I have head it said with authority that we only need to wash with such
regularity because regular washing with soap destroys the ecology of our
skin and hair, and that if we had the nerve, neighbours, workmates and
family to leave ourselves alone for 3 months we would restore natural
balance and be neutral-smelling once again. I must admit I'm not 100%
convinced. Which will be a relief to the missus.
Speaking with the diffidence of an outsider contributing to a family
argument and not wishing to make any comment at all about organisations or
structures etc etc etc I feel that the nature of our work gives strength
to Mike's point about making sure there is the smallest possible chain of
command - or no break at all- between an everyday connection with the front
line and policy-making for library and information services.
My former boss Peter Lewis was fond of saying (over a pint rather than
anywhere formal) was that the reason he was pleased to have moved to the BL
from university libraries was that he no longer had to spend the rest of
his working life listening to professors telling him how much better they
could do his job if only they had the time / could be bothered. There is a
serious point here, though. Although goodness knows I don't spend all day
every day out in the BMA reading room I do spend some part of every day
there and I seem to spend a lot of every day talking with or being talked
to by members, colleagues, INST members and others about the services we
may or may not be providing.
This keeping in touch with the tides and undercurrents of end-user opinion
is a very strong element in strategy formation. It doesn't dictate
strategy, but sometimes it can deflect daftness, whimsicality or
fashionable blind alleys. More important, when we have decided to do
something against the grain of user opinion, it has made us usefully
careful about preparing the ground, marketing the change properly and
making sure that all the regular front-line staff are briefed and onside.
Personally, I think I would find it hard to stay adequately grounded
without the discipline of working only 10 yards from the main service desk.
I have seen others manage it, but I've also seen others failing to do so.
Tony McSean
Roddham Mike
<MIKE.RODDHAM@RWS To: [log in to unmask]
-TR.NHS.UK> cc:
Sent by: UK Subject: Re: some interesting sayings - urban myths
medical/ health
care library
community /
information
workers
<LIS-MEDICAL@JISC
MAIL.AC.UK>
08/07/03 15:50
Please respond to
Roddham Mike
Whoever developed this list deserves to be beaten over the head with
Brewer's "Dictionary of Phrase and Fable!" Easily trashed with a few
minutes searching, but can I refer you to
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/DUTTON/2001-01/0979949208
<http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/DUTTON/2001-01/0979949208> for a
nice
succinct rubbishing of these?
Mike Roddham
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