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Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship Spring 1999

Letters

Regarding "Letter from Philip Barnett" (Winter 1999)

Albert Henderson
Editor, Publishing Research Quarterly
noblestation@compuserve.com

Perhaps certain points in my article/rebuttal were not clear.

Philip Barnett implies that I had a problem with Marc Brodsky's intelligence or character. Not so. My essential problem with AIP/APS (not Brodsky in particular) is their policy of leveraging the shortfall in library funding to their commercial benefit. They abdicated their mission and their responsibilities to their members and the taxpayers that subsidize  them. This policy betrays the mission that is clearly stated in every catalog and membership brochure:

"promoting the advancement and diffusion of the knowledge of physics and its application to human welfare."

Barnett also suggests that I want increases in the research budget. I do not. I want parity for libraries. I call for reforms in the allocation of resources.  There is no need for, "asking for even more  from the federal government," as Barnett implies. It would make more sense for science policy to emphasize library research and resource so that grant proposals and peer reviews would be better informed. I can suggest three more reforms that need no added Federal money.

I also think universities' unspent revenues are excessive.

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