[Web4lib] Attending/Presenting at conferences in difficult times / Dissolution of Reference

[Ross Singer]

On Tue, Feb 9, 2010 at 6:23 PM, Robert Balliot <rballiot at gmail.com> wrote:
> Dave,
>
> Could you provide a few examples of the problems you face in libraries that
> are not investigated and discussed in a book or an article?
>
> Of course, once you do that, they will be and the point will be moot.

This is a bit of an asinine and condescending statement, honestly.  If
you are doing anything new, unorthodox or revolutionary, what book or
article are you going to read to "solve your problem"?

If you are trying to bring in collaborators on a particular project,
how is a book or an article going to help that?  Even an email will
only go so far.

If, as you imply, everything's already been done and we have solutions
to everything already if we just bother to do the research, why do we
even bother trying to improve our services?

Are we servants or professionals, Robert?

-Ross.