ChapterNews
IN THIS ISSUE Message from the President
Message from the President..........1
Message from the
Director of Publications .............2
St. Clair Accepts Award.................3
Chapter Announcements:
Lee is Mover/Shaker...................5
New SLA Members ....................5
Writers Wanted...........................5
Scholarship Winner ....................5
Media Restoration of Past/Future
SLA Special Interview ................7
Metro Magnet Attracts Staff ........10
Horticultural Society Blossoms ..11
Digitizing a Legacy ......................13
We’re Moving the Library When? .15
SLA-NY Career Day.....................16
Web site Resources:
Measuring Ethnic Populations ...18
ADVERTISERS
Dialog ............................................6
Donna Conti Career Resources .....8
EBSCO ........................................11
EOS International........................12
Gatta Design & Co. .....................15
Global Securities Information, Inc...4
InfoCurrent ....................................3
Pro Libra......................................13
Wontawk .....................................17
ChapterNews
Volume 76, #2 Summer 2004
Farewell
By Agnes Mattis
his is my last Message from the President. After two years as your
T
president, I am turning the reins over to Tom Pellizzi. I have truly
enjoyed serving the Chapter again and thank you for your support
and encouragement. The one thing I must admit I won’t miss is
writing this column. I am not a good writer; I don’t enjoy writing;
I agonize over each issue. When Jennifer contacts me to remind me that the
deadline is a month away, I promise myself I am going to try and write something
brilliant and start on it right away. Then, in true procrastinator fashion, I find
other urgent things I must do first and before I know it the deadline is two days
away. The only issue I truly enjoyed writing (and I probably should not admit
this) was the special edition we published for April Fool’s this year.
This year the Chapter made a change in the format of two of our Chapter meetings.
The meetings on offshoring and on communities of practice were both conducted
without a networking/social hour. While we fully understand the importance the
members put on networking, the Board decided we could not incur the expense.
Our sponsorships are down and we only receive $12.00 per member annually
from headquarters to provide services to our members. At some of the facilities
we rent for meetings, the minimum cost of refreshments is $25.00 per person.
When we are ordering for 125 people, that cost soars to $3,125 for a one-hour
reception. We will probably keep this new format for a few meetings in the coming
year and may indeed start charging a fee for our meetings. The Board is continuing
to look at ways to provide services and balance expenses. You can do your part as
well. If you sign up to attend a meeting, please show up! We base our count for
food and beverage on your responses. If you find you cannot attend after you
have sent in your registration, please cancel. The Chapter will continue to offer
all the Virtual Seminars at no cost to the membership.
I hope to see many of you at the conference in Nashville this year. Since we
are all under one roof, we will probably see each other coming and going all
day long. My schedule looked manageable when I registered but I keep adding
events to my online planner so it’s currently looking scary. I’m sure yours is the
same. While we are in Nashville, we are going to miss out on a very popular
New York event - the running of the Belmont Stakes. Even if you are not a racing
fan the chance to see if Smarty Jones can win the Triple Crown is irresistible.
How about we New Yorkers watch the race together? Let’s gather in Rusty’s
Sports Bar and Grill at 5 PM on Saturday and catch the race. The race is scheduled
for 6:30 PM New York time. You’ll have plenty of time to make your dinner
plans. You don’t want to miss the chance to see if the 12th Triple Crown can be
won. There hasn’t been a winner since Affirmed in 1978. Let’s see if little Smarty
Jones (isn’t it a great name?) can be victorious. Don’t even ask me if I’m paying
for this – it’s every person for himself or herself. Go Smarty!
1 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004
ChapterNews Message from the
New York Chapter Director of Publications:
Special Libraries Association
Summer Vol. 76, No. 2 Preserving the Past
PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
to Understand the Future
By Michael Gruenberg
ChapterNews, the bulletin of the New York Chapter of the
Special Libraries Association, is published four times a year.

Deadlines for submitting materials:

s our society makes gains in health, science and
Fall issue
Winter issue
Spring issue
September 24
December 15
March 15
A technology, we often overlook our past. We are so
enthralled with our progress that we forget what it
took to travel the road that got us to the point of a
Summer issue May 14 breakthrough.
In 1968, a small company in Maryland was granted a
contract by the Securities and Exchange Commission to
Submit all material to: be the archivist for all the documents filed there by public
Jennifer Kellerman companies. Microfiche was the medium of choice for
ChapterNews Editor storing, cataloging and indexing the information. The
E-mail: jkellerman@paulweiss.com genesis of this project actually began as a result of the
Stock Market crash in 1929. After the debris from the
Submissions: Articles on topics of general interest to infor-
crash settled, it was clear to Congress that the stock-buying
mation professionals and the New York Chapter are welcome.
public really was at the mercy of companies selling stock
Authors can send submissions via e-mail as text file or MS
and that there was no legitimate framework for the public
Word for Windows attachments, or with article in the body of
to understand the quality of the stocks prior to their purchase.
the e-mail. Please use single-line spacing, Courier font, with
minimal use of boldface and italics. Include a byline with your The 1933/34 Disclosure Acts of Congress mandated that
full name and place of work. companies offering their stock to the public had to dis-
close various elements of their business in the form of
specific documents that would be publicly available prior
ADVERTISING inquiries should be addressed to: to stock purchase. However, in 1934, those documents
Nancy Bowles were mandated to be filed on paper. To this day, from the
235 East 22nd Street, Apt 9L turn of the century to 1968, the corporate record of U.S.
New York, NY 10010 public companies is on paper at the SEC in Washington,
Telephone: (212) 679-7088 or D.C. Therefore, we have thirty-four years of mandated
E-mail: nancy.bowles@verizon.net paper filings and well over sixty years of non-mandated
paper documents that are the actual history of corporate
America. Only since 1968, when filings began to be stored
Special Libraries Association assumes no responsibility for the
on a medium that had a better life expectancy than paper,
statements and opinions advanced by contributors to the Associa-
do we have a compete record of our corporate history.
tion’s publications. Editorial views do not necessarily represent the
official position of Special Libraries Association. Acceptance of The question to be answered is: how is American corporate
an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product by history stored and accessed prior to 1934? There are a
Special Libraries Association. number of university libraries which have paper copies
of annual reports dating back to the turn of the century.
CHAPTERNEWS STAFF That’s great, but how easily can a researcher find that
information? Not easily and not efficiently are the
Director of Publications Mike Gruenberg
probable answers.
ChapterNews Editor Jennifer Kellerman
(Continues on page 3)
Advertising Manager Nancy Bowles
Webmaster Shirley Loh
Assistant Editor Brenda Ling

