Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Can't We All Just Get Along?

Differences of opinion regarding commenting, communication, and free speech ensues after Library Journal's John Berry responds to a post by David Rothman.

The original vlog by Rothman is Rothman discussing his opinions on the Annoyed Librarian and Library Journal's relationship with the AL as their employer.

Berry says Rothman's statements are hypocritical.

Rothman vlogs an explanation and calls out Berry as "full of crap".

It's exciting stuff and makes me proud to be a librarian!

My personal opinion on the Annoyed Librarian is that I don't care what she/it/him says so much as the recent fact that now Library Journal gave her/it/him a paid gig. I support free speech and I am known to talk like a truck driver, but I at least try not to do it publicly, online, on a professional publication's website. (There is also the tiny, minuscule issue I have with LJ for not accepting my Talk Back submission, but hey, they have the right to post what they want, right?)

In other news, I apparently work in one of the few libraries in NYC not to have a temperature clause in our union contract. I'm fine with that.

Are copyright laws equivalent to book burning?

3 comments:

  1. Hi there!

    I hardly ever agree with what the Annoyed Librarian says, but ... I think it's important to have dissenting opinions. I think she gets paid to be a curmugeonly cynic. Besides, it's not like she's advocating that we eat babies or anything, she just has weird opinions on librarianship. [shrugs]

    As for copyright law, I don't understand the current use of copyright. Yes, I feel that there should be some form of copyright to protect the author for a significant amount of time, but ... isn't 75 years more than enough? If I wrote a story about Mickey Mouse running around doing Mickey Mouse things, is someone going to pick up that book and say: "Oh yes, Mickey Mouse must have created by Craig Anderson in 2010". Would some student get in trouble with his English teacher for saying: "Oh, you meant -Shakespeare's- Hamlet. Ooops, I read -Craig's- Hamlet, written in 2011 about a little pig in a library!". Even for obscure characters that no one's ever heard of. If you haven't done anything interesting with that character in 75 years, let someone else use you ideas! I don't think these laws are equivalent to book burning, necessarily, I just think it's the result of money-grubbing descendants. (or actually, money-grubbing publishing companies, probably) It stifles creativity, and I'm against it. :(

    So ... I'm FOR arguing amongst librarians and AGAINST copyright. :) [nods]

    -- Craig

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  2. Hi Craig!

    I agree about the AL, but for LJ to pay for her to rant on their site says to me that they support what sometimes boils down to nastiness. Yes, say whatever you want, but I'd rather see it on a blog, not on a professional website. That's just my humble opinion, however.

    I don't understand copyright all that much. There are so many loopholes, clauses, laws, levees, politics, personality, hubbub, stuff, and more stuff that I let the experts deal with it. I have a fair enough understanding of what I should and should not be doing (for the most part!) and I am making more of a concerted effort to cite correctly, and give credit for everything that I remember to give credit for and can find the source for. I'm not against it, however.

    I believe that a difference of opinion in most, if not all, matters is essential for people to come to their own decisions about things. How are you supposed to know if you are right or if what you believe in is right for you, if you don't know the other side?

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  3. 1. The "full of crap" was ironic, like every other "unprofessional" moment in the video.

    "I agree about the AL, but for LJ to pay for her to rant on their site says to me that they support what sometimes boils down to nastiness. Yes, say whatever you want, but I'd rather see it on a blog, not on a professional website. That's just my humble opinion, however."

    Amen.

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