A couple of problems with the "learn to live with it" approach:
1. The table full of twinkies and ho ho's won't be there when the
students graduate. Not for free anyway. If we take our educational
role seriously (whether the libraries should be the ones saddled with
this role is another question), I believe we have a responsibility to
make students aware of the real-world cost of what they're doing. To
say they will find out for themselves when they get to the firms is a
bit too cynical for my taste.
2. To say we are shills for the key number digest system, so why not
be shills for Westlaw too, fails to recognize the qualitative (and
quantitative) difference between the two. West and Mead do not
provide their books to students or libraries as "loss leaders" against
future sales the way that they market Westlaw and Lexis. They do not
hire full-time professionals and part-time students to promote the
use of their books once they have been sold. Once the books have
been sold, they really don't care whether anyone uses them or not.
They do not give out t-shirts, koozies, pens and calendars with the
Illinois Digest logo on them. They don't throw fancy parties at the
AALL convention to promote the use of the Decennials. You can use
the Federal Practice Digests from now until doomsday, or not use them
at all, and still pay the same price for them.
West's and Mead's profits from Westlaw and Lexis, on the other
hand, depend on use; the more use the better. You do not have to be
stupid or ignorant to need an occasional reminder that a seemingly
objective teacher is trying to sell you something. I take it for
granted that every user of LAW-LIB is intelligent and educated. I
also take it for granted that every user does not always behave as
an informed, intelligent consumer. I know I don't.
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Jason Levine Internet: 8jlevine@jmls.edu
Reference Librarian Phone: (312) 427-2737 x485
John Marshall Law School Fax: (312) 427-8307
Chicago, IL 60604
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