ChapterNews 2 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004

 (Continued from page 2)
Our society consumes information at an extraordinary St. Clair
rate. As professional information handlers, librarians are
faced with not only the dissemination of information, but Accepts Award
also the preservation of older information. I was greatly
impressed with the processes outlined in my interview
with Mr. O’Neill on how his company works with preserv-
ing information on a number of different media. The old Guy St. Clair, well-known in these pages for his regular
adage warning us that if we don’t learn from history, we column on knowledge management (KM) issues, has been
will keep repeating our mistakes certainly applies here. presented with the John Jacob Astor award in Library
Our history will help us unlock the mysteries of the Studies and Information Science. The award, sponsored
future. We must learn and understand the lessons of the by the Checkpoint Charlie Foundation, enables German
past by preserving the very elements of time that got us or American people who have made notable contributions
to this point. to transatlantic knowledge transfer to travel to Berlin for
a conference. The goal is to facilitate discussion and
learning about the latest developments in the field.
Mike Gruenberg The awards ceremony was held on 5 May 2004. In his
acceptance speech, Guy acknowledged the members of
Michael Gruenberg is the Strategic Accounts Manager
at OneSource Information Services. He can be reached at
SLA. “They [SLA members] – as much as I – develop
Michael_Gruenberg@onesource.com or 212-836-4161 and share knowledge. They do it every day, they do it
throughout the world, and they do it brilliantly. So for
them – and for me – I express our sincere appreciation.”
At the conference, Guy conducted a workshop, titled
“From Librarianship to Knowledge Services: Marketing
the Specialized Library in the Knowledge-Centric
Workplace.” He also took the opportunity to present a
lecture to students and faculty at the Institute of Library
and Information Science at Humboldt University Berlin.
That lecture was called, “Knowledge Services: Future
Requirements of the Profession, especially for Knowl-
edge Workers.”
Guy is an expert in the field of knowledge management.
For over forty years he has written about, taught and
YOUR SOURCE FOR SKILLED INFORMATION NAVIGATORS consulted on KM, in particular, knowledge services,
defined as “the convergence of information management,
• The premier source for
knowledge management and strategic learning.”
high-caliber library &
information management Guy’s career began in 1960 at the Library of Congress.
professionals
He has held a variety of positions at libraries all over the
• Executive search & direct hire
country. Twenty years ago, he started his consulting and
placements nationwide
training business, SMR International, which specializes
• Temporary & temp-to-hire
assignments
in knowledge and information management and strategic
learning.
• Competitive candidate benefits
& training programs The Checkpoint Charlie Foundation is a nonpartisan,
nonprofit organization that was founded in 1994 by
the Berlin State Legislature. The Foundation strives to
A Part of TeleSec CORESTAFF
foster German-American relations with such projects
as the teacher exchange program and awards like the
New York City Metro area: 212-642-4321 John Jacob Astor award.
nylibrary@infocurrent.com
Congratulations to Guy on this notable achievement!
Washington, DC Metro area: 202-775-1890
dclibrary@infocurrent.com

www.infocurrent.com

ChapterNews 3 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004

 MOVE BEYOND EDGAR WITH GSI’s POWERFUL SOLUTIONS
Legal professionals conducting SEC-related research can’t afford anything but the most thorough,
up-to-the-minute results. LIVEDGAR™, GSI’s award-winning online research platform, delivers
the right combination of exclusive content, advanced features and expert service that today’s
business world demands.

100% of the Am Law 100, and 92% of Am Law 200 firms, trust LIVEDGAR to provide the results
that build their success. Why? Simply put, LIVEDGAR far surpasses the offerings of the SEC’s
EDGAR or any baseline EDGAR services. By specializing within the securities information sec-
tor, GSI offers a wealth of value-added information and sophisticated tools, as well as customer
support services and research assistance, designed to make your job easier.

To maximize the efficiency of your day-to-day SEC research needs, look to GSI and the power of
LIVEDGAR. Get started today by calling our customer support line at (800) 669-1154 or sign up
for LIVEDGAR at www.gsionline.com.

