vertical file response

["Amy C. Arnold" <acarnold@mailhub.icx.net>]

I'm sending this again, because I don't think it posted the first time.
Thanks for all of the responses I received regarding my vertical file
question.  Basically, I mentioned that our school had split our library
into a middle and high school library.  The high school librarian wanted
to know about the validity of starting a vertical file, and if she did,
did she need to only include local information.  Most of the responses
leaned toward including only local information, but at the request of a
couple of people, I wanted to post most the responses I received.  I
will leave off the names of the responses.
_______________________________________________
I stopped having a Vertical File about ten years ago and I have not
missed it.  The one thing the Internet does a good job of replacing is
the vertical file.
_______________________________________________

Vertical files have been displaced by magazine and newspaper indexes, in

my opinion.  The only things I keep in a vertical file are local stories

which the indexing services don't pick up.
_______________________________________________
Hi.  I would not create a vertical file at all.  Too many other
resources available over the net.  The only exception to this would be
if I were in a very small town, I would keep one on 'local interest.'
_______________________________________________
all i have in my vertical file is local interest items.
_______________________________________________
I asked a similar question a year or so ago.  Most of the responses were

to do away with the vertical file, with the exception of local history,
etc.
_______________________________________________
Hi: I think I'd tend to keep more the local stuff, and anything with
good pictures. Like you say, with the Web it isn't really necessary or
efficient to try to keep up a "traditional" vertical file.
_______________________________________________
I got rid of our vertical file 5 years ago when I began work here.  The
only articles I collect are things I find about Florida authors.  No one

misses the vertical file and I am happy to have the file cabinet for
other "stuff."
_______________________________________________
My vertical file has not been updated in the last five years, EXCEPT for

the local items of interest and school publications.  Our students very
rarely use it.  They much prefer the computers for research.
_______________________________________________
 Our vertical file doesn't get as much use as before internet but
certain  files are invaluable.  These are the ones worth keeping up in
my school:
    -Maps (road maps, National Geographic inserts, etc)
    -Local news (Indian Land Claim, Onondaga Lake pollution, etc)
    -Author files (Book reviews, biographical info, interviews, etc)
    -DMV info (copies of the driving manual, zero tolerance law, DWI
penalties, etc)
    -Controversial issues (any statistics for those pro/con papers on
gun  control, television violence, drug laws, abortion, etc)
    -Odd ball items (King's, "I have a dream" speech, reproductions of
The Bill of Rights and Constitution,  travel brochures, "how to make
maple syrup" pamphlets, etc.
All these things come up from time to time and I'm ready!
_______________________________________________
Since the advent of Internet and other on-line resources, I've quit
keeping a vertical file.
_______________________________________________
I'm in my first year in this school and haven't gotten around to the
vertical file yet, but in my previous school, I eventually had it
narrowed down to JUST local interest stuff.  I imagine that's where I'll

end up here too.
_______________________________________________

If I were doing a brand new Vertical File, I think I'd stick to local
topics  not covered by electronic resources and other hard-to-find
topics. I see that trend in established libraries, too.
_______________________________________________
I no longer think vertical files are necessary.  There are too many
other resources today.
_______________________________________________
I am in a high school and due to the easy access of material no longer
keep a vertical file EXCEPT for materials of local/historical
significance.
_______________________________________________
We still maintain our vert. file, but we keep things that students would

not find other places--material about our local history, tourism,
government, etc.  As we have a strong literary research program, we save

articles we run across on various authors our students research,
especially those from our state.  We don't go out of our way to round up

this material.  Mostly, we bring in what we read in our newspapers,
magazines, etc.  We have volunteers who go through magazines we are
tossing out for good material, but we only check magazines like
Smithsonian or art-related magazines which would be more likely to have
articles we might be interested in.  We also have listed our files in
our on-line catalog so that students will find them when they do a
search.
_______________________________________________
I still keep a vertical file.   One of the  time consuming tasks of our
recent move has been weeding and organization of this.    The main
things included are pamphlets and newspaper clippings.   Most of our
materials are free items (ex. pamphlets  on drugs, alcohol, cancer,
nutrition)  or those difficult to shelve.  Jackdaws are among the few
purchased items included.  This is also where I file maps which come
with National Geographic magazine.
_______________________________________________
In our high school we decided to keep the vertical file because when you

have 50 to 75 students in the library they all can't be on the web.  The

best use of vertical file is probably for local information not easily
accesible elsewhere.
_______________________________________________
Although they take time to maintain, I believe the vertical file is
invaluable to a highschool library. Local area articles are very
important. Current events are also a major part of our collection. Of
course we clip all articles that contain suport for curriculum. Mainly
we use the current Sears Subject heading guide.
_______________________________________________


--
Amy C. Arnold, Librarian
Christian Academy of Knoxville
Knoxville, TN
acarnold@icx.net

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