AKC’s decision to kill its librarian is murder of a different sort.

Commonsense cost justifications have been made.  They are bogus hooey. 

When cost justifications – common sense or otherwise – can elbow all else aside, an organization is on the slippery slope.  