RMIT’s Library:
The RMIT library is somewhat of a hybrid archive structure. It provides a broad spectrum of research material across BOTH physical (traditional) and digital collections. The physical library has remained relatively unchanged, and we can still conduct our research just as students of previous generations would have. However we can also take advantage of today’s online/digital archives to collect information. I’ll admit that most of my research now takes place online, however I do want to try making better use of the ‘offline’ collections that are available. Simultaneous use of both platforms will likely be beneficial.
I quite like the hybrid nature of today’s (university) libraries. I feel as if the combination of physical and digital helps to fill in some of the gaps that J.D Peters mentions in his discussion of the archive “medium”.
For a lot my classes, I like to start my research with a more casual approach. I’ll often try to find some visual material (video essays, short films, documentaries) to help kickstart things and develop my interest in the area. For Old’s Cool I feel as if this approach will remain effective. After this I’ll generally collect a broad range of material through the Library Search page, and then afterwards I’ll identify the most significant readings from this broader collection.
For this studio I think the use of online content and ‘new media’ productions is certainly justified. As we’re looking into the past, present and future of media production, focus on the online world should probably remain a key focus.