ChapterNews 4 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004

 CHAPTER ANNOUNCEMENTS
CHAPTER ANNOUNCEMENTS
NY Chapter Member
is a Mover and a Shaker
Suzan Lee, a Senior Research Librarian at UBS Securities
and the Library School Liaison for the New York Chapter
of SLA, was named as a Mover & Shaker in Library
Journal’s special supplement (March 15, 2004).
Suzan was recognized for her work with library school
students in connection with SLA, in particular for the
internship program she established in March 2000. In
addition to her work at UBS and with the New York
Chapter, Suzan is an adjunct instructor with Long Island
University’s Palmer School of Library and Information
Science. In her spare time, she also runs a knitting work-
shop at Gilda’s Club, an organization for cancer patients
and their families.
Each year, Library Journal recognizes people who exhibit
a passion for their career and who are making a positive
contribution to the library and information science
profession. The special supplement is sent to Congress
to help highlight the industry and the people in it.
For more information, go to www.libraryjournal.com.
Welcome to the New York Chapter
Sarah Warner - SLA New York Chapter Membership Chair
We welcome the following new or renewed members to
the New York Chapter. You will find many benefits to
joining the New York Chapter. Look forward to meeting
you at our Fall meeting.
Carlos Azeglio Jennifer Farrar
Jim Borron Jarron Jewell
Duncan Byrnes Rebecca Pernell
JacquelineCantwell
David Shein
George Cigale
Theresa Zahor
Jennifer Cwoik
Gabrielle Zimmerman
Carla Davis
Renee Dichiara
ChapterNews
Writers Wanted
There will be a Post-Conference edition of ChapterNews
following the 2004 Annual Conference in Nashville, TN.
If you are attending the conference and interested in
submitting something to be included in the Post-
Conference issue, please contact Jennifer Kellerman at
jkellerman@paulweiss.com.
Scholarship Winner Announced
Norma L. Medina-Ortiz, a library student at Rutgers, is
the recipient of the Spring 2004 SLA-NY Student
Scholarship. Norma won a scholarship based on an essay,
a letter from her faculty advisor and her GPA. She will be
presented with a certificate at Career Day, 22 May 2004.
Norma is currently enrolled in the MLIS program at the
School of Communication, Information and Library
Studies (SCILS) in Rutgers, the State University of New
Jersey. She holds a Bachelor Degree in information and
documentation from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
in Bogotá, Colombia (1995). Before coming to the United
States of America to work as an information professional
at the Colombian Mission to the United Nations (2000),
she worked in Colombia, in different librarianship fields
including library automatization, cataloguing and classifi-
cation, and collection development. As an international
student at SCILS, she has conferred a global perspective
to her studies and her fellow students. Recently she took
part in an academic team whose task was the planning
and organization of a Colloquium at Rutgers on library
development in Colombia as a model for other countries.
Mrs. Medina-Ortiz has been a member of SLA since
April 2003.
Congratulations and best of luck to Norma!
The Student Scholarship is awarded twice a year: at Career
Day in the spring and at the Professional/Student Mixer in the
fall. For more information, please go to the SLA-NY website
(www.sla.org/chapter/cny) and click on “Students.”
5 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004
ChapterNews 6 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004
Media Restoration –
Preserving the Past
for our Future
By Michael Gruenberg
ibraries today are faced with many new sources of
L information. Dutifully, it is their role to disseminate
that information to a large audience in a variety of
formats. A dilemma that faces every library is what
collections should be kept and preserved. Prior to the
growth and ease of on-line, information storage and
retrieval went from paper to roll film to microfiche to
CD. What happened to all those films, books, CD’s as
they outgrew their usefulness and ease of retrieval?
Kevin O’Neill is the Sales and Marketing Director for
VidiPax LLC, a New York City-based media restoration
facility. VidiPax works with archives worldwide in refor-
matting virtually anything recorded on film, videotape
and audiotape. According to O’Neill, “if it moves or
makes a sound, [VidiPax] can place it on a more stable,
modern format for the sake of preservation and access.”
Recently, I had the pleasure to interview Mr. O’Neill.
We covered a wide range of topics that will show that
preservation of media is an issue that touches virtually
every library. While we all get caught up in the latest and
the greatest, we need to also focus on our past and how
that information can be kept in tact and be able to be
accessed without fear of damaging the material.
MG:Who are the basic users of the type of services
provided by VidiPax?
KON: Basically, the entire 20th century has been recorded
to one extent or another. This means that every sector
from consumer to academia to corporations to cultural
institutions have their history recorded either on audio
or visual media. This becomes increasingly more important
as many people of the baby boomer generation increasingly
look to the past to try and understand the future.
MG: Can you give me an example of the types of clients
and projects that you have been working in these different
sectors?
KON: There are many. They can be, for example, the
reformatting of every Coca-Cola commercial that has
ever been made.
ChapterNews
MG: Sounds like quite a project. Considering how many
Coke commercials I have seen or heard, how long did it
take to complete that job?
KOM: We’ve been working on that project for over three
years. It is actually a very interesting project because not
only do they get a preservation copy on a video, but they
also get their videos encoded so that their internal mar-
keting departments can access that footage for current
production of their commercials. Another example of
large projects that we have worked on is video installations
in the museum sector.
MG: I know you’re not talking about video surveillance.
What is a video installation at a museum?
KON: That means that an artist could have produced a
video 30 or 40 years ago on particular format and the
museum is interested in showing it at an exhibit. In order
for them to do that effectively, they need to put the video
on a modern format. So, we work with museums and
virtually all cultural institutions in these types of projects.
We also work with archives in museums in order to
preserve their audio, video and film collections.
MG: Can you give an example of a particularly interesting
project you did for a cultural institution?
KON: For a cultural institution, the most comprehensive
project I can name was for the Metropolitan Opera
where we reformatted and preserved all of their Texaco
broadcasts. That represented almost fifty years of broad-
casts that never would have seen the light of day had they
not been preserved. Those broadcasts are now preserved
and usable. They are now accessible to libraries.
MG: Can the general public see these broadcasts?
KON: Each institution has their own purposes and goals
in mind when they give us their media. Some institutions
like MoMA, for instance, through PS1 have asked us to
decode their audio collection so that they can stream it
through the internet on the world’s only art museum
radio station.
MG: I’m sure an art museum radio station is not Norman
Rockwell singing the songs of his day. What is an art
museum radio station?
KON: It is actually arts based programming sponsored by
MoMA. Artists come in and they will talk about their
interests. They could be speaking about their work, the
music that they like, etc. In which case, the museum will
go into the archives and pull out old material that coincides
with the topics covered by the featured artist. Some of
the tapes that need to be accessed are in some cases, fifty
to sixty years old. They need to reformatted and coded.
(Interview continues on page 8)
7 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004

