The greeting card industry seems to have sustained itself despite the onslaught of digital alternatives, at least if my mailbox is anything to go by. Most schools and major units at my own university send cards out bearing seasonal salutations and best wishes for the new year etc. The card is more than symbolic, it actually is a revealing information object worthy of some analysis. Image choice is an obvious entry point. I prefer arty minimalism but I’m clearly in the minority. Gaudy colors and tired images of snow, bells, trees and landscapes abound. Tradition clearly lives and dominates the greeting card industry. Then there’s the group pics of the staff and faculty, the less said of which the better. IF you want to see what life is like in another unit, the group shot probably reveals more than the collective h-index.
Depressingly, many of these missives are unsigned. To me, this says a lot more than it should about the motives and genuine wishes of the senders, and you don’t need NSA clearance to read that signal. I mean, what is the point of sending an unsigned card to a supposed colleague? The lack of handwriting tells me the card was an afterthought, a rushed obligation handled by a staff member with a master list. You might think information professionals would be a little more aware of the signals they were sending but apparently not. And don’t get me started on the cost of all this symbolic signalling of goodwill. Am sure someone in a business suit has made the case for sending cards and produced a system for ensuring all contacts are included. So much for business analysis – the unsigned card is the biggest party-damper going. Bah humbug?