I thought this anecdote about librarians was funny:
"Everyone was saying nice things about John Archer. He was leaving the Legislative Library to go to Queen's University. He was well liked and had been helpful to all Members of the Legislature. As Tommy would say, they were pouring a gallon of syrup on a lone pancake.
They were overdoing it; one backbencher on our side of the House said, "John Archer has been most helpful to me," and went on and on. At the conclusion, the member said, "Yes, I find if you want information, you go to the Library, if you want the right information, you go right to the horse's mouth."
Quick as a flash, Tommy said, "I'm glad you got the right end of the horse!"
There was no more syrup after that!
- Ed Whelan
This story is particularly apropros in light of the news that the BC Government is shutting down their Legislative Library:
Tuesday March 27th retired British Columbia Legislative Librarian Joan A. Barton spoke movingly to forty members of the Victoria Librarians Association of the long history of the Legislative Library, now threatened with closure. The library was established i 1863, with Dr. Helmkin's private collection at its core, as Thomas Jefferson's was for the Library of Congress. (Dr. Helmkin was British Columbia's first doctor, who married a daughter of Sir James Douglas, the first governor.)
The Legislative Library is part of the national and international network of libraries which serve not only as sources of information, but as a repository of recorded knowledge in a way the ephemeral Internet does not.
Ms Barton urges that those outside British Columbia protest this closure, with most of the collection being boxed and stored. It is important that the Premier and Speaker realize that this action is a blow to the reputation of the Province nationally and internationally.
Protests may be addressed to the Premier:
Premier Hon. Gordon Campbell: <premier@gov.bc.ca>
and the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly:
Speaker Hon. Bill Barison: toll free number and feedback form
http://www.leg.bc.ca/speakers-message.htm
Those within British Columbia might wish to address their protests to their own Members of the Legislative Assembly:
http://www.leg.bc.ca/mla/3-1-1.htm
It is particularly important that MLAs from the interior hear from
their constituents.
The local paper, The "Times Colonist"' reports on the story.
(via CLA mailing list)
