This is a warning that intelligent, well educated and cynical (sorry, realistic) folk such as librarians will not need. Not all media reports are accurate. One example relates to the report that the University of Sydney's
Fisher Library "disposing" of more than half a million books. (See also Media Reports such as
http://tinyurl.com/5t4h6va )
The Fisher Library Librarian was on Sydney radio this morning (2UE?). The books are going into closed stack. They have about 60 retrievals a day from there. Students will still be able to borrow the books, but they won't be taking up the space needed for the one lineal kilometre of shelving needed for new acquisitions each year.
Those items being "disposed" are duplicate copies; unsuitable and unused donations; older editions that have been replaced by current editions; and journals where these is a digital copy available. There is *** no need to panic***.
Incidentally, the reports of protesters who intend to borrow
en masse leave the library staff absolutely thrilled with the free publicity. I'd venture to suggest that records would show those registered as "protesters" haven't actually borrowed anything since their enrollment.
Personally, I ha
ve fond memories of the library, particularly of the vending machine "eatery" beneath the main building, immediately adjacent to the Edgeworth David (geosciences) building, where I spent 4 years of my life. (E.D., not the eatery).
[Pictured here outside the Great Hall with my "baby" sister, who is now one of two barristers in the family.]As to the loss of 30 staff members ... that wasn't actually mentioned by The Fisher Librarian.
Time for a laugh? Try the Uncyclopedia wiki, which describes itself as "content-free". A bit like The Onion meets Encyclopedia Britannica meets Mad magazine. But with all the digital search functionality that young folk in particular demand. Just my personal opinion, but I'd be introducing this to Information Literacy classes and those government instrumentalities (not local, as far as I know) looking to close school libraries.
