On a fairly regular basis I receive unsolicited gift books for my library. I am always a bit suspicious of the agenda of people who give away books, and I have one on my desk now so I'd like to take an informal census of what would you do in your library, with this one.
Its title is "A Public Betrayed; an inside look at Japanese Media atrocities and their warnings to the West" by Adam Gamble and Takesato Watanabe, published by Regnery Press, 2004. It has a slick advertising blurb that came with the book, quoting endorsements by several library publications. The first of those, from Library Journal gives the date of "October 9, 2004". LJ was published only on the 1st and 15th, so that looked a little odd.
Likewise, the Wilson Quarterly date was slightly off, but I did locate that review; also the one from April 2005 Choice. Last lines from Choice: "Essential. All collections; all levels".
On the Web when I look up Regnery Press, I find it is a "leading conservative publisher". Whether or not one of the living Regnerys is still associated with the press, he is described as a "white supremacist". With book in hand and having viewed the reviews, it seems to be as represented, an expose of the Japanese press.
As ethics are a topic of interest to this institution, but not a field in which one can get a degree, I am inclined to add it. TAMUG is a special purpose institution granting degrees only in marine sciences and maritime studies.
What would you do in your library?
Natalie Wiest, Library Director
Jack K. Williams Library
Texas A&M University at Galveston
P.O. Box 1675 200 Seawolf Parkway
Galveston TX 77553-1675
Phone: 1(409)740-4567 Fax: 1(409)740-4702
Email: wiestn@tamug.edu
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