How To Make a Secret Hollow Book
(via MetaFilter)
One other library/book/publishing anecdote for the day…
I was working on our patron requests this afternoon and someone had requested a book with a French title and which Bowker Global Books in Print showed as being only available in French. But everything else I saw about the book indicated that it was in English even if I couldn't find 100% confirmation.
Finally I said “I know who'll know for sure” and called the publisher in Toronto. I told them I was a librarian in Saskatchewan and what my question was.
There was the briefest of pauses and then “Fucking Bowker! They never get anything right.” (Man, sometimes I miss working with publishers. What other world would gain you a response like this over the phone? Hilarious.)
Comments 2
My partner is doing her Masters in engineering right now. There is one major difference I've noticed between herself — with 15 years experience as a project manager/engineer/civil servant (simultaneously) — and her colleagues: When they find a great article they study it (and occasionally some works on the bibliography) until they are sure they understand it. When she finds a great article she phones the author to have them explain it and give her suggestions as to how it would fit in with her research.
It is never a bad idea to call the primary source.
Cheers
I'm with Kate completely – I did the same thing (called the primary source) for my very first 503 RQ.