Re “A textbook case of college cost-cutting,” (Page A1, March 14), for Vermont to make a sweeping change to remove books and librarians en masse like this is a mistake. Library collections are carefully curated, physical books are weeded when they are no longer of use, based not just on circulation statistics but also in-house use (yes, there are ways to measure that). When a print reference source is superseded by an electronic source, it makes sense to ditch the print one in favor of the digital, which will be accessible 24/7 to all patrons. This is all part of the “science” of “library science.” And who gets to make these determinations? Librarians, who have master’s degrees and training and experience. And besides curating collections, librarians are the ones who teach students and faculty how to search, evaluate, and use all of these print and digital resources, and how to become critical thinkers in a world in which misinformation is so readily available.
Alice F. Stern
Advertisement
West Roxbury
The writer is a retired librarian.