Career Resources, Inc.
DC On-Line, Inc.
MG: In essence, this type of project effectively bridges
generations of artists.
KON: That’s correct. If a contemporary artist wants to
compare his work to someone like Jackson Pollack, he
may want to hear some of the speeches Pollack may have
given as emphasis to the comparisons he is trying to
make on the radio show.
MG: Given the huge amount of historical information
that is archived, do you get into disaster recovery?
KON: Absolutely. We just did a job for a large sports pro-
duction company that happened to have all their tapes
stored in the basement of their building. Unfortunately,
there was a flood and as a result, they called us in to help.
A couple thousand of their tapes were affected by that
flood. We went in and took those tapes out. We then
did an assessment, treated them in accordance with the
standards set forth by the archival community and then
completed the work needed to preserve them for the
future. These were commercial grade videotapes. Some
were analog and some were digital. You have to understand
that those tapes are the prime assets of the organization
worth an untold amount of money.
ChapterNews
MG: As you know, the SLA members who read this publi-
cation are working at major law firms, financial institutions,
Fortune 1,000 corporations, academic institutions, etc.
For example, what type of service would VidiPax provide
for a law firm?
KON: The type of work we would do for a law firm would
probably not involve the history of the firm, but would
involve the history of the cases they are working on. If
there is an audio tape, video tape, surveillance tape and
restoration is needed so that the contents of the tape can
be presented to a judge and jury, then we would work to
restore the tape. However, I see a different use for law
firms, especially the so-called “white shoe” firms. These
firms have along and distinguished history. There are
speeches and seminars given by the partners. They have
client-related material especially with some of these firms
who have had major corporate clients for over fifty years.
Every institution, including law firms in America has a past,
has a history. When you want to tell that history because
you are proud of that history, we shouldn’t just limit that
story to words. Moving images of pictures and sound are
the primary mode of communication nowadays. Companies
are able to define their future by pointing to their past
accomplishments. We can certainly help them in that
regard. When a company wants to change their direction,
they usually dig for their past, identifying their values as
a company, finding the evidence of those values through
moving images and sound and reposition themselves
with those images and sound. So, in order to do that they
need their media reformatted and brought up to date.
MG: The information contained in every SLA members’
library is the yardstick by which the worth of that library
is judged. To me, a company like yours is protecting
those assets.
KON: I agree and would add to that thought the fact that
in all those libraries there are undoubtedly tapes and
films on a shelf that are assets of great monetary value to
the organization. The Coca-Cola example I gave you earlier
is a great example of that. Some of our most interesting
work is for the National Archives and the Library of
Congress where we are involved in preserving the cultural
history of the United States.
(Interview continues on page 9)
8 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004
MG: Can you talk about some of the work you are doing
for the U.S. Government?
KON: The National Archives has many different collec-
tions at different libraries under their authority. I recently
examined a historical collection at West Point, which is
funded by the National Archives, whereas there are
special collections that are just funded by those particular
institutions. We are currently working on discs containing
speeches by all the great Generals. Omar Bradley,
General Westmoreland are but a few of the military men
contained on those discs that we are preserving as a
historical record of this country. These discs go back to
the World War II period and extend up to the present
time. We are also working on preserving the contents of
the Presidential Libraries for the National Archives.
Finally, for the Library of Congress, we are doing something
that is very interesting. It is unlike the other projects I
mentioned because we are not taking something off an
old format and putting on a new format. We are taking
currently recorded material, which is part of the Veterans
Oral History program funded by Congress to collect
video and audio histories from living veterans from all
the wars. We are taking these tapes and digitizing them
so the Library of Congress can have this available on the
internet.
MG: Having been a Political Science major in college, it
is reassuring to me that preservation of history is not just
a concept, but a true reality.
KON: It wasn’t until the last ten years or so that consider-
ation was given to the fact that media is deteriorating
and that steps needed to be taken to preserve this media
because once it is gone, it will never be duplicated.
MG: You will remember that the question came up in the
roll film and microfiche days of how long can that stuff
last. The same questions arose with the use of CD’s.
Quite frankly, do we know how long fiche or CD’s really
can last?
ChapterNews
KON: The archival community has been reluctant to use
the CD or DVD technology for the purpose of preserva-
tion because being the conservative group that they have
to be, they really do not know how long those media will
last. Every physical substance deteriorates. CD’s and
DVD’s have coatings on them and every manufacturer
uses different formulations and the media has not been
around all that long so we really cannot determine their
lifespan. However, on analog formats, we know an audio
tape will last a known amount of time, maybe up to thirty
years until we have to reformat it. So what we do for special
collections is that we will take it from the analog tape and
put it back onto an analog tape and create a preservation
master. We can than make CD’s or DVD’s as current use
copies thus preserving the master. The trend nowadays is
for companies to put their information in digital archives.
They will ship us an external drive; we digitize the infor-
mation for them and send it back to them. We don’t keep
their content at our facility.
MG: Kevin, thank you for sharing this information with
us. I am certainly glad to see that historical data is being
preserved for future generations.
For more information about VidiPax, please contact
Kevin O’Neill at koneill@vidipax.com.
Michael Gruenberg is the Strategic Accounts Manager at
OneSource Information Services. He can be reached at
Michael_Gruenberg@onesource.com or 212-836-4161.
9 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004
The METRO Magnet:
Attracting Library Staff to
the New York City Area
By Susan Salomone, Consultant
and Dottie Hiebing, Executive Director,
Metropolitan New York Library Council
n August 2003, the Metropolitan New York Library
I Council (METRO) launched the first library placement
site of its kind, the METRO Magnet. The site was
designed by METRO, a consortium of all types of
libraries serving the five boroughs of New York City and
Westchester County. The site was designed to attract
library staff to METRO’s service area by providing a
centralized online job bank and a wealth of information
about living and working in libraries in the METRO
area. The site is available at www.metro.org/magnet.
Local librarians looking for new opportunities and pro-
motions are able to post their resumes and search the job
announcements as are recent library school graduates
and other library professionals wishing to relocate to the
METRO area. Jobseekers may post resumes at no cost,
and employers with active postings may search these
resumes. To provide privacy to those jobseekers who
desire it, resumes and personal information may be entered
in the system without allowing employers to see it.
Jobseekers interested in working in libraries in the METRO
area have indicated that this site meets a unique need.
Someone who used the site recently said, “Yours is the
only list where I can be sure the jobs are in NY. Also, I
notice that you list jobs first which are listed subsequently
in other media. I already have an interview with one job
listing from your website and have sent applications for
two other positions. Since your listings appear so quickly,
I was able to find out about a position today in time to
meet the employer at a library event tonight.”
In addition to job postings, the METRO Magnet web
site includes links designed to help local librarians focus
on their professional development. The site provides
information about the numerous professional development
opportunities available at METRO through continuing
education and special interest groups. The site also has
helpful links to local placement firms, membership
organizations, accredited Library and Information
Sciences schools, and financial aid information.
ChapterNews
For library staff interested in relocating to the region, the
site provides the basics about the diverse neighborhoods
that comprise the METRO area—the five boroughs of
New York City and Westchester County. It also contains
profiles of local librarians who discuss the advantages and
perceived disadvantages of working in the region and
profiles of some of METRO’s members.
The site was initially funded in part by Federal Library
Services and Technology Act funds awarded to the New
York State Library by the Federal Institute of Museum
and Library Services. Since grant funding for the job
bank expired in September 2003, METRO now charges
employers to post job announcements. Fees are $99 per
45 day posting for METRO members, $149 for non-
members, and $1500 for unlimited annual postings for
METRO members.
Employers who have used the job bank say that it is easy
to use and that they get high quality candidates through
it. Well over 3000 unique visitors access the job bank
each month, and many library job sites, including schools
of library and information science, link to the METRO
Magnet site. METRO continues to promote the site to
job seekers throughout the United States and Canada to
ensure that jobs postings receive a wide audience.
Please send comments, questions and requests for more
information to Susan Salomone at ssalomone@metro.org.
Susan Salomone works as an independent management
consultant with libraries, library organizations and nonprofits.
She currently oversees the METRO Magnet Online Career Cen-
ter for METRO from her home in Kansas. Susan worked for
METRO for 2 1/2 years as the Professional Development
Manager and was a member of SLA-NY during that time.
Susan earned a Masters degree in Public Affairs from the
University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Science in
Foreign Service from Georgetown University. Susan can be
contacted at ssalomone@metro.org or at (913) 306-3341.
Dottie Hiebing is currently Executive Director of the Metropolitan
New York Library Council. Prior to this, she was Executive
Director of the Central Jersey Regional Library Cooperative in
Freehold, NJ. She has worked for the State Library in Iowa and
the Wisconsin State Librar, and she directed a public library
system and a school media center. She holds an M.A.L.S. from
Rosary College in River Forest, IL, an M.P.A. from the Universi-
ty of Denver, and a B.S. from the University of Wisconsin,
Madison.
10 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004
The Horticultural Society
of New York Library
is Blossoming
By Katherine Powis

he Horticultural Society of New York was founded

T in 1900 with the mission of improving the quality

of life in New York through horticulture. The Society
is conveniently located at street level in midtown Man-
hattan where members and the public enjoy gardening
workshops, lectures, tours, an art gallery and the Library.
By focusing on partnerships, offsite gardening programs
reach public school students, inmates on Rikers Island and
communities around public libraries where professionally
designed gardens are created.
The Society’s founders were nurserymen, botanists,
florists and estate owners with a constitutional mandate
“to collect and diffuse information on all topics related to
the culture and care of plants.” Early records indicate
lectures on greenhouse construction, strawberry and
ginseng culture, forestry methods, etc. Monthly and
seasonal exhibits of specimen plants and flower arrangements
with awards for ‘horticultural novelties’ were popular people who garden upstate, on Long Island, in New Jersey
activities, as were pilgrimages to nearby estate gardens and Connecticut; students of garden history, garden
and gardens around the world. design, landscape design and landscape architecture;
The Society is probably best known for The International artists, designers, editors, writers and tourists; the UPS
Flower Show that it co-produced with The New York man, the mailman, the transit worker and the lobby
Florists’ Club beginning in 1914. The show, an extrava- attendant. They all make themselves right at home here.
gant undertaking held at the Grand Central Palace and Two New York City design competitions prompted a
other locations, ran through 1970 with the exception of number of individuals submitting proposals to contact
certain war years. In 1985 the Society brought the show and visit us regarding suitable plant material for the
back as The New York Flower Show on the West side Highline (an outdated overhead rail line on the West
piers. It was discontinued after the 1996 show because side) and The World Trade Center Memorial Garden.
of its expense. Two newer members have been in regularly: one is restoring
The Society’s Library, begun in 1924, is an exceptional a garden at an historic house in upper Manhattan, the
resource for gardeners and for research on American other is taking garden design classes at City College.
garden history and design. In keeping with the Society’s Of course we get phone and e-mail requests from around
mission, the Library is open to the public. Full members the country and abroad. A researcher from the Netherlands,
can borrow from an extensive circulating collection on who asked for anything we might have on the cruise ship
specific plants and groups of plants, garden styles and Statendam, was delighted that we could provide a souvenir
techniques. listing the HSNY members who traveled to the interna-
tional flower show in 1935.
To say that the Library has 12,000 volumes and receives
(Continues on page 12)
some 3,000 requests annually does not begin to convey
that it is in many ways the heart of this organization. Our
Reading Room is the site of lively conversation, casual
browsing, informed reading and focused research. The
Library is used by a wide spectrum of the population of
this great city. Avocado pit growers and orchid fanatics;
front yard, courtyard, terrace and rooftop gardeners;

