On Thu, 27 May 1993, Robert C. Berring wrote:
> This is a complicated issue, so complicated that I hesitate to enter
> the discussion, but the question is so compelling that I cannot resist.
>
> The vendors are profit-seeking, no doubt about it, but they can be our
> allies if we are careful. They pour more resources into research
> training than legal education ever did, or will. In the past few years
> as a part of the incredible competition between L and W they have been
> doing anything they can to co-operate. We should be taking ideas to
> them, not just reacting to their programs. They sometimes go behind our
> backs because we aren't using them. Librarianship is in acute crisis,
> we need allies.
>
> As for the argument that our students are learning sloppy research habits
> that drive law firms crazy, that is premised on two ideas. One is charging
> by search or time unit in the firms, and the other is the firms view of
> their library of books as overhead and their data base use as a dispersible
> cost. Both of those will change. For many, not all, but many, of our
> students research in the future will be electronic. It's fate. We
> cannot go back. The vendors will change their billing practice (they are
> already doing it} and we will all throw out some books. Electric research
> will be cheaper. (Think calculators, vcrs, pcs etc.) We have to try to
> direct the change, not struggle against it. End of sermon.
I like your argument or sermon, but for some reason, I don't see this total
electronic means of doing research as soon as some may think. Some how, I
think that fate will not be for a while, so, yes we need to encourage good
usage of our electronic resources, but at the same time we need to also
show the need for frugle behavior while doing this, and the usage of other
options. Today and now, even the libraries which have such automations
have heavy bills, even for the paper used in the printers, as was
previously mentioned.
> Bob Berring
> Berkeley
Nicola J. Cecchino
University of Pittsburgh
School of Library and Information Science &
Falk Library of the Health (yes, I know, this is a LAW Listserv!! ;:-)) )
Sciences.
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