[Web4lib] RE: [lita-l] Innovation: NYTarticleon Dewey-lessArizona public library

[John Creech]

On Tue, 17 Jul 2007, Lin Light wrote:

>  For years there has been the debate over "Give them what they want 'vs.'
> Give what we think they need". I believe this debate had a strong start in
> New Jersey in the early 1980's, don't recall the library or the direct.

As Robbie Robertson said in a song, "this is sure stirring up some ghosts 
for me."  In my first semester of library science grad studies in 1985 we 
read the article:

Rawlinson, N. (1981). Give 'em what they want. Library Journal, 106, 2188
–2190.

This may be what you're referring to.  I believe Nora Rawlinson was at a 
public library in Maryland at the time she published the article.  We new 
librarians-in-training debated the logic of her arguments.  If the public 
wants 150 copies of Danielle Steele etc., give it to them.

John Creech, Systems Librarian
Brooks Library, Central Washington University