CHIEF LIST BIGOT--Commercial activitiy (better read this one)

[ewilkie@mindspring.com]

If RBMS, as an organization, is so distressed by the fact that bookseller announcements can no longer appear on Exlibris, I would suggest that RBMS modify the rules of its own list and allow such announcements to appear there instead.  (They're currently banned.)  It seems to me to be the perfect solution.  I am surprised that the RBMS Executive Committee did not, in fact, announce that bookseller advertisements are immediately welcome on RBMS-L to compensate for the present Exlibris problems with them, rather than complain about policies on another list.

And the nice part about that scheme is that I am, so far as I know, still the RBMS list Liaison (as I was dubbed) and therefore take my orders about that list from the RBMS Executive Committee.  That way, if you don't like one of my interpretations, you can indeed appeal to a higher power immediately.  Indeed, the beauty of the whole scheme would be that I don't get an opinion.

On 03/30/00 09:27:09 you wrote:
>
>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
>
>
>



                 Everett C. Wilkie, Jr.
      Core Commercial Sales, ADT Security Services
          2403 Lacy Lane Carrollton, TX 75006
   972-246-6000; fax 972-246-6001; pager 214-898-4091
        Home: 2811 Waskom St., Dallas, TX 75228                  
                  Phone: 214-327-4976
                 ewilkie@ix.netcom.com
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