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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Apples and oranges, Kyle. Changing a
light bulb should not require an electrician, unless it’s a very
specialized and expensive light bulb. But…</span></font></p>
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10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>The initial creation of a tiny library is
like planting a seed. If it’s done well, a great library can grow
from the those 225 items. If it’s not done well, either (a) a
poorly organized, perhaps unusable library will develop, or (b) someone who
knows what he or she is doing will have to undo it and start all over again.
As the old saying goes, </span></font></p>
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10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>If you don’t have time (or staffing)
to do it right, when will you have time (or staffing) to do it over?</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>-</span></font><font size=2 color=navy
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Bob
Jones</span></font><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>, </span></font><font
size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'>MA</span></font><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>, MSLS, CAS</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Library Director</span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Milton-Freewater Public Library</span></font></p>
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10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=navy
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:navy'>You
wrote:</span></font></p>
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face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:navy'> </span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>I haven't given this much thought, but my gut reaction
is that unless I'm really missing something, hiring a professional librarian to
organize a collection of 225 books, a few periodicals, and a handful of videos
is like calling the fire department to help plan a candlelight supper. </span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>The overhead of even taking the first volunteer that
walks through the door is likely to exceed the labor that should be expended on
this project, though it could be a good way to get people more involved with
the organization.</span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>A librarian could physically arrange the materials
according to some logical criteria, add consistent metadata, provide a good
access mechanism, etc, but any user would have to be some kind of loon not to
just walk to the collection and just browse it as that could be done in a few
seconds even if everything is in random order. It's hard to imagine how it
wouldn't take longer for users to deal with even a good organizational scheme
than to simply go to the stuff.</span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>I am somehow reminded of a place I lived in years ago
where we would be fined if we got caught changing a lightbulb (required
procedure was to fill out a work order so a union electrician could do the
job). That kind of situation is bad for everyone. It's a total waste of skilled
labor, and the schmucks who have to pay an arm and a leg to be forced to wait
too long in the dark start wondering what the pros really have to contribute.</span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>Happy Thursday to all, and as you've undoubtedly
surmised, I'm representing only my own views ;)</span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'>kyle</span></font></p>
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