Dear All:
I am a book dealer and publisher who works closely with the antiquarian
book trade community. If the intention of the new, more restrictive policy
is to encourage bookdealers to go elsewhere, I think the moderator has
succeeded admirably.
The whole issue revolves around one question--Is the discussion group
intended to be about rare books and manuscripts themselves, or is intended
to be a forum for the day to day concerns of the professional academic
librarians who are custodians of rare books and manuscripts? If the former
is the case, then surely it is inappropriate to banish discrete commercial
listings concerning antiquarian books. It is no secret that the
antiquarian trade accounts for a large proportion of the books in Rare Book
Libraries, and the participation of rare book dealers is not only
justifiable, but necessary.
If the latter is the case, then booksellers and collectors would be well
advised to leave the list anyway, for the professional banter and exchange
dealing exclusively with administrative issues pertaining to Rare Book
Librarians is hardly worth reading.
Once we clarify the purpose of the list, the solution to the problem will
seem obvious. If dealers and collectors are not welcome, just say the
word. Signing off, much like eliminating unwanted e-mails, is only a
stroke away.
>Dear All,
>
>A primary goal of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of ALA in this
>past year has been the forging of stronger ties with the Antiquarian
>Booksellers' Association of America. Rare book librarians and antiquarian
>booksellers have so much to offer each other outside the bounds of
>commerce, so much knowledge and experience to share, it seems fantastic
>that only now are the two major organizations in these fields beginning to
>develop educational programs and information sharing schemes, to our mutual
>benefit.
>
>The officers of RBMS are therefore dismayed by the recent turn of events,
>which seems to threaten the very existence of Exlibris, an independent
>electronic bulletin board where librarians, booksellers, collectors, and
>bibliographers have long met to discuss matters of mutual concern, to
>exchange information, and to learn from and about one another in an
>atmosphere usually characterized by generosity of spirit and genuine
>affection, even when we have not always agreed with one another.
>
>I know I speak for the RBMS Executive Committee, and I suspect that I speak
>for a good many rare book librarians as well, in regretting deeply Everett
>Wilkie's unilateral decision to ban catalogue announcements on Exlibris. It
>is clear from the posted responses that many listmembers (librarians,
>booksellers, and others) consider these announcements a valuable feature of
>Exlibris, and we think it is unfair to the list as a whole, as well as
>insulting to our bookseller colleagues specifically, to impose such a ban
>without discussion.
>
>I have asked Everett privately, and now urge him publicly, to begin that
>discussion immediately.
>
>Eric Holzenberg
>Chair, RBMS
>
>Director & Librarian
>The Grolier Club
>47 East 60th Street
>New York, NY 10022
>212/838-6690
>fax 212/838-2445
>ejh@grolierclub.org
>www.grolierclub.org
>
>
>