Academic Gatekeeping
I had a run in with a Jobsworth yesterday that made me steam. I was giving a presentation in class on a fairly under-researched novel Secret History by Leonora Sansay, and wanted to pick it up from the archival maintained here at NYU in the Fales Library. So I put on my polite face (which as we know, is usually irrestible.
S: Hi, I'm giving a presentation today in Bryan's class. (Subtext: your friend Bryan whom you love)
Jobsworth: Er, No. I'm not going to let you have the book. Is it integral to your presentation?
S: Um, yes. I'm talking about the circulation and the rarity of the first edition.
J: Still no. I don't think that's an appropriate use of the text, you know, as a prop for your presentation.
S increduously: So, I'm talking about a book, and you're not going to let me have that book? Even though my presentation is about exactly that? When would you let me have the book?
Jobsworth: Well, if you had looked at it before, perhaps. But just to look at it for the sake of looking, no, I really don't think that's appropriate.
S: Ah. Interesting. So, if I had looked at it twice even though that means handling twice, and potentially (gasp) using it up that would be better?
Note to the librarians of the world. God knows I love you, and I love books, but this is a Library. I am a Patron. And Books are there for Patrons to Look At. A Library does not exist for there to be a Library. A Library exists for housing books. To Be Studied. And Looked At. And TOUCHED if we want. Otherwise what's the point of an archive.
Reason 3,045 why I cannot leave this world fast enough.
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