Folks,
Thank you to those who made suggestions about weeding IP in non-legal
academic libraries. I only received two answers, but several requests to
post summaries from both legal and non-legal academic librarians on
law-lib. I guess that everyone is struggling with this question. Here
are the two answers, and I'll tell you what I decided to do.
>>It all depends ... If the books deal with patent interference practice
in the US PTO or chemical patent practice they may be worth keeping.
*****
>>After years as a law librarian [not an informational specialist] I
would urge you to put these books in storage for you never know that
some patron may find them invaluable. At one point in my career, I
thought all digests would be of no use but now I find that their entry
in cases had an entire different approach since so many legal concepts
have faded over the horizon. Fair use, public peformance have under gone
change just in the last two decades and these books may give a lead into
why.
*****
After reading these two responses, I decided to weed books that
contained only guidelines and "rules." We are keeping works that discuss
cases or changes in the law, or if it includs policy arguments,
philosophical reasoning, or legislative history.
Thanks to Lucy Curci-Gonzalez and Erwin Surrency for their suggestions.
--Bryan
-- Bryan M. Carson, J.D., M.I.L.S. Associate Professor/Coordinator of Reference & Instructional Services Western Kentucky University Libraries Author, "The Law of Libraries and Archives" (Scarecrow Press)1906 College Heights Blvd. #11067 Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101-1067 Phone: 270-745-5007; Fax: 270-745-2275 bryan.carson@wku.edu
All original content copyright 2007 Bryan M. Carson
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