ChapterNews 11 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004

 (Continued from page 11)
Not long ago during an interview with a library school
student, I continued to field questions from walk-ins and
staff as I described what I was then working on: the
CBHL meeting that we co-hosted in June; signing on
three authors for the Library’s participation in the “New
York Is Book Country” fair on Fifth Avenue; a visit from
a class at another local library school; and a 20-foot
display at the public library five blocks away. She asked
when I get to do library work, and I had to laugh, for
that is precisely the point.
In a small organization like this, with a highly specialized
collection, it is up to me to promote the Library - and
not just externally. As the manager and solo librarian, it’s
just as important for me to work with staff involved with
our field programs at public schools, public library gardens
and the local prison; to make sure the Board of Directors
know about the Library’s activities; and to meet and follow
up with our instructors and students.
I work with a Library committee whose purpose is clear:
to raise the profile of the Library in the horticultural
community. And I work with seven talented volunteers
each of whom thinks this Library is well worth the time
and energy. Some have corporate backgrounds, one
works in the theatre, one is a retired librarian and another
a retired teacher. Other volunteers willingly help with a
growing list of events that the Library offers beyond the
Society’s regular education program.
We are rightfully proud of the things that have been
accomplished: a climate-controlled, secure area that
houses the research collection, an online catalog that
visitors and staff can use in-house; an annual Library
benefit that nets nearly $15,000; a guest author program
that provides a unique opportunity to learn from experts
The Horticultural Society of New York is located at 128 West
in a small setting; regular donations of books to the
58th Street. Its website is www.hsny.org.
Library from friends and publishers; small displays of
archival documents that highlight our history. Early this
year the Library was named one of the best special Katherine Powis, Librarian, The Horticultural Society of New
libraries in the city. SLA mentioned it as a place conference York has an undergraduate degree in English Literature and an
attendees might like to visit. In August, the Library was M.L.S. from Queens College, CUNY. In June, 2003 she co-
photographed for an upcoming spot in a Japanese magazine, hosted (with the New York Botanical Garden and the Brooklyn
Flowers Today. The reporter told me that she is always on Botanic Garden) the annual meeting of the Council on Botani-
the lookout for unusual, appealing places in the city. cal and Horticultural Libraries in New York city. She is a mem-
ber of Metro Hort Group (an association of horticulture profes-
Challenges remain. We have yet to find funding to put
sionals in the New York City area), the New York Metropolitan
our online catalog onto our web site, but the proposals Archivists Round Table and a past chair of SLA/NY’s Museum,
are out. We need to develop a database to make our Arts and Humanities
archival records more accessible. But just last week a
Library committee member offered her fine collection of
nineteenth century garden books, and another did so just
last year. Both are garden historians whose collections
will add substantially to our holdings. Clearly their con-
tributions are votes of confidence for the direction that
the Library is taking.

ChapterNews 12 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004

Digitizing an
Environmental Legacy
By Linda Galloway

he Roosevelt Wild Life Experiment Station at the

T State University of New York College of Forestry

(now known as the College of Environmental Sci-
ence and Forestry) in Syracuse houses one of the most
unique vertebrate specimen collections in the Northeast.
Outside of a small community of college professionals
this collection remains largely unknown and is digitally
inaccessible. A digitization project involving both digitizing
archival records and providing online access to facsimiles
of primary sources will provide access to information and
specimen resources previously available only to those
who traveled to the Roosevelt Wildlife Collection.
The Roosevelt Wild Life Forest Experiment Station was
developed as a memorial to Theodore Roosevelt by the
New York State legislature in May 1919. The 1919 New
York State Law establishing the station reads as follows:
“To establish and conduct an experimental station to be
known as “Roosevelt Wild Life Forest Experiment Station” The Roosevelt Wildlife Collection contains over 20,000
in which there shall be maintained records of the results specimens used for teaching and research purposes. The
of the experiments and investigations made and research vertebrate collection represents most species found in the
work accomplished; also a library of works, publications, Northeastern United States. There are more than 5,000
papers and data having to do with wild life together with bird specimens, and approximately 1,600 of these were
means for practical illustration and demonstration, which collected in the late 1800’s. The fluid preserved fish collection
library shall, at all reasonable hours, be open to the public.” includes samples from the early 1900’s through present.
These specimens, along with the collection data which
The Roosevelt Wildlife Museum evolved as a unique
includes collector, habitat, location, and date collected,
entity as the Experiment Station’s collection of vertebrate
provide an invaluable record of changes in the frequency
specimens grew. The mandate of “open to the public” as
and distribution of species.
it relates to the museum collection can today encompass
digital accessibility and remote archival search capabilities.
Digitizing the Roosevelt Wild Life Collection
The Roosevelt Wild Life Station memorial was adapted
There are two distinct segments of the Roosevelt Wildlife
from plans that Theodore Roosevelt personally approved
Collection (RWC) that should be digitized. Initially, the
in 1916. President Roosevelt was an accomplished naturalist
information about specimens contained on card catalog
and many of his greatest achievements were in conservation.
entries need to be placed on a searchable database. Care
He was very interested in forest wildlife and conservation
must be taken to include all the data about the entries
of natural resources. Prior to Roosevelt’s advocacy, con-
including date of collection, collector, location, donor
servation and preservation of natural resources was
and information about the specimen itself. Many of the
almost unknown to the general public.
objects in the collection have intrinsic value due to the
The Roosevelt Wild life Collection was formally introduced rare or unique nature of the object. Other specimens
as a select group of vertebrate specimens from the Roosevelt may be of historical interest due to the collector or donor.
Station vertebrate collection in 1965. Alan D. Marsters For example, the RWC contains the fish collection of
became the first curator of the collection with the goal W.A. Dence and the mammal collection of C.E. Johnson.
of reorganizing and maintaining the compilation. The The RWC is of extreme importance not only because of
Roosevelt Wild Life Collection moved to Illick Hall and the scientific value of the specimens, but also because of
Ronald J. Giegerich became the curator in 1977. Mr. the historical and cultural significance of the objects.
Giegerich is a graduate of the College of Environmental (Continues on page 14)
Science and Forestry (ESF) and trained in museum tech-
niques at the National Museum in Washington, D.C.

