> 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.
[remainder of message deleted]
I think you failed to read my message. As I said at least twice, I
also consider it a part of our mission to provide our students with
the information necessary to make an informed choice, and to provide
them with the opportunity to learn about the commercial cost of law
firm CALR use. I'm just not surprised when they don't take advantage
of those opportunities, and I don't feel that *we* have shirked our
responsibilities.
The sad fact is that the legal profession, which we profess to serve,
doesn't really care a rap about any of this, though they may pay it
lip service now and then. As librarians we are talking to ourselves,
and there is no way we can "make" lawyers better and more educated
consumers of legal research products until *they* decide it is in
their best interests. When they do so, and they will, then we will
be ready and waiting to help, but for the interim I refuse to accept
the guilt trip.
As for the note about cynicism, Ambrose Bierce once defined a cynic as
one whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to
be. I'll take that as a compliment.
--Chuck Ten Brink
D'Angelo Law Library "The dogmas of the quiet past are
cjt1@midway.uchicago.edu inadequate to the stormy present. . .
uclcjt1@uchimvs1 We must disenthrall ourselves. . ."
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