[Air-L] book announcement

[Tjarda Sixma]

One other issue is that access to (digital) databases is limited to  
people directly associated with Universities.

As soon as I graduated from Utrecht University I lost access to both  
the University library and their online databases. My aim to combine  
my practise as a visual artist with a more theoretical approach to new  
media was thus hard to realise. After a few lectures on several art  
schools, and one published article, I simply had to give up.

Whereas Art Studies in the USA are part of University studies, in the  
Netherlands they are taught at separated (lower level) Art Academies.  
Thus there is little dialogue between both fields.

It would be great if - for a small fee maybe - graduated University  
students would still have access to the digital databases. This would  
be one little step to break open the academic enclave.

I agree with Alan Sondheim that it is utterly frustrating to have to  
watch the dialog occur elsewhere, and not be able to do one's bit.

Best,
Tjarda


>
>
> Hi -
>
> Want to add my two bits here - that for people like myself, who are  
> not university affiliated, prices like these just keep the books out  
> of our ken altogether. The same goes for conference fees (unless  
> they're waived, which is a rarity), etc. The two tiered system is in  
> place, here and now, and a lot of us are tired of back-peddling to  
> get the latest findings in research, JSTOR, etc. This creates an  
> academic enclave that parallels those described by Davis re:  
> homeowners associations, etc. You pay your dues, literally, or  
> remain ignorant and end up always - always - watching the dialog  
> occur elsewhere.
>
> Personally, I'm disgusted by these prices; I wish there were waivers  
> for those of us in the pale, below the poverty line, whatever. A  
> 'Handbook' is supposed to be useful, almost in the sense of  
> fieldwork - but whose field-
> work?
>
> - Alan