Re: UPI 2/14/02: Soros backs academic rebels

From: Tabah Albert <tabahan_at_EBSI.UMONTREAL.CA>
Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2002 10:18:13 -0500

Mr. Henderson makes some good points in his arguments, but I have a lot of
difficulty in accepting his parting shots at libraries.

It is true that many universities underfund their libraries. It is also true
that "library spending [is] divorced unfairly from R&D budgeting". But that
is hardly the libraries' fault. There is something incongruent (and rather
unfair) in the arguments that connect the lack of resources with those
suffering from them. In the case of libraries they are not connected, and
often despite their best efforts librarians just don't have enough political
clout to effect change.

Imagine the poor and hungry asking for help and we telling them:
Well, too bad if you are poor; go ahead and starve to death.

Such an attitude doesn't wash.


Albert N. Tabah

École de bibliothéconomie et des sciences de l'information
Université de Montréal
CP 6128, Succ. Centre-Ville
Montréal, Québec, Canada
H3C 3J7
albert.tabah_at_umontreal.ca
Received on Wed Feb 20 2002 - 16:08:03 GMT