Nathan Rinne cites Jane Jacobs' earlier post where she says:
"As for the rest of the non-bibliographic world, perhaps the data is
perceived as lacking in value BECAUSE it is largely free!...I really think that it may be the availability NOT the inaccessibility of MARC records that make some people ignore them or question their value!"
In other words: people don't value things they get for free. I don't know that I buy into that adage anymore. It seems rather old school in this day and age. The web is full of free things that people value highly. I value my daily use of of the NY Times online. Would I value it more if I had to pay for it? No. I pay $40 a year for a subscription to Cornell University's Birds of North America Online, a resource I consult often. Would I value it less if I got it for free? No.
Bernie Sloan
Received on Wed Sep 16 2009 - 11:36:11 EDT