HIT: Library VS. B&N retorts Part 1

[Carolyn Gierke <cgierke@SHS.K12.NY.US>]

This has been fun. Here are the responses to the Library vs. Barnes &
Noble comments:
------
Cappucino
-------
I would probably tell them that if they were willing
to PAY for the books, I would stock them!  Books cost money and most of
the
time the ones complaining are the ones that don't make donations to
improve
things.
-------
Ask for their budget for purchases!
----
Perhaps something along the line of:

'I'll start serving coffee and snacks as soon as you can get B&N to let you
borrow their books...'? might be an appropriate response...
OR
'We'll buy more books from B&N as soon as you can get them to use the Dewey
system so I can find them more easily...' might also come in handy...  8-)
-----
 Responses to:

    "The library should be more like Barnes and Noble."

*    "Yeah, and the cafeteria should be open for folks to help themselves,
whenever and whatever they wish."
*    "Yeah, and the doctor's office should be more like a meat market."
*    "Yeah, and the police department should be more like a bunch of good
ol' boys."
*    "Yeah, and the Internet is free."
*    "Yeah, and why can't I walk into the bank vault any time I want?
What's up with that?"
*    "Yeah, and the Interstate should lead to everyone's door."
*    "Yeah, and fools should know better than to speak.  (But then they
might not be fools.)"
*    "Yeah, and the world really is the Garden of Eden.  Pardon me while I
belatedly remove my clothes."

But seriously, I would recommend:

*    "What an amusing thought."

*****
        Imagine if the train engineer were expected to not only engineer
the
train's progress down the track, to include scrounging for fuel, but
actually left to secure permissions; construct bridges; smooth out
areas--both physical and political--and in many cases to also actually
build
the track onto which the train might run.  Imagine that engineer being
ordered around by practically everyone, on or off the train, as to the
train's size, shape, scope, speed, scenery, cargo and destinations.
Imagine
the engineer being expected to chug toward each destination with ever
faster
speed, while concurrently pursuing all those other diverse
destinations and expectations.
        Think the passengers and the gawkers would succeed in achieving
each
of their dictates?  Think their train would experience much actual forward
locomotion?  (And while it did, quite miraculously, achieve many or most of
these goals--through the fantastic interventions of that
engineer/magician--might these know to appreciate the benefits they had
received?)
        Think the engineer would be at FAULT for such circumstances?
        Now, imagine library professionals.
        How does it serve the interests of the untrained to dismiss these
as
mere whistleblowers... ?

        When ground beef is achieved by simply processing an entire cow
through a meat grinder, those who imagine or define libraries, simply, as
rooms filled with books, may have a point.

        School and public libraries are as interchangeable as motor oil and
salad oil.
        Bon appetit!
        (Likewise libraries and bookstores.)
-------
One of the complaints that I hear about B&N is that salespeople don't know
anything about books.  Is that what they want?
------
I already love your reply!!  Also you could say - have you ever tried
finding a book or certain title in Borders or Barnes and Noble?  The staff
can not even find them half of the time, I know because I use them.  Book
stores are made for fun and browsing, libraries are made for accessibility
and knowing exactly where a certain title should be.  When I go to book
stores I am annoyed that it is difficult to locate a title, because there
are so many sections and various displays.  To library users - "Count your
blessings."
----

Mrs. Carolyn Gierke,  Librarian
Sweet Home High School
1901 Sweet Home Road
Amherst, NY  14228
Phone: 1-716-250-1227
FAX:    1-716-250-1360
email:  cgierke@shs.k12.ny.us

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law.
To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST), send email to:
listserv@listserv.syr.edu   In the message write EITHER:
1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
4) SET LM_NET MAIL  * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv.
For LM_NET Help see: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
Archives: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.html
 See also EL-Announce for announcements from library media vendors:
    http://www.mindspring.com/~el-announce/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=