Anonymous Patron Update: 10/15 09:30 EST by R writes : Sorry to post the update ahead of the original story, but I thought it important. Original post follows the update. I just talked with John Marino, owner of BrioPrint, who told me a vastly different story than issued in the press release linked below. He said that BrioPrint was misled about the content, and that they would not have accepted the job if they’d know what Raven was like. He also said that he was misquoted in the press release and that there were not “thousands of faxes and emails” sent. He said that he received about 100 total calls, faxes and emails about the issue, and that about half urged him to publish, and the other half thought that BrioPrint was not obligated to publish the magazine. Mr. Marino said they realized that they needed to print the magazine out of contractual obligation, and did so.
original post
“Some good spin from RAVEN Magazine. Raven magazine is saying that similar to the campaign that saved Moore’s “Stupid White Men” book which went on to make its publisher millions of dollars, thousands of librarians from across the U.S. came to the rescue as they shared the story of RAVEN Magazine and the conservative printer through their internet list services and bulletin boards.
“Starting the very first day, we were BOMBARDED with phone calls, non-stop from upset librarians. It was so disruptive my staff couldn’t get anything else done”, said BrioPrint owner John Marino.”
Is There Any Truth To This?
Granted I didn’t try very hard, but I can’t find any evidence to back this up. “thousands of librarians from across the U.S” used their “list services and bulletin boards” and bombarded them with phone calls?
Anyone recall seeing this anywhere? I can find one mention on one board, and that’s about it. I don’t think we discussed it at here. I don’t see anything on Greg’s or Jack’s, which is where I’d expect to see it. Apparently something went out to CALIX, but it doesn’t seem to have been a hot topic even there.
Granted it’s a press release, and they can say anything they want, but it strikes me as odd we completely missed “thousands of librarians” coming to the rescue via the internet. Seems like it would’ve gotten mentioned here at least once, or did I just miss it?
Re:Is There Any Truth To This?
I think the call for assistance was posted to the publib and Council lists–there may have been some light discussion.
Re:Is There Any Truth To This?
I think our intrepid reporter Rochelle should give a call to some of those sources (on LISNews dime) and find out the nitty gritty.
Re:Is There Any Truth To This?
I don’t know why you’d expect to see it on my site before LISNews, I get most of my info from here, AL, and LJ.
That said, go to http://www.ravenmagazine.com and look at the cover of their mag. My first impression is that its soft porn. Mind you, there’s nothing *wrong* with that if thats what your into, but ain’t no way ‘thousands’ of librarians lined up to defend it.
Its some kind of scam to drum up business.
Re:Is There Any Truth To This?
Actually, now that I REread that, I don’t know why I’d expect that either. It does say “the conservative printer” not “the conservative magazine” I crossed my wires there, Sorry about that.
As far as going to ravenmagazine.com, I can’t the filters here block it, I suppose that should’ve been my first clue that it’s not a conservative magazine but rather something else.
Re: LISNews dime?
Sure, the LISNews dime, that’s about all I have to offer, a dime.
Re: LISNews dime?
Done. On Rochelle’s dime. It’s payday. I have two dimes.
Re: LISNews dime?
Speaking of dimes, I have to tell my Henny Youngman story (young ‘uns, that’s an old-timey comedian). A long time ago I was working backstage on some summer stock thing and Mr. Youngman gave all the members of the crew what he called “diamond pins”. It was a dime glued on a safety pin. Yuck yuck!
Re:Is There Any Truth To This?
Funny that your filters block it, it’s fairly innocuous. But Greg is right on the soft porn element – it looks like a mix of that and satirical humour. That’s satirical in the Onion/MAD sense (both of which they mention explicitly). I’m probably their target audience, but it looks incredibly boring to me.
Re:Is There Any Truth To This?
Yeah, count me as in the target audience but after looking at some of the sample pages I could see why there might be an outcry. Its more Larry Flynt level humor then Onion or Mad. Blech.