disappointed September 21, 2001
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Uncategorized , add a commentWhy does the online version of the suggestion book suck so much more than the printed version?
The printed version was more entertaining before. What happened, Dukies too serious now?
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: Oh, well, Answer Person can’t please everyone. Perhaps if Answer Person were only as perceptive, articulate and clever as you AP would be able to maintain a more entertaining text.
As to some differences you refer to, remember that the online version tends to get comments and questions from all over the world, while the lobby book is limited to people who actually come into the library. As to Duke students being more serious, Answer Person has a hard time seeing a more serious trend in the comments and questions in the lobby book. Maybe all the funny questions have already been asked (don’t think so!).
books September 18, 2001
Posted by Library Answer Person in : Uncategorized , add a commentinstead of Communist Party congress descriptions, Works of Stalin etc, buy books that students really need.
ANSWER PERSON RESPONDS: And Answer Person thought Senator Joe was long gone, and that the Cold War was over. Obviously we have some perspective problems here. Like what is the purpose of a major research library at a major research university? To hide information relative to the study of history, politics, economics and sociology? Perhaps the writer thinks we achieve strength through ignorance? Just what are the books “that students really need,” in his/her opinion? Answer Person did a quick review of our holdings, and out of about 5,000,000 volumes, we have a little over 200 books by Stalin, and around 1600 on the “communist party”–far fewer if you limit to “Communist Party congress descriptions.” I guess that means we’ll have to struggle to cover the books “that students really need” with around 4,998,000 titles.
