Library Journal Interviews Betsy McKenzie on the Proposed AALL Library Consumer Advocacy Caucus

"Though research libraries have long complained that too few publishers dominate the field and push prices higher and higher, the case is arguably even starker for law libraries and legal publishers. Recently, a group of concerned law librarians and publishers have proposed the formation of a new American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) sub-group to grapple with the issues, calling themselves the Library Consumer Advocacy Caucus (LCAC), writes Josh Hadro on Library Journal. "To get a sense of their concerns and proposed fixes, LJAN recently posed a few questions to Elizabeth M. McKenzie, Director, Moakley Law Library and Professor of Law, Suffolk University Law School, Boston, MA, who spoke about the Caucus's plan as one of its organizers."

Questions asked in the LJ interview:

What prompted you to push for the formation of the Library Consumer Advocacy Caucus?

Can you give a few specific examples of unfair or anti-competitive practices?

How have the voluntary guidelines failed since official FTC oversight lapsed in 2000? Is the LCAC looking to restore that FTC oversight?

How do you think research and law libraries overcome the position they're in with regard to the community they serve—i.e., the fact that they're obligated to acquire materials their researchers need, an arrangement publishers seem to be keenly aware of?

For Betsy's responses see the complete interview at Q&A: Elizabeth McKenzie on Law Library Consumer Advocacy and Legal Publishing. [JH]