Maybe this is terrible... I don't know... but sometimes one just has
to choose where to draw the line. I consider myself a very
service-oriented person, and will go to great lengths to help someone
in need if it is within my power. But should my employer be paying for
me to spend time answering questions for the general public? I can
justify answering requests from other librarians under the principle
of reciprocity, and I am happy to do so whenever possible. I realize
that many on this list reply on their own time, and I admire them for
that, but I find I have neither the time or the resources to help people
from my home computer, and my hours before and after work here are
somewhat limited, so I do what I can, as I'm sure we all do.
My intent was not to offend the non-librarians on this list, and I'd
like to point out that I said I "tend" to ignore..., not that I make
it a hard and fast rule.
And, I do feel that this list was intended primarily for use by law
librarians.
Laura
Forwarded message:
_________________________________________________________________
Date: Tue Aug 8, 1995 08:45 am EDT
Source-Date: Tue, 08 Aug 1995 08:30:23 -0400
From: ajochnowitz
EMS: INTERNET / MCI ID: 376-5414
MBX: ajochnowitz@reedref.com
TO: * Laura Raymond / MCI ID: 731-1370
TO: law lib
EMS: INTERNET / MCI ID: 376-5414
MBX: law-lib@ucdavis.edu
Subject: Re: Virtual Reference -Reply
Message-Id: 25950808124552/0003765414DC1EM
Source-Msg-Id: <s0272008.070@reedref.com>
Laura Raymond writes:
"Personally, I tend to ignore requests from unnamed or
non-librarian requestors, so perhaps that is the solution. If we
answer them, they will come. If we ignore them, maybe they'll go
away. . . .
* * * * * * *
I think this is terrible! I'm a non-librarian who works for a publishing
company. Not answering us (non-librarians) is childish. It's not a
solution it's misleading! The types of questions as well as the "rules"
should be defined and updated as needed.
If non-librarians are not acknowledged, why are we allowed to join in the
first place? Ridiculous AND disappointing.
Anne
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