I agree completely with these sentiments. I challenge anyone to name a
profession that is so dedicated to shooting itself in the foot as
librarianship! (By this I mean Libraryland in general, not just our
little province.)
Tom Stough, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal, LA
tstough@class.org
On Thu, 6 Jul 1995, Foley FOLEY Lardner wrote:
>
> I am in complete disbelief that the AALL newsletter would
> actually print a lead article that gives such a pro slant to outsourcing
> the library. (I don't care if there is a disclaimer in the masthead,
> this article does not belong on the cover of a newsletter that is suppose
> to benefit the society's members). I know outsourcing is a topic that
> has once again reared its ugly head in the library community and cannot
> be ignored, but it is inexcusable to have our newsletter print a
> prominent article on the benefits of outsourcing without presenting any
> other side of the issue. The person who wrote the article is no longer a
> librarian and the person quoted makes a living on outsourced libraries.
> The presence of this article as a lead article is a slap in the face to
> all private law firm librarians (they were the target of the article) if
> not to all law librarians who belong to AALL.
>
> Susanne Zumbro posted a message of disbelief that this article
> was published. Mark Estes' response to her message was even more of an
> insult than the article. Mr. Estes is a past president of AALL and as
> such, his comments are more likely to be quoted than mine. The fact that
> the AALL newsletter has a disclaimer and that the ABA Journal is not an
> official statement of the American Bar Journal does not mean that any
> article is acceptable. The ABA Journal would not publish articles that
> were detrimental to the legal profession without seriously considering
> all reprocussions. The editor of the AALL newsletter has a
> responsibility to the society members to carefully consider the
> consequences of the articles published therein.
>
> The May issue of the AALL newsletter was published with an all
> black cover, symbolizing the society's mourning of our colleagues who
> were fired from Baker & McKenzie in Chicago. Is the mourning period over
> that quickly and have we forgotten them so soon?
>
> In the April 21st issue of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin there
> was an article about law librarians planning to push their image after
> the Baker & McKenzie firings. It stated: "The American Association of
> Law Libraries, reacting to Baker & McKenzie's dismissal of all 10 library
> workers at the firm, has formed a nationwide task force to demonstrate
> that members of the profession are essential if law firms are to cope
> with the information explosion." By publishing that article on
> outsourcing, no matter what Mr. Estes says about the disclaimer, others
> will quote the article and duly note the source. A great disservice has
> been done to the law library community by our own society and I believe
> AALL owes its members a big apology.
>
> These comments are entirely and humbly mine and not that of the
> organization that employs me.
>
> Charlie Knuth
> Librarian
> Foley & Lardner
> Washington, D.C.
> foley@access.digex.net
> (202) 672-5315 (voice)
> (202) 672-5399 (fax)
>
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