Richard Efthim <[log in to unmask]> says:
    I guess a librarian would have more freedom from litigation because they
    would be viewed as not being an art or science "expert."
 
Richard,
 
First of all, let me congratulate you on punctuating your sentence correctly
( the period INSIDE the quotation marks).  It rare to see that in the work
force nowadays.  You're obviously not the boss - bisses write worse than their
workers do.
 
My point I wanted to make was that I (and SOME others I know) do view libraians
not so much as experts in field X, but an expert about finding an answer to a
question I have about field X.  Reference librarians are AMAZING sometimes.
For example, I once called the local library here (which is hardly ever open
due to funding problems) and asked the reference librarian what coordinates
I would use if I wanted to send an ICBM to San Bernardino (where I live).  I
was trying to write a letter about urban renewal.  She responded, "Well, why
don't you try 34.07N 117.19W.  That should put in roughly in the area around
City Hall.  Of course, if you're using a state of the art nuclear warhead,
you coordinates can be of by X number of degrees, and you'll still wipe out
San Bernardino, because . . ."  She ended up telling more than I have evr
wanted to know about nuclear weapons.
 
On the other hand, I've called museums with unusual (to me, anyway) questions
and the answers, if any, were not very good.  For example, I have some Navajo
blankets that are REAL ones made at least 100 years ago.  They came into my
possession when my maternal grandparents died -- they used the rugs for floor
coverings, as did their parents.  My wife is redecorating our living room with
Native American stuff, and wanted to display the blankets on the walls.  I
called a museum nearby and asked how to display such as object while still
preserving it.  They said they didn't know -- they have blankets and similar
materials, but it's all in storage.  I called the Malki Museum on the Cahuilla
Reservation, where 'm doing some work, and asked there.  They didn't know,
the Cahuilla didn't make such things, so they never had to worry about it.
But, if I wanted to know about basketry, . . .  THIS answer I thought was a
good one, i.e., don't give advice on something you kow nothing about.
The blankets I have are currently in a cedar chest.  I still don't know
how to display them (e.g., do I need UV-blocking glass, etc.).  I am also
trying to get information from the Navajo Nation about displaying the blankets
because they are REAL ones, and not the tourist variety.  I don't want to
be disrespectul to any dieties, I have enough bad luck on my own.
 
Anybody out there know anything about Navajo blankets?  I could use some
(unoffical, no litigation) advice.
 
Being neither a library professional, nor a museum professional, I suspect
the answer is that librarians can find information easier than museum people,
no disrespect to museum people intended.  When it comes to these issues, I
don't think the two fields can necessarily be compared to each other.  Some
museums do have an impressive collection of reference materials, though, the
Southwest Museum in Los Angeles being one I can think of right now.
 
I like museums, so everyone out there, keep up the good work.  Don't get
down thinking about libraries vs. museums, I don't think the comparison
is always a valid one.
 
JMHO (Just My Humble Opinion),
Chuck Coker
[log in to unmask]
 
PS: I've got a lot of typos in this, so I guess that means I have to be a boss.
    :-(