman
Management Consultants, Chicago, IL, a firm helping organizations turn
data and information into knowledge. Previous issues of Librarian's
Lobby can be found at: home.earthlink.net/~ddstuhlman/liblob.htm. He
can be reached via e-mail at: DDStuhlman@earthlink.net.
Jewish
Library Network of Metro Chicago
©2001 Last revised March 23, 2001