« Friday Fun: Jenny Westlaw Cruises AALL Denver | Main | Maryland Environmental Case at Heart of Clinical Funding Legislation Goes Forward »
July 23, 2010
Answering Sarah's Question--What is my goal with all these Blog posts?
In a comment to my blog post yesterday Sarah Glassmeyer wrote "Speaking of wondering, I have been wondering what your end goal is in writing your series of posts about AALL." She went on to say "But all of this information has been public for years. Why the surprise at it?"
It is true that much of what I am writing about is public information (e.g. where SIS dues go, the invitees to the Leadership Academy and Management Institute). But just because something is public information it does not necessarily follow that it is widely known. Many librarians expressed surprise at the fact that SIS fees go 50% to the SIS and 50% to AALL. So, what I am doing is publicizing this information to spread awareness among the librarian community. I want to start a dialog among librarians about the way their professional organization is operating. I personally think some changes are needed in order for us to thrive in the coming years. But that's my opinion and I am only one librarian. To accomplish change you need many librarians. And, of course, that means many different opinions as to what type of change and indeed if there should be any change in the first place.
Sarah also asked me if I wanted to have a private law librarian organization separate and apart from AALL. I understand why she would ask that since I am a private law librarian and most of what I have written about is from that viewpoint. But my answer to Sarah is an emphatic "no!" I think we need more collaboration between academic and firm librarians, not less. I think there are so many different opportunities for us to work together and make our profession stronger and better regarded. We have started a group in New York that aims to do just that and I hope to write more about that soon.
So my goal is very simple: start a dialog, contribute my ideas, and hope that some good comes from it.
Caren Biberman
July 23, 2010 in Academic Law Libraries, Firm & Corporate Law Libraries, Library Associations | Permalink
Comments
"Again, please do continue blogging. But also please understand how you are being perceived by others and realize that you may be hurting the cause of change. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar and all that..." -- quote from Sarah Glassmeyer to Caren Biberman
Sarah should not assume that Caren wants to catch flies. Maybe the area needs a little cleaning with vinegar. Nor should Sarah assume how Caren is being perceived. Perceived by who, you?
People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
btw County Law librarians Rock !
Posted by: Anon | Jul 23, 2010 3:54:58 PM
Elaine,
It is my understanding that an article about the PLL Summit will be appearing in the September issue of the Spectrum. I will check to see if anything else is planned, if not will definitely consider, doing a blog post about the Summit.
Posted by: Caren Biberman | Jul 23, 2010 9:52:08 AM
Carol - Thanks for your explanation re why you blog. I like your reasons and goals.
BTW: Can you please blog about the Friday/Saturday session (July 9/10) - the PLL Summit at AALL. I totally missed it; AALL did not record it; and no one seems to be talking about the main discussion points -or, maybe I'm just missing out again. If the summit is being discussed, or if white papers have been written, please guide me to the correct place.
Thanks in advance, Elaine.
Posted by: Elaine Dockens | Jul 23, 2010 9:43:07 AM
Caren and Sarah:
Thanks to Sarah for helping Caren clarify her motives/desires. I am troubled though as again today Caren says "I think we need more collaboration between academic and firm librarians". So basically, those of us not academics or firm law librarians are to be left out of the loop, as far as Caren is concerned. This comment is even more interesting when one notes that her forum is on a website edited by a county law librarian! Too bad, I think the rest of us also contribute to the organization and should continue to do so.
Posted by: Anon | Jul 23, 2010 9:32:22 AM
Thank you, and thank you for the very nice email that you sent me yesterday.
I had never heard of you prior to your time blogging for the LLB. In that time, all you've done is complain about AALL and its activities. As Mike Chiorazzi said, "I understand the nature of blogs are to raise issues for discussion, but we seem to always assume - if not the worst - less than the best of intentions of people and especially institutions." The tone of your posts lead me to believe that you were building up to a big reveal of malfeasance by AALL HQ and/or the creation of a new organization or something else along those lines.
Again, please do continue blogging. But also please understand how you are being perceived by others and realize that you may be hurting the cause of change. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar and all that...
Posted by: Sarah Glassmeyer | Jul 23, 2010 8:14:13 AM
