[Libs-Or] Fwd: [alacoun] ALA Letter on Sandia National Lab Library

[Diedre Conkling]

Update on ALA activities.   

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Date: Tue, 6 Nov 2007 12:40:40 -0500
From: "Emily Sheketoff" <esheketoff at alawash.org>
To: <alacoun at ala.org>
Subject: [alacoun] ALA Letter on Sandia National Lab Library

The following letter was faxed and mailed to the Sandia Labs

 

November 6, 2007 

 

Dr. Thomas O. Hunter

President and Director

Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico

P.O. Box 5800

Albuquerque, NM  87185-0101


Sent via fax:  505-844-1120


 

Dear Dr. Hunter:

 

The American Library Association (ALA) opposes the closing of the Sandia
National Laboratory's physical library and the dispersal of its print
collection. Dispersal will make both current subject and historical
research much more difficult, affecting the development and research
activities of the Lab. We understand that this decision has been made to
achieve savings for the overall Laboratory budget; however, without
adequate study to determine the potential costs to Sandia Laboratory for
library services no longer being provided to Sandia employees, these
savings may instead result in higher overall costs and a substantial
decrease in the productivity of the entire Laboratory.  

 

Founded in 1876, the ALA is the oldest and largest library association
in the world with 65,000 individual members and 4,000 library and
corporate members dedicated to improving library services and promoting
the public interest in a free and open information society.

 

The Sandia National Laboratory Library is well known for providing
excellent service to researchers and staff and has long been recognized
for its leadership in providing innovative services.  The delivery of
these excellent services is attributed to the professional information
services staff who are familiar with the scope of the collection,
library users, and the mission of the Laboratory. The specialized and
unique collections of the Sandia National Laboratory Library, built with
taxpayer funds, are nationally important for supporting the critical
scientific research and activities undertaken at the Laboratory.  

 

We are concerned that this valuable and unique collection built over
years may disappear-has there been verification that the materials exist
in another repository? Have you considered that the value of a full,
intact collection is critical for proper research or the amount of time
necessary to recover through interlibrary loan any missing documents
when they are required? Would certain security-classified materials
(which probably will eventually be declassified) become difficult if not
impossible to find because of the proposed dispersal?

 

Have you considered how the transition to a completely electronic
collection might affect the quality of information seeking? Are you
aware that the discovery of new information to facilitate innovation is
inhibited when library stacks are closed, and that the speed of access
does not necessarily infer a better quality of research? Making library
collections available only in database format inhibits the type of
serendipitous discovery that browsing enables.

 

ALA urges that an extensive study of the full impact of this action be
undertaken as soon as possible.  We would hope that this study would
draw on the expertise of information professionals to assess the optimal
approach for achieving both savings in budget and providing staff access
to this necessary scientific and technical information. Additionally,
this study should include the impact of the loss of expertise currently
provided by the librarians on staff and assess how to address this loss.

  

Our colleagues at the Special Libraries Association have also addressed
this issue with you in a letter dated October 23, 2007. We agree with
their stated concerns and recommendations. The ALA stands ready to work
with you and your staff to ensure that this unique library is preserved
and that the high standard of library services is maintained.

  

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--
Diedre Conkling
     
  Lincoln County Library District
  P.O. Box 2027, Newport, OR  97365
  Phone & Fax:  541-265-3066
  http://lcld.library-blogs.net/
  Work:  diedre at beachbooks.org
  Home:  diedrec at charter.net