Comments on: Somebody has to keep the Awful Library Books http://chrisbourg.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/somebody-has-to-keep-the-awful-library-books/ My thoughts on academic libraries, social media, and more. Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:06:06 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Chris http://chrisbourg.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/somebody-has-to-keep-the-awful-library-books/#comment-502 Chris Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:46:42 +0000 http://chrisbourg.wordpress.com/?p=1228#comment-502 Thanks for this excellent comment! You make my point much more eloquently than I did ;-) Thanks for this excellent comment!
You make my point much more eloquently than I did ;-)

]]> By: nightbusiness http://chrisbourg.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/somebody-has-to-keep-the-awful-library-books/#comment-501 nightbusiness Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:44:41 +0000 http://chrisbourg.wordpress.com/?p=1228#comment-501 I totally agree about the blog being tongue-in-cheek, but I also think that a lot of those books have Historical value. What troubles me about the site, really, is that lately I've seen all over the web sites that promote the idea basically that "it's cool to hate on X" (with X being a bunch of stuff). And I think that while it can be a tame way for kids to get out their angst by talking about these sites, referencing them, and even just reading them, these sites seem to spread more intolerance rather than the tolerance that most young kids seem to advocate so strongly. It's a strange paradox, I think. It seems more productive for libraries to display these so-called "awful" books in a section that might be called something like "obscure social history" or something to that effect. Instead of turning it into a joke (even though some of it is pretty ridiculous), turn it into a way to get people sincerely interested in the changes of ideas throughout our culture. Even an "Can you believe this was written?" shelf would be cool. I mean, I know that I'd check it out every time I visit the library. (sorry for the rambley comment - just really liked this post : D) I totally agree about the blog being tongue-in-cheek, but I also think that a lot of those books have Historical value. What troubles me about the site, really, is that lately I’ve seen all over the web sites that promote the idea basically that “it’s cool to hate on X” (with X being a bunch of stuff). And I think that while it can be a tame way for kids to get out their angst by talking about these sites, referencing them, and even just reading them, these sites seem to spread more intolerance rather than the tolerance that most young kids seem to advocate so strongly. It’s a strange paradox, I think.

It seems more productive for libraries to display these so-called “awful” books in a section that might be called something like “obscure social history” or something to that effect. Instead of turning it into a joke (even though some of it is pretty ridiculous), turn it into a way to get people sincerely interested in the changes of ideas throughout our culture. Even an “Can you believe this was written?” shelf would be cool. I mean, I know that I’d check it out every time I visit the library.

(sorry for the rambley comment – just really liked this post : D)

]]> By: Chris http://chrisbourg.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/somebody-has-to-keep-the-awful-library-books/#comment-496 Chris Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:13:38 +0000 http://chrisbourg.wordpress.com/?p=1228#comment-496 Olivia- thanks for the comment. i agree that the primary responsibility for keeping a retrospective collection lies with research libraries; although I would hope that public libraries provide more than just the latest publications. It seems a slippery slope to me -- at what point do we decide that "obsolete" tomes like The Feminine Mystique are too out-dated to take up valuable shelf space? And, at a time when all libraries (public and research) are having to desperately defend their budgets and their spaces, I just hate to see us attack our own. I wish they would just rename it Funny Library Books ... Olivia-
thanks for the comment. i agree that the primary responsibility for keeping a retrospective collection lies with research libraries; although I would hope that public libraries provide more than just the latest publications. It seems a slippery slope to me — at what point do we decide that “obsolete” tomes like The Feminine Mystique are too out-dated to take up valuable shelf space?
And, at a time when all libraries (public and research) are having to desperately defend their budgets and their spaces, I just hate to see us attack our own.
I wish they would just rename it Funny Library Books …

]]> By: Chris http://chrisbourg.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/somebody-has-to-keep-the-awful-library-books/#comment-495 Chris Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:08:24 +0000 http://chrisbourg.wordpress.com/?p=1228#comment-495 Rebecca- Excellent point about making sure we have an updated version in the collection! Rebecca-
Excellent point about making sure we have an updated version in the collection!

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