Feedback

Thank you for Laura Lampasone's timely “A Time To Weed: Decluttering Print Collections” (Reference BackTalk, LJ 5/1/08, p. 100). Our reference section is a mess. Now I know what I can safely pitch, but what should I absolutely, positively keep? I hate to base the decision to toss or keep purely on how often something is used, since at our little library reference items are generally used only when someone needs very specific information. However, there must be a list somewhere of what comprises a really good small reference section. We have online databases, but most of our population suffers from technophobia, despite our offers of help.

—Jane Besel, Carnegie P.L., Trinidad, CO

I found “More Than 'Information,'” (John Berry, Blatant Berry, LJ 4/15/08, p. 10) thought-provoking. I have always found that all manner of libraries hold wondrous materials in ever-expanding formats, but some people label them as “either” educational or entertaining. I have never understood why these terms are considered by some to be mutually exclusive. Educational materials can be entertaining, and certainly most entertaining materials can also be educational in some manner. Information can be either or both and certainly should not be boxed into any one particular definition. I like the fact that you were expanding upon “information” and all its colorful facets.

—Lizbeth A. Jones, Science Cataloger, McDermott Lib., U.S. Air Force Acad., CO

I'm just now responding to “The Vanishing Librarians” (John Berry, Blatant Berry, LJ 2/15/08, p. 10) because we share LJ, and I am low on the routing list. I am a librarian in a small town of fewer than 1000. I do not have a degree, although I have several credit hours in library science. That was my first choice, but please don't sell me short. I am a very good librarian.

I agree with Berry. Why are we dumbing down everything connected to libraries?

One nearby community hired a technology person for its school library when the media specialist retired, although an excellent technology person was already on staff. It had another media specialist on staff but wanted a tech person and ended up RIFing [reduction in force] the second media specialist.... There finally was no one who knew anything about operating a library. So the library was placed in one of the elementary schools, and it was hardly ever open (among many other problems). The technology person lasted a year. If the town had hired a media specialist to begin with, it would have had someone on staff with an understanding of libraries.

I am always looking for ways to improve our town's little library, and we are progressive. We have the Internet and are on OCLC and have a mobile computer lab, but I still want to make sure we keep our “humanity” and our “patrons.” They will never be “customers.”

—Jeanette Groppe, Scribner P.L., NE

Every library director and trustee needs to check out John Berry's “The Vanishing Librarians” (Blatant Berry, LJ 2/15/08, p. 10). As someone who is a cultural programmer for the community and a librarian as well, I have to say that one of the biggest problems with today's libraries is their tendency to be reticent to promote themselves loudly as viable, cutting-edge institutions in the community.

Instead of big tech services departments, maybe funds should be put into an active publicity/marketing department. It is sad that public libraries now must compete for attention in the general marketplace, and money needs to be spent immediately, not in ten years, to reach out to the community to generate notice and create a positive and “contemporary” image. Yes, that means often doing what the big bookstores do. After all, we are seen by more “customers” than a big bookstore, with our free books and DVDs.

Embrace the trends, and just get those darn people into your library. Create a dynamic web site; don't mail your newsletters, email them. Let's do what Netflix does—mail books to homes. We're a service-oriented industry, which means the customer is (almost) always right, and we need to keep them happy. Once we become a wonderful habit to a customer, we can then draw them in and share all of our special resources such as databases, knowledgeable staff, etc.... We'll blow them away when they realize how much great stuff they've been missing.

—Michelle Young, Program Dir./Libn., Rockville Centre, NY

I regret that my book Saints in Love found Graham Christian apparently in an awful mood (LJ 1/08, p. 74). The following week, Saints in Love was nominated for two Catholic Press Association Awards, in the categories of Spirituality and Popular Presentation of the Catholic Faith. Now LJ has the singular negative review out there, one that I feel is also factually incorrect in its comments and focus. I hope Christian feels better—I will have another book out shortly!

—Carole Hallundbaek, author, Camden, ME