I agree with Richard McElroy. I have to fit collection development duties in with myriad other responsibilities and I appreciate any shortcuts I can get to make sure I hear about new books and catalogs. If I'm not interested, I simply delete the email. I think it does a disservice to our longtime vendor partners to leave them out. I know that I've learned about a lot of vendors and resources through their messages to the list and I'd like to see those messages continue (obviously, I don't want the list to turn into one big advertisement but that has never been the case in the past, and I don't imagine that our fellow ARLIS members who are dealers and vendors would do such a thing).

Karen Bouchard
Brown University


On Tue, Apr 15, 2014 at 3:54 PM, Richard McElroy <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

I would like to express two views concerning the recent decision to not allow "commercial" postings on ARLIS-L.

First as an acquisitions librarian I found receiving electronic catalogs and new book announcements a great service.  I did not see it as spam but an integral part of the selection process.  I am disappointed to see access no longer allowed.  Also I am concerned about what the criteria is.  Are we allowing university presses but not antiquarian dealers?  I would not want to have an argument as to which is more appropriate or beneficial.  This seems to me a limiting of resources for no sound justification.

Second, this is contrary to the founding principles of ARLIS.  Dealers, publishers and visual providers have been full members in some cases since our founding.  There was discussion at our founding about the role of firms in the society and it was decided they would be welcome as members.  That is the reason for the title "Art Libraries Society", not "Art Librarian Society".  Firms such as Ars Libri and F.A. Bernett have been most generous supporters of our society and open communication with other members should be an allowed benefit. 

I hope this decision is reconsidered.

--
Richard McElroy
12 Peirce Street
Arlington, MA 02476
781-646-7254
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--
Karen A. Bouchard
Scholarly Resources Librarian for Art and Architecture
Rockefeller Library, Box A
10 Prospect Street
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912  USA

Phone: (401) 863-3218

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http://libguides.brown.edu/profile.php?uid=56435


Images at Brown blog, latest entry: https://sites.google.com/a/brown.edu/image-collections-in-the-brown-library/newer-posts/thedomesticinterior

Tweeting all about art, architecture, music & more at: @KbouArtMusic

If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. Cicero. Epistulae ad Familiares, book IX, epistle 4.

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Mail submissions to [log in to unmask] For information about joining ARLIS/NA see: http://www.arlisna.org/join.html Send administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc) to [log in to unmask] ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance: http://lsv.arlisna.org Questions may be addressed to list owner (Judy Dyki) at: [log in to unmask]
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