[Publib] Resoich Two

[Backwage at aol.com]

Okey doke.  We've sent out our requests to the agency librarians--well  over 
fifty of 'em.  Time passes; calendar leaves fall.  Children are  conceived and 
born.  Some of them will become librarians.  The ones  who already are send 
me email notes.  The darker portion of these I will  summarize:
 
"Thank you for your request.  Our (library) is located in (state  capitol 
building) across the street from the legislature (1800 miles  away).  You are 
free to conduct research during operating hours."
 
"Thanks for contacting our agency.  Here at xxxx we pride ourselves in  
providing the best service to the citizens of the beautiful state of xxxx.   In 
2010 we will be celebrating the 500th anniversary of the founding of our  state.  
Please note that we are not capable of responding to individual  requests for 
assistance.  If you need help, contact your local public  library."
 
"We are sorry but the information you request is of a confidential nature  
and cannot be released."  
 
"Requests of this nature must be submitted via email to (the agency I have  
submitted the request to)."
 
>From an agency librarian:  "The statistics and information you seek  are not 
available."  
 
>From another:  "Our offices are closed for the holidays.  We will  review 
your request when we return in mid-January."  [the request was made  in the first 
week of December]
 
Other turn-downs consisted of the "Why should we?" type, or the "What  do you 
want it for" variety.  Often the request would be submitted to  another 
person (email confirmation) and then another (ditto) and finally landing  in some 
attorney's lap, which person will invariably quote the number of a  statute or 
the paragraph of some rule, without additional reference, but which  strongly 
suggests that I should seek my information way down below the earth's  surface.
 
You get turned down by agencies who post this same information on  websites.  
Sometimes they tell you it's confidential.  My favorite is  the Automated 
Response Which Means Nothing:   We-thank-you-for-your-interest-in-blank.   
Let-us-know-if-we-may-be-of-help.
 
Mind you, I have received phone calls back from nobody, as in not one  single 
living person.  Today I got a typed letter from the State of  Washington 
informing me that they will send the information along with a  bill.  I don't get 
to see the information beforehand--who knows what it  might be?
 
This sort of thing is my life, folks.  Of course, I wouldn't be able  to make 
a living if I couldn't get around this, or if there weren't a lot of  good 
"libes" out there.  And if I weren't like a limpet on a rock regarding  what I 
need.  But Dudes and Dudesses, it's a hard world out there for the  researching 
public.  Try to give them something.  
 
M. McGrorty
 
**************One site keeps you connected to all your email: AOL Mail, 
Gmail, and Yahoo Mail. Try it now. 
(http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000025)
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.webjunction.org/wjlists/publib/attachments/20081229/37255935/attachment.htm