Response 1- to the following posting:
From: Bob Glass <bglass_at_piedmont.edu
Hello, friends,
I received the message quoted below last night. When I read it
quickly, it seemed as though it could be from one of my own users.
However, after reading it again, I checked our student database and my
ILS registered user file and learned that we don't have a current
student or community user named [requestor's name deleted. ja].
While the book referred to may be worthwhile, I so resent the sender's
manipulative method, that I would never consider purchasing the work for
my collection, no matter how worthy.
This is the first solicitation of this sort I've received, and I
wondered if others were aware of this technique. It would be rather
easy to be taken in by it.
Regards,
--
Bob Glass
College Librarian
Arrendale Library
Piedmont College
Demorest, Georgia
706-776-0111
Message:
________ @aol.com wrote:
Hello Mr. Glass,
I would like to suggest the library purchase a book by Kathie Snow
called Disability is Natural. It was published in 2001 by
BraveHeart Press, and the price is $26.95. The ISBN is
0-9707636-5-4. I am the parent of a child with a developmental disability
and I have learned much from this author's workshop and her
www.disabilityisnatural.com web site. The Georgia governor's
office and 24 other state governors have sponsored several of her
presentations on the topic of people with disabilities.
I am preparing semester materials and use the library's facilities for
research on a regular basis. This author's material is easy to
understand, authoritative and current, and much of the information
has previously not been available. This book will be very useful for
courses and research which address disability issues, sociology,
healthcare or education.
Thank you very much,
===
#1
From: Adrian Alexander <alexandera_at_lindahall.org>
Seems like an awful lot of info about the book for a student to have at hand
(the ISBN, even!). VERY clever marketing strategy on someone's part.
Adrian Alexander
Greater Western Library Alliance
===
#2
From: "Ausel, Jill" <JAusel_at_Chatham.edu>
I received a similar such request although the book was on how women can
protect themselves from violence and the requestor claimed to be a victim of
rape herself.
After initially being horified and sympathetic, I became suspicious that so
much information on the book was given. Indeed we didn't have a student or
faculty member by the name of the requestor.
Interesting marketing tool.
===
#3
From: Beth DeGeer <bdeg_at_bartlesville.lib.ok.us>
I get these a lot as well. I always write back asking for the person's
library card number, and let them know this is necessary because frequently
these requests are made by unethical publishers and authors posing as
patrons in an effort to get libraries to purchase items which do not meet
our selection policies. I mention that we are always happy to accomodate
actual patrons, and will check into the item suggested just as soon as we
receive the person's library card number.
I never hear back from them.
Beth DeGeer
Youth Services Librarian/PC Administrator
Bartlesville Public Library, Bartlesville OK
bdeg_at_bartlesville.lib.ok.us
http://www.bartlesville.lib.ok.us
===
#4
From: Emily Hutton <ehutton_at_mail.colgate.edu>
Yes. I have been receiving these kind of subtle pseudo student requests with
greater frequency and in fact I have gotten two separate messages in the
last month regarding a video on hazing. The first time I emailed the
respondent back asking if he was a member of the community and got no
response back. In the past the respondent usually admitted that they were
not a student and extolled the item in question on its own merits. I always
double check the name of the email requestor against our Colgate directory.
In some cases the suggested item is worth looking into but I still resent
the "customized hard sell" advertising approach.
Emily C. Hutton
Head of Collection Development
Colgate University Library
Hamilton, NY 13346
===
#5
From: "Janet L. Steins" <steins_at_fas.harvard.edu>
I don't find this message any more manipulative than when authors
request of us directly that we purchase their books. If the title
falls within the scope of my collection, I'd be happy to have it
brought to my attention in this manner. Certainly no one is
coercing Bob Glass to do anything and I really don't see anything
dishonest or misrepresentative in the sender's approach.
Janet L. Steins
Associate Librarian for Technical Services and Collections
Tozzer Library
Harvard University
===
#6
From: Pat Parnell <pat.parnell_at_usask.ca>
This is a variation on e-mail I too have received from Canada and the U.S.
with greater frequency in the last year or so (probably because so many of
us are listed, with our selection responsibilities, in our libraries' Web
catalogues). My practice is to semi-ignore them: I usually send a one-line
response, thanking the sender for his or her interest in our collection.
For the very few people who persist, I say that I would need to see reviews
in appropriate journals or reviewing sources. No one has ever sent a third
message.
Of course, we have all probably had to bend our practices or policies a
little with local authors or publications for p.r. reasons, but in my
experience this is much less a factor for academic research libraries than
for public libraries.
Pat Parnell, Collections Librarian
University of Saskatchewan Libraries
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
END
Received on Tue Sep 04 2001 - 13:04:05 EDT