ACTING
ON A NEW STAGE:
performing arts information management in New South Wales
2 INTRODUCTION
2.1 The Dennis Wolanski
Library of the Performing Arts
In December 1996, the
Sydney Opera House Trust closed the Dennis Wolanski Library of the Performing
Arts after 24 years of operation. Its collections were dispersed to
institutions in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland. The
closure of the library prompted questions about the management of performing
arts information services, particularly in New South Wales.
2.2 Proposed
consortium or foundation
At the beginning of 1998,
a new performing arts organisation was proposed as a
mechanism for stimulating and assisting the development of performing arts
information services in the future. To help assess the need for and
feasibility of a consortium or foundation, survey forms were distributed to
the University of New South Wales Library, the University of Western Sydney
Nepean Library, National Institute of Dramatic Art, Sydney Conservatorium
Library, Artslink, the Seaborn, Broughton & Walford Foundation, Southern
Highlands Institute for Performing Arts and Mark Carpenter. Consultations were
also held with the State Library of New South Wales, Powerhouse Museum,
Australia Council Library, Australian Film Television and Radio School Library
and the University of New South Wales School of Theatre, Film and Dance. This
draft report is the result of those enquiries
2.3 Approach and
assumptions
A lengthy introductory
section on information management concepts and trends has been included
because of
- common interests - all of the stakeholders participating in the
survey have a common interest in the management of performing arts
information;
- different exposures - the stakeholders have different levels of
exposure to professional literature, forums and practices;
- different perspectives - the stakeholders have different
perspectives on the best way to deliver performing arts information
services.
Although feedback was
obtained mainly from libraries, the report proposes a wider context for
developing information services. It emphasises the management of theatre
information resources rather than music, film, radio and television
information resources. The special needs of performing arts museums have also
not been addressed.