ChapterNews 13 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004

 (Continued from page 13)
Secondly, some decisions must be made regarding prioritizing
which collections within the museum will be digitized.
Ronald Giegerich, the curator of the RWC, has determined
that the first collection that should be photographed and
digitally archived is the bird collection. This collection
contains some especially rare and unique specimens.
Three extinct species are represented: the ivory-billed
woodpecker, heath hen and passenger pigeon. It would
also be a very visually interesting exhibit and could spark
public awareness of the Roosevelt Wildlife Collection.
Ideally, a searcher looking for a picture of an ivory-billed
woodpecker conducting a Google image search could be
directed to the Roosevelt Wildlife Collection site for a
photograph of an actual bird specimen and a link to
scientific information regarding the specimen.
The next important collection to be digitized should be
the osteological collection. Curator Giegerich has
personally prepared this collection of skeletal material,
containing about 150 complete skeletons and thousands
of skulls. These specimens are invaluable to researchers
making bone identifications and are also used in Vertebrate
Taxonomy and Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy classes.
Making these objects (and data about them) available
digitally would enable researchers all over the world to
benefit from the expertise of scientists at ESF.
A simple internet search for “osteological collection”
using Google uncovers very few sites with any images of
osteological specimens. Many sites associated with uni-
versities have detailed records of their collections but no
associated images. For an example of a site with detailed
reference records see
http://www.york.ac.uk/inst/eau/eaumam.htm. Again,
digitizing the collection at the SUNY College of Envi-
ronmental Science and Forestry would provide access to
preserved vertebrate specimens and osteological specimens
not readily available. Furthermore, providing searchers
with cross-collection indexes and easy to use interfaces
will significantly increase use of these collections.
Providing wider access to the materials contained in the
RWC will enable researchers worldwide to benefit from
the expertise of ESF scientists. While ESF has an outstanding
international reputation it is also committed to serving
the environmental research needs of New York State.
The RWC receives many requests from researchers
attempting to document the existence of a particular
species in a certain location at times in the past. A digital
archive of the specimens contained within the collection
will make tracking habitat changes and changes in species
distribution easier and more complete.
ChapterNews
Would Theodore Roosevelt
Support Digitization?
Theodore Roosevelt, our twenty-sixth President, was a
steward of the land and an ardent conservationist. The
Roosevelt Wild Life Program, continuing today at the
State University of New York College of Environmental
Science and Forestry in Syracuse, NY promotes public
and private ventures for the conservation of natural
resources. The notion of conservation as a public respon-
sibility was spearheaded by Roosevelt’s passion for and
love of the natural world.
A digitally available Roosevelt Wildlife Collection would
widen the audience for these objects and reveal their
importance. The bird collection, containing some 5,000
specimens, is both visually stimulating and beautiful. The
scientific importance of digitally preserving and archiving
rare and extinct specimens cannot be overemphasized.
Increasing access to these collections can help intensify
interest in species preservation by demonstrating what
has been lost forever. Furthermore, providing a digital
facsimile of old and fragile specimens will help to preserve
the originals.
Dr. C. C. Adams, first director of the Roosevelt Wild Life
Station, wrote in the 1921 inaugural issue of the Roo-
sevelt Wild Life Bulletin, “The Station is thus primarily
devoted to increasing our knowledge of forest wild life,
by both outdoor and laboratory study….” Making the
resources of the museum available to a wider audience
can support this mandate given to the Wild Life Station.
Theodore Roosevelt would almost certainly have
approved of a digitization project.
Information on the resources used to research this article can
be obtained by contacting the author.
Linda Galloway is a Research Support Associate at SUNY
College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse,
NY. She is also a Master of Library and Information Science
student at Syracuse University with an expected graduation
date of December 2004. Linda is a student member of SLA
and can be reached by email at galloway@syr.edu or by
telephone at 315-470-6766.
14 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004
We’re Moving the Library
When?? INFORMATION
By Robin Holab-Abelman
ORGANIZATION
t could be a long anticipated move or something that

I happens very quickly. Either way, you as an informa-

tion professional, face the reality of organizing the
move of your library. A move, no matter what the distance
NEEDS GOOD
DESIGN TOO.
involved, can be a disruptive event. I will provide some
tips and guidelines to help you not only navigate but also Gatta Design is proud to help SLA-NY design and
survive. produce ChapterNews. We’d be happy to help
Confirm any and all rumors within your organization. you, too. With projects ranging from small business,
Find out who is coordinating the move or acting as liaison non-profit and corporate promotional collateral
between your organization and the movers. If the library to full-scale identity and branding programs,
move is separate from the office move, see the questions packaging and illustration, creative design will get
below related specifically to library movers.
your message across. Call us for an SLA-NY discount.
Be sure you or a member of the library staff is included
To see more of our work and client list log on to
on e-mails, meetings and any communication.
www.gattago.com
Form a library move team and assign responsibilities.
By doing this you naturally keep your staff informed and
involved. Designate one person as ‘move planner’ to
communicate between the library and the mover. Someone 286 SPRING STREET, SUITE 301
else can be in charge of weeding. This is crucial and must NEW YORK, NY 10013-1427
be done BEFORE the move and before you lay out the TEL (212) 229-0071, FAX (212) 229-0074
e-mail: mail@gattago.com
collection. If you have someone who is good with spread- www.gattago.com
sheets, s/he can prepare the origin map, move
plan and destination map.
If you are thinly staffed you may have to assume several Perhaps you’ll have the chance to be part of the team
(if not all) of these responsibilities. Don’t despair. A creative selecting the mover. The most important question (from
option is to ask your organization for temporary help. your perspective) is what library experience does the
If you have a library school in the area, perhaps one of mover have? Have they moved other libraries? How did
the classes might adopt your move as a project. You get they move the collection - in boxes or on book carts?
the extra help you need and the class gets some real life What size were these collections? What types of materials
experience. have they handled? Can they integrate two parts of a col-
lection? Do they provide other services if needed (e.g.
The next important step is to divide the collection into
cleaning, adjusting shelving). Get a list of references and
smaller relocation units. For example, reference, current
call them. Many organizations will issue a Request for
journals, bound journals, and company reports all form
Proposal (RFP) and require a pre-bid tour. Be sure that
discreet units. Measure how much space each unit occupies
any RFP includes very specific parameters for your move.
(to the half inch). Put this data on your spreadsheet.
Are you moving from one floor to another, somewhere
Indicate those units that require growth space and enter
on the same floor or to another building? What kind of
this information on the spreadsheet. Once the collection
freight elevator and/or loading dock is available? Can the
has been measured and growth rates determined, then
move be done during regular business hours or does it
you can do the layout for the new library.
have to occur at night or on a weekend? Do you have
If parts of the collection are located in different places, equipment and file cabinets to move? These are just a few
the move may give you the chance to pull them together of the issues to think about for both the RFP and the move.
at the new destination. This information should also be (Continues on page 16)
noted on your move plan. Also, watch for material that is
oversized and requires more space than standard between
shelves. Be sure to take these requirements into consider-
ation when planning and especially during layout of the
collection.
ChapterNews 15 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004
 (Continued from page 15)
As your move date approaches, it’s time to set things in
motion. By now the collection has been weeded. It’s been
measured and divided into relocation units. All data has
been entered into a spreadsheet, and the move plan has
been created. Both origin and destination maps have
been made. Now you need to ‘tag’ your collection. You
can use any type of heavy paper or cardboard. You want
to mark each relocation unit with a card indicating the
beginning or START of that unit and the END of each
unit. Put this insert into the first book of the appropriate
relocation unit and put that book on its spine. Do the
same for the last book in that relocation unit. By placing
the start and end books on their spines with the insert
sticking out, the units are clearly flagged for the movers.
A number, a name or both can identify these units. It will
correspond to your move plan. Shelving at destination
should also be labeled with the same information.
On move day(s), plan to have staff at both origin and
destination. No matter how well you plan, questions
inevitably arise and having a staff person available helps
ensure a smooth move. If possible, cell phones with
walkie-talkie capability are extremely helpful, especially
if land lines are not up and running. Make sure everyone
has copies of the move plan and all maps.
Before you know it, your collection will be packed,
moved and unpacked. Because of all your planning and
organization, the material will be back on new shelves,
in order, with sufficient space for growth where needed.
Again the key to success is to not let the move overwhelm
you. Keep track of everything. Weed the collection
thoroughly. Have a plan and stick to it. Try to be a bit
flexible because inevitably something will go awry
and you may have to adjust as you go (e.g. reset shelves,
refigure growth space).
Finally, be prepared. Wear comfortable shoes (absolutely
crucial). Have a few supplies available (hammer, screw
drivers, tape, paper towels, cleaner, WD-40, pliers, etc.).
Also plan to reward your staff for a job well done, and
then get started on those orientation programs to show
off your new space.
[This article is based on my presentation at the SLA Annual
Conference, June 10, 2003.]
Robin Holab-Abelman is the Vice-President of Clancy-Cullen’s
library relocation division, where she has worked for
3 years. She has over 20 years of experience working in a
variety of corporate and special libraries including Fluor Daniel,
Camp Dresser & McKee and the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Robin has an MLS from Simmons College in Boston. Her e-mail
address is abelman@clancy-cullen.com.
ChapterNews
SLA-NY Career Day
May 22, 2004
By Co-chairs Robin S. Sanders
and Margaret T. Hennessey
he New York City and the library/information job
T markets have made a stunning comeback! That was
the very welcome news that greeted over 150 par-
ticipants at the annual SLA-NY Career Day event.
The 13th annual event was held again at The Lighthouse
International, 11 East 59th Street. The participants were
predominantly current (or potential) library school students,
but many were career changers and working professionals
seeking information about career prospects and available
opportunities.
The event started in The Lighthouse’s exhibition hall.
After being treated to a continental breakfast, attendees
were able to meet and discuss the library job market
with many of the library and information recruiters in
the New York tri-state region. The recruiters included
Donna Conti/Career Resources, Sarah Warner/ Wontawk,
Diane Goldstein/InfoCurrent, Debbie Bard/William
Harris Associates, Gloria Dinerman/Library Co-op,
and Angela Dzikowski/ProLibra. Many of the tri-state
region’s library schools -- Queens College, Pratt Institute,
Rutgers and CW Post’s Palmer School -- had tables
where students could meet with faculty, discuss admission
requirements, and review the curriculum. Vendors,
including LexisNexis and Thomson Dialog, displayed
their latest products and answered questions from the
crowd. The SLA, LLAGNY and NYLA booths were
crowded with people requesting information about
membership.
Over thirty library professionals from diverse backgrounds
manned the very popular “Career Café.” Attendees were
able to meet with them one on one to discuss what their
jobs are like, how they got their jobs, and any other per-
tinent subjects.
At 1:00p.m., the panel discussions began in the auditorium.
The first panel, “Job Seeking 101,” focused on some
essential steps in the job-seeking process, including
determining what skills are in demand, building a resume,
searching for jobs on the internet, interview etiquette,
and salary negotiations. Diane Goldstein from InfoCurrent
kicked off this panel with the very encouraging news
that New York is back and the job market for library
professionals has picked up considerably. She is seeing
increased demand for professionals with skills in
(Continues on page 17)
16 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004
 (Continued from page 16)
the following areas: taxonomy and content management,
knowledge management and competitive intelligence,
executive search, records management, archives, vendor
sales, and corporate/financial experience. Sarah Warner
of Wontawk continued with her suggestions for building
a professional resume. She stressed the necessity of
always including your name, address, telephone number
and personal email address and that your resumes should
be free of typos. Above all else, she noted it is essential
to be honest in your resume, as background checks are
being done more often.
Magdalene Chan from the Job Information Center of
the New York Public Library spoke next. Her presentation
reviewed how to use the Internet to search for library
jobs. She highlighted a website she developed for the
New York Public Library (www.nypl.org/branch and
then click on “Job Information”) that leads to links for
over fifteen Library job sites, as well as other general job
sites, such as www.monster.com, www.hotjobs.com and
www.careerbuilder.com.
Diane Goldstein and Sarah Warner spoke next about
interview etiquette. They reviewed the basic advice of
interview grooming (i.e., look professional and wear your
best suit or dress), and etiquette (turn off your cell phone
and don’t bring coffee to the interview). They urged
interviewees to arrive early, know the names of everyone
they are to meet, and be prepared with questions.
An essential last step in the job seeking process is salary
negotiations. Gloria Dinerman from Library Co-op
addressed this difficult subject. She advised the audience
to find out what the company salary range is and to do Many of the responses to the exit poll show that Career
some financial calculations beforehand. To answer the Day exceeded or met expectations. The Career Café and
question “What salary do you expect?” always give a panel discussions were cited as being the best and/or
figure in the middle of the salary range. She also handed most informative part of the day, followed by being able
out a sample dialog to consult before conducting a salary to meet with recruiters and library schools. An over-
negotiation. whelming majority considered Career Day to be a very
helpful event.
After a short break, the second panel, “A Day in the Life
of an Information Professional,” started. Librarians and Many thanks to all of the dedicated volunteers who gave
information professionals from diverse backgrounds spoke their time and expertise on such a lovely May day.
about their jobs and described a typical day. Speakers included
Nancy Gallenson, from LexisNexis, Rita Ormsby from
Baruch College, Lucy Curci Gonzalez from Morgan
Finnegan, Andrew Berner from the University Club,
and Vandana Ranjan, an independent information broker.
The audience listened raptly as each described their very
different positions and responsibilities.

