LISNews: Librarian News

When he was a congressman in 1970, George Bush voted to create the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science. Now, his son wants to eliminate it. [more...] from The Columbus Dispatch.

Lee Hadded Writes:\"Three libraries may be cut from the Smithsonian Institution. Today\'s
Washington Times has brief article today, April 10, 2001, by Gabriella
Boston, \"Smithsonian budget renovates buildings, cuts program, staff,\" on
page C1 and C2 of the Metropolitan Section. In her article, she states
about the budget cuts: \"Other cutbacks include eliminating the in-house
center for copying and distributing documents, three libraries and the
Smithsonian\'s multimedia productions center.\"

You will have to read the paper copy for this article. Regretfully,
this article does not appear to be posted on their web site at:
washingtontimes.com\"

Wired is running a Story about the reaction to high journal prices.

Since journal costs have skyrocketed to the point where they are just unaffordable to researchers, someone is attempting to reclaim control by creating alternatives to leading commercial publications that have gotten so stupidly over priced.
A new, nonprofit, online venture, The Electronic Society for Social Scientists (ELSSS), is offering journals that are at least 50 percent cheaper than major commercial academic publishers.
This is some very cool stuff, good ideas from smart people that change the market. Rather than just complaining about things, someone did something about it.

\"\"In the next three months decisions will be taken that will change significantly academic journal publishing in economics,\" -Manfredi La Manna creator of ELSSS.

\"The feathers on the hot pink and blue boas draped around Jack Bentley\'s neck shook as he laughed during a lively serenade from the Library Sisters\". Dressed in hot pink, cherry red and royal blue, the Library Sisters strut their stuff to raise money for the local library . Read all about it in this story from the San Angelo Standard-Times.

Meanwhile, over in Boulder, Colorado: the library foundation, faced with a huge influx of quality donations to the library, successful quarterly book sales, and enthusiastic volunteers, shows its appreciation by
suspending the book sale program and dismissing volunteers.

\"We are gone,\" said volunteer Lisa Lee. \"And we won\'t be back.\"

Maybe the consultant hired to review the book sales could give the board a few pointers on volunteer and public relations...