Letters

I would like to take issue with the choice for Librarian of the Year 2002 ("Susan Kent, Los Angeles Public Library," LJ 1/02, p. 42–44). While Susan Kent's qualifications are impeccable and it is impressive to be at the helm of such a system as the Los Angeles Public Library, I was disappointed to see yet another library director as this year's winner. I believe that too often LJ gives too much regard and credit to administrators and not enough to practitioners.

I would like to see a winner who is not at the top of his or her respective pay scale and who confronts difficult professional issues as a practicing professional working a desk, building a collection, or maintaining a catalog. I believe that the soul of this profession comes from its foot soldiers, not its commanders, and I would like to see LJ make more of an effort to present this perspective.

—James Miller, Reference Libn. & Coordinator of Instruction, Babson Lib., Springfield Coll., MA

The Library Best Sellers list is a great idea (Francine Fialkoff, "Where Are the Library Best 'Sellers'?" LJ 4/15/02, p. 68)! We are a mid-sized library system with nine libraries.

I developed the following information earlier this year: between July 2000 and June 2001, our system added 3,434 mystery books to the collection; these books generated 41,557 circulations. New mysteries have an average turnover rate of eight. While "big" authors account for big circulation numbers, the turnover rate for authors who are not on best sellers lists is interesting.

The mystery book with the highest turnover rate was by Anne George. Other high-turnover books include titles by Sue Sussman, Sue Henry, Mary Logue, Charlaine Harris, Susan Wittig Albert, Stephen Greenleaf, Annette Meyers, Rett MacPherson, Jill Churchill, Katherine Hall Page, Lee Meadows, and Leslie Meier.

The turnover rate for these authors is comparable to books released by authors like J.A. Jance, Kathy Reichs, Laura Lippman, Dave Barry, Lilian Jackson Braun, Robert B. Parker, and Anne Perry.

—Ann Chambers Theis, Collection Management Administrator, Chesterfield Cty. P.L., VA

Francine Fialkoff's "Where Are the Library Best 'Sellers'? " (LJ 4/15/02, p. 68) really piqued my interest. I took copies to the meeting of our Reader's Advisory Team. We'd participate in the creation of these lists. I think what patrons read is often driven by what's available in the library that day.

—Terry Beck, Adult/Teen Svcs. Mgr., Sno-Isle Regional Lib. Syst., Marysville, WA

After reading Blaise Cronin's "Milquetoast and Cookies " (LJ 5/15/02, p. 66), I kicked off my shoes and said, "Right on, brother." Yes, hugging, walking dogs, and kissing babies are not a librarian's job. We, as professionals, should say, "No! We are here to serve the public, to get accurate information into the hands of the patron."

Most librarians have MLS degrees. We should act like lawyers and doctors and ask for a good salary (not the low wages we currently receive from our municipalities) and respect from our patrons. We should not, as human beings, be asked to hug fascists and other crazy people.

—Ed Smith, Dir., Manville P.L., NJ

I thoroughly enjoy LJ, especially the netConnect supplement. Steven Bell's article "Discovering CyberLectures " (LJ netConnect, Spring 2002, p. 16–18) listed many excellent webcast resources. Another good one is EASI: Equal Access to Software and Information (www.rit.edu/~easi). It hosts and archives weekly webcasts on various topics dealing with increasing accessibility within the library and educational curriculum. It also has a wonderful e-list and a free, full-text online journal.

—Tanya Feddern, Reference & Education Svcs. Libn., Louis Calder Memorial Lib., Univ. of Miami Sch. of Medicine, FL

The headline "Ex-Librarians Start Consulting Firm " (InfoTech, LJ 4/1/02, p. 28) announcing the formation of a consulting service between two former library directors implies that if you no longer work in a library, you are no longer a librarian. I take exception to that. As one who was featured in Margaret Thomas's "Crossing Over to the Corporate Sector " (LJ 9/1/01, p. 48–50), I must also be an "ex-librarian," even though I have worked in the library industry for 24 years. I suggest that your editors read the articles in your own publication to learn that the library profession is quite varied.

—Don Kaiser, Libn., Highlands Ranch, CO

In our news item entitled "MS PL opens Homeland Security info centers" (Late Bulletins , LJ 6/1/02, p. 15), we inadvertently listed the incorrect URL for the links to the Internet and other electronic resources on terrorism and security set up by the Jackson-George Regional Library System in Pascagoula, MS. The correct URL is www.jgrl.lib.ms.us/homeland.html.