Let's everybody take a deep breath here.
Keep in mind that Scott Burgh is employed by a governmental
entity...which would undoubtedly frown upon his spending any funds on
prizes for trivia games. If Scott starts awarding "better" prizes
someone would question why taxpayer money is being spent in such a
manner and rightfully so. This basic fact should not have escaped anyone
intelligent enough to be using the law library and answering the trivia
questions. Did they think they would be winning an ipod? baseball
tickets?
As for sharing the note, what confidentiality was breached? Not the
patron's ID, nor any reference question posed by a patron. Perhaps Scott
should have responded to the email with the suggestion that the patron
might wish to donate better prizes for next year's library week.
The listserv is the place to talk about our experiences as law
librarians, not just borrow books/articles. This was part of Scott's
experience. I found it interesting, probably because it is so different
from my own.
And who recalls all the mitching and boaning that went on on this
listserv over some of the vendor gifts law librarians have rec'd???
e.g.,, that Lexis watering can? or other gifts that were unidentifiable?
We were merciless.
And, yes, my law firm library did give away an ipod, and Yankees'
tickets during library week. Also a ton of chocolate in small pieces. ;)
Rita Bronnenkant
Reference Librarian
McCarter & English
Four Gateway Center
100 Mulberry Street
Newark, NJ 07102
973/622-4444 x3002
fax: 973/624-7070
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu] On
Behalf Of Sharon Wayland
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2005 4:38 PM
To: Scott Burgh; law lib
Subject: RE: National Library Week Patron
I hope you told him what he could do with his prizes.
________________________________
From: owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu
[mailto:owner-law-lib@ucdavis.edu] On Behalf Of Scott Burgh
Sent: Monday, May 16, 2005 10:50 AM
To: law lib
Subject: National Library Week Patron
Hi-
During National Library Week, we had legal research trivia
questions with vendor prizes and other goodies I could scrounge.
Although I reminded the participants it was for fun and learning, I
received a subsequent email about a prize. A colleague has urged me to
post it which follows:
Thank you for giving us another opportunity to participate in
National Library Week. However, if you would like the participants to
take your contest seriously, then i t would help if the prizes awarded
to the winners related to legal research and writing.
Admittedly, I unceremoniously rejected the mini-desk set when I
won on Thursday. I thought we had a choice of prizes, and I later
regretted my very public rejection. Although I knew the answer to
Friday's question within minutes, I purposely waited 2 hours to answer
to give others the opportunity to win a briefcase, which I already won
last year.
I took your contest seriously. I went to the library to look at
the volumes in question, looked up the Texas case in the South Western
Reporter, read it, and looked up the Illinois case I cited to in
Shepards to confirm that it was still good law. I even responded to your
extra credit questions.
The learning process was fun. I know it's not all about the
prizes but would you consider giving me a mini-desk set, too? I
graciously accepted the plastic Chicago Park District gum ball machine
even though I do not eat candy nor do I promote the eating of candy.
Scott, as you know from reading the e-mail I sent an attorney in
my office reminding him that you are still the source for legal research
and media questions, I have the utmost respect for what you do for the
Law Department. It just seems more appropriate to award the gag prizes
to the losers or those who do not take Library Week seriously. I
participate to win because, not only do you teach us new things, but I
look forward to receiving products your vendors, e.g. Westlaw and Lexis,
donate as Library Week prizes. If you no longer have a box of mini-desk
sets, I will gladly accept a paper weight, book mark, mouse pad or any
other prize item donated by your legal contractors.
You are a member of the highly valued library science
profession, and the annual National Library Week event reminds us all of
the benefits to using you as a resource to help us accomplish our
projects successfully.
Enjoy and have a great week.
Scott Burgh
Chief Law Librarian
City of Chicago Department of Law Library
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