Challenges of preserving and accessing soul history

[Windlesoul]

As it says on the can, a commentary on the challenges of preserving and accessing soul music history in the written word. One for all frustrated writers, researchers and bookworms!

Link here: https://windlefreelance.com/2023/11/10/holding-on-to-the-past-the-challenge-of-preserving-and-accessing-soul-music-history-in-the-written-word/

 

 

Edited November 19, 2023 by Windlesoul

[Seano]

Interesting observation about our preference for the physical over digital. That's definitely true for me, enjoying leafing through a physical book or flicking through a selection of records. Even my move into the digital world of music kind of stalled with CDs. I loved tape swapping, CDs made track selection so much simpler, but I just didn't get into the streaming world at all.

With books, I've never taken to digital versions. A while ago several of us on here went to a lot of trouble to scan entire issues of the soul fanzine, Shades of Soul. I still think that was worthwhile, a small contribution towards your topic of preserving and accessing soul music history in the written word. Nevertheless, I've not actually found myself going to the scanned version and reading through or jumping to read certain articles.

I treat books in a similar way to records, it's fairly rare that I'd sell, pass on or give one away, unless I bought it blind and just didn't like it.

I suspect it's fair to say that the more committed purists would see the music and the information as the vital elements and wouldn't even perceive the artificial barrier between the physical and the digital that limits someone like me.

I think it might be like a higher plane, where the physical object may still be valued and enjoyed, but, to paraphrase the old Gordy streamline, "It's what's on the page that counts."

[Windlesoul]

51 minutes ago, Seano said:

Interesting observation about our preference for the physical over digital. That's definitely true for me, enjoying leafing through a physical book or flicking through a selection of records. Even my move into the digital world of music kind of stalled with CDs. I loved tape swapping, CDs made track selection so much simpler, but I just didn't get into the streaming world at all.

With books, I've never taken to digital versions. A while ago several of us on here went to a lot of trouble to scan entire issues of the soul fanzine, Shades of Soul. I still think that was worthwhile, a small contribution towards your topic of preserving and accessing soul music history in the written word. Nevertheless, I've not actually found myself going to the scanned version and reading through or jumping to read certain articles.

I treat books in a similar way to records, it's fairly rare that I'd sell, pass on or give one away, unless I bought it blind and just didn't like it.

I suspect it's fair to say that the more committed purists would see the music and the information as the vital elements and wouldn't even perceive the artificial barrier between the physical and the digital that limits someone like me.

I think it might be like a higher plane, where the physical object may still be valued and enjoyed, but, to paraphrase the old Gordy streamline, "It's what's on the page that counts."

I discussed the wider issue of "digital versus physical" book popularity in another article that might be of interest, which I guess echoes the preference for something tangible  https://windlefreelance.com/2023/08/08/physical-to-digital-to-dust-the-future-of-books-in-our-hands/