ChapterNews 17 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004

Website Resources:
Measuring Ethnic Populations
By Louise Klusek
Ameristat
www.prb.org/
“Race/Ethnicity” is one of the topics featured in this collection of
demographic reports based on analysis of data collected by the
U.S. Census Bureau. Reports often have links to sources and
downloadable data. AmeriStat is a program of the Population
Reference Bureau and the Social Science Data Analysis Network.
CAB Multicultural Marketing Resource Center
www.cabletvadbureau.com/MMRC/index.html
The Cable TV Ad Bureau sponsors this site, which reports on the
Asian-American, African-American, and Hispanic markets. “Facts
and Figures” profiles each of these segments, offering data on age
and gender distribution, household income, language usage, and
selected product purchase data. Reports about values and attitudes
are collected at “Psychographics and Cultural Insights.”
Census Bureau Minority Links
www.census.gov/pubinfo/www/hotlinks.html
The U.S. Census Bureau designed this Web site to enable quick
access to the latest data on ethnic population groups in the United
States. Four groups are covered: Hispanic/Latino, Black/African-
American, Asian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and American
Indian/Alaska Native. The site includes links to Census data,
demographic profiles and Census Bureau reports on social and
economic characteristics of these populations.
CensusScope
www.censusscope.org/
CensusScope, a product of the Social Science Data Analysis Network
at the University of Michigan, offers tools for analyzing Census
2000 data. “Charts & Trends” (use the tabs at the top of the page)
covers educational attainment and language, ethnicity, employ-
ment, migration and immigration, and housing characteristics for
states, counties, and metropolitan areas. Race and segregation
“Maps” and “Rankings” of the multiracial population for states and
counties are another feature of this site.
Ersys.com
www.ersys.com/index.htm
ERsys, a relocation consulting firm, combines market research and
GIS technology to provide comprehensive profiles of 2,600 U.S.
cities and metropolitan areas. The city profiles include maps of the
ethnic makeup of the cities with accompanying text and tables.
Additional maps profile education, income, age, and other demo-
graphic breakdowns of the population.
ChapterNews
Historical Census Statistics on the
Foreign-Born Population of the United States:
1850-1990
www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0029/t
wps0029.html
This working paper from the Census Bureau Population Division
provides unofficial research on the foreign-born population of the
United States. It updates some of the data published in Historical
Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970.
Inter-University Program for
Latino Research -IUPLR
www.nd.edu/~iuplr/cic/index.html
A consortium of eighteen university research centers and an official
Census Information Center, the IUPLR offers data sets (in Excel)
profiling the Latino population of states, counties and cities. It also
offers country of origin statistics and data on the Latino school age
population and the elderly. Data sets are extracted from official
U.S. Census Summary tape files and supplemented with data
from other government agencies.
Latest Population Change and Migration
Data Charts for U.S. Demographic Areas
www.frey-demographer.org/usdata.html
Using Census data from the past five censuses (from 1960 to
2000), this database is a tool for examining population trends for
regions, states, and metropolitan areas in the United States.
Current race-ethnic profiles are also available for these geographic
areas. This database comes from William H. Frey, the noted
demographer and director of the Social Science Data Analysis
Network (SSDAN).
Lewis Mumford Center for Comparative
Urban and Regional Research
http://mumford.albany.edu/census/index.asp
The Lewis Mumford Center focuses its research efforts on metro-
politan racial and ethnic change, segregation, and diversity using
data from the 1980, 1990, and 2000 Censuses. In addition to topical
research reports, they offer the researcher “Data” in three formats:
metro and city information, downloadable data series, and sortable
lists. Use the lists to rank metropolitan areas of the U.S. by the
percentage of the population that is of a particular ethnic background.
Mapping Census 2000: The Geography
of U.S. Diversity
www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/atlas.html
This Census Bureau Web site consists of national maps of year
2000, county-level data portraying the white, black, Asian, American
Indian, Native Hawaiian, Hispanic, and mixed race populations.
Individual maps, which can be modified by users, show total
population, population percentage change since 1990, each
group’s percentage of the population, and the percentage of the
population under age 18 for each race. Datasets used to create the
report are available in a separate file.
18 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004
Minority Business Development Center.
Demographic Trends
www.mbda.gov/index.php?section_id=1&bucket_id=16&for-
mat_id=19
MBDA, a unit of the U.S. Department of Commerce, publishes
reports on minority markets with the goal of fostering the growth
of minority business. Dynamic Diversity: Projected Changes in
U.S. Race and Ethnic Composition 1995 to 2050 projects changes
in the U.S. ethnic minority population at the national and state
levels. Other recent titles include Minority Purchasing Power:
2000 to 2045 and Minority Population Growth: 1995 to 2050.
Race Contours 2000 Project
www.usc.edu/schools/sppd/research/census2000/race_cen-
sus/index.htm
The Race Contours project at the University of Southern California
studies race and ethnicity in Los Angeles County, California, and
the United States using multiracial data from the 2000 Census.
Summary tables are available in its report on Multiracial Patterns
in the 50 States.
Tables for Race and Ethnic Distributions
in the United States
www.eeoc.gov/stats/census/94-171.html
Latino Database Project
http://web.gc.cuny.edu/lastudies/
Launched in January 2004 at the City University of New York’s
Center for Latin American, Latino and Caribbean Studies, the
Latino Database Project will work jointly with CUNY’s Center
for Urban Research to track the Latino population of the New
York metropolitan region and the United States. Its first report
The Latino Population and the Transformation of New York is
drawn from microdata samples from the U.S. Census
New York State Data Center
www.nylovesbiz.com/nysdc/census2000/DemoProfiles1.asp
The New York State Data Center offers “Demographic Profiles”
with year 2000 Census data on the number and percentage of
racial groups in the population. The reports (in PDF format) cover
counties, metropolitan areas, congressional districts, cities, villages
and places.
Louise Klusek is Business Librarian and Assistant Professor at
the William & Anita Newman Library, Baruch College of the City
University of New York. Prior to joining Baruch, she worked in
the Corporate Library of Salomon Smith Barney, now part of
Citigroup.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

presents race and ethnicity data from the 2000 Census in reports
that have detailed demographics at various geographic levels,
including states, counties, metropolitan areas, and places with
populations greater than 50,000. Data for both single race groups
and the four largest multiple race groups are tabulated. Files are
available in HTML and PDF format.

Ethnic Populations in New York:

Census2000 New York City
www.sscnet.ucla.edu/soc/faculty/ayala/centro/Census2000/NY
C/index.htm

Maps and Census data on the Latino population in the five

boroughs of New York City are offered as part of a larger study on
Latinos in the Northeast by Professor Cesar Ayala of the Centro
de Estudios Puertorriquenos.

ChapterNews 19 Vol. 76, #2 Summer 2004