"Risk, Resistance and Resilience"

[Pat Wallace <DENWALL@AOL.COM>]

Message  forwarded by Patricia Wallace
Chair, Hawaii Working Group
American Library Association
Social Responsibilities Round Table
Alternatives in Print Task Force
denwall@aol.com

Here are two extraordinary  reports on Bart Kane's speech in
D>C> which I just received.

HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN
Saturday, Feb. 15th, 1997, pA3

Kane Calls Book Selecting System
Model for Future

He described the Hawaii controversy at a national library
conference

by Pete Pichaske, Phillips News Service

Washington--The head of Hawaii's library system today
defended his much-criticized system of using a mainland
distributor to select books for Hawaii's public libraries as:
"the model for the 21st century."

        In a speech on "making the most of outsourcing,"
delivered at the American Library Association's mid-
winter conference here, Bart Kane conceded that his
system has been dogged by problems.

        But he blamed much of the controversy on natural
resistance to change and on the performance of the
distributor, Baker & Taylor Inc. of North Carolina.

        Kane also promised to push ahead with his plan.
"While there's enormous pressure on me to give up
the battle that I've begun, there's also enormous verbal
support, quiet however, to be resilient, to stay the
course," said Kane.

        "There will be resistance, but outsourcing is the
only way to go at this stage."

        Kane's steadfastness in Washington comes on the
heels of yesterday's approval by the Senate Educaion
Committee back home of a bill calling for termination
of the Baker & Taylor contract, an end to library out-
sourcing and a return to librarians selecting
materials for their facilities.

        Kane's decision to take book selection out of the
hands of local librarians <snip>has put Hawaii in the
eye of a national storm over the idea of hiring private
firms for traditional library functions.  Outsourcing is
a hottopic in library circles, with an upcoming issue of
the Library Journal devoting its lead story to the subject,
including Hawaii's experience.

        "Hawaii's state library system has definitely become
a very visible example of how this is working in the
marketplace," said Debra Park, an automation specialist
for Ameritech, a library services vendor, who led the
seminar on outsourcing where Kane spoke.  "There are
pockets of libraries exploring this, but Hawaii has been
the leader."
                                         <snip>
        Kane insisted the debate would have remained
mostly academic if Baker & Taylor, which has a 51/2
year, $11.2 million contract with the state, had done
its job properly.  "In retrospect I would say that if the
performance problems with Baker & Taylor had not
existed, the arguments probably would have stayed
on the philosophical argument about whether
librarians are the only people who could do this
(select books)."
***********************
Another report appeared the day after this article:

HONOLU ADVERTISER
Sunday, February 16, 1997, pA1

"Librarian Says State Will Stick
to Buying Plan"

Chuck Raasch, Gannett News Service

[In this article, the title of Kane's speech was given as
"Risk, Resistance and Resilience." More emphasis was
placed on Kane's wrath toward his employees.]

Washington - State librarian Bart Kane said yesterday that  the policy
allowing a Mainland contractor to select Hawaii's books has been
undermined by library employees' resistance to change.
                                                     <snip>
"I knew going into our outsourcing I was changing the way that
employees in Hawaii do their work," Kane said.  People "will find ways
to resist it," Kane went on.  "And resistance isn't just sabotage."
It includes, he told other library officials, "all the legislative hearings
you have heard about from Hawaii, where the employees stand up
and describe in utter detail how  today is crap and tomorrow is going
to be even worse,  but yesterday was perfect."
                                                       <snip>
        He added: "I think for the taxpayer who writes a letter to the editor,
he is reading these articles...(and saying), 'What the hell is wrong with
 these people, and what is wrong with our state librarian who is allowing
this to happen? Why are we getting shoddy children's books when we
used to have good quality books?' So I think that every poor judgment
by Baker & Taylor is exaggerated."
                                                        <snip>
        The statements drew sharp reaction in Honolulu from state Sen. Rod
Tam, co-chairman of the Senate Education Committee, who said Kane
 risks serious consequences by insisting on the policy, including the
possibility of being fired.

        Tam, whose committee Friday voted for a bill calling for termination of
the state's $11.2 million book-buying contract with Baker and Taylor Inc.
of North Carolina, said he would also consider asking the Board of
Education to review Kane's management capabilities.

        "In the private sector one would be investigated and, if they were
judged whereby they made erroneous decisions and were quite frankly
arrogant about it, as may be the case with Bart Kane, then they would
be fired," Tam said.
                                                                <snip>
        Yesterday, Tam said the company [Baker & Taylor] did not do its
homework and is itself reponsible for the public's reaction.

        "Baker & Taylor really didn't go out  there and talk story," Tam said.
"If you want to find out what your consumers want, you have to go out
there and talk to them.  If we can't use those books, then basically the
taxpayers didn't get their money's worth."

        Executives from Baker & Taylor and officials from other libraries
around the country were among two dozen  who heard Kane's speech.
*******************************************************************
End of post