Re: Protocols regarding food and drink in rare book collections

[Peter Graham <psgraham@syr.edu>]

Jeff K had very good points in his response to the classics person, but
his paragraph below I think is too defensive and not helpful.  As
librarians we hold materials in trust for others, and our friend in
classics is one of the others; that gives us a responsibility to listen
and to respond to those who have concern as great as ours about the
material in our care.  Also, I simply think JK is wrong:  we can learn
from others outside our field.  The presumption that all our special
collections people are invariably expert professionals with no flaws in
their training and ability, as Urk says, flies in t'face o'natur.  It
doesn't hurt to reexamine occasionally and defend why we do things. 
--pg

Jeffrey Kaimowitz wrote:

>         3. As a special collections professional, I would resent someone
> who is not a specialist coming in and raising a ruckus when there is really
> not a problem.  Would you want someone in special collections with a
> classics background (like myself by the way--ask your colleague John
> Younger) telling you how to run your classes?  The people in Duke's special
> collections are professionals.  Let them do their job.
> 
>
-- 
Peter Graham    Syracuse University Library    psgraham@syr.edu
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 315/443-2573 fax 315/443-2060 9/98nw4.4