Date: Tue, 4 Jun 2002 14:40:37 -0500
From: Chuck Malone
Reply-To: Discussion of Government Document Issues
Subject: Points to Ponder To: GOVDOC-L@LISTS.PSU.EDU
Hi all, It's hot! The AC in the Library is not working today. And I can't seem to get to the work I have sitting on my desk. But I was able to sit in my office in front of a fan and ponder the following important govdocs librarian questions:
What is a repository? Why do patrons always think that we are one? And what is the difference between a depository and a repository?
Why will some patrons be willing to trust us with their most complicated and personal questions and predicaments - while others won't volunteer any information about themselves or what they are looking for?
Why do some patrons think we can help them find a book because they know the color of it? (i.e. Can you help me find a book on trains that my father gave me when I was a kid. It was a green book, about yea high)
Why as a librarian, am I dumb enough to think that we can't help a patron find a book because they know the color of it? (i.e. The EPA Office told me to come here and ask for the "Orange Book" on asbestos - Lo and behold, there was an orange book on asbestos in our EP section. And of course there are Bluebooks, Beige Books, and any number of other colors of books that government officials like to refer to)
Why do they always talk about "Title IX'? That helps identify the law in question about as much as a red or a blue book. Or how about "Section 504?" Ever try and help a patron find that one when that is all they knew about the law? I did find what they were looking for eventually, but it wasn't easy!
Why do some patrons think we are the smartest people in the world, (One patron credited me with saving the "free world as we know it" with the information I helped him find) and others don't even think we are smart enough to know what floor of the library our department is on? (I recently got into an argument with a patron insisting that our department was on the 2nd floor of our library ~ and this was as we were standing in our department - on the 4th floor. She left grumbling about how dumb the librarians were)
(This is a unique Illinois question) Why do Illinois government officials still give to the public, citations to the Illinois Revised Statutes, when they were replaced years ago with a complete new system called the Illinois Compiled Statutes? As a result, the patrons always seem to think that we,the librarians, are the dumb ones - not the state official who gave them the old citation in the first place.
Why do patrons assume we are as pro-government or anti-government as they are? As liberal or conservative as they are? As democrat or republican as they are?
How is it that an adult wanting to know who their government representatives are, doesn't know what township, or even what county they live in?
When a patron starts out, "You probably can't help me,..", we probably can.
When a patron starts out," You should be able to help me with this easy question .." Then we probably can't!
The GPO "Separates" are separated to get them to us faster. But once we get them, they often sit on the shelves for weeks waiting for their shipping lists, often defeating the purpose of separating them in the first place.
Have a nice day! I hope you are in a cooler place than I am.
Charles E. Malone, Unit Coordinator
Government and Legal Information Unit University Libraries
Western Illinois University 1 University Circle
Macomb, IL 61455
(309)298-2719
c-malone@wiu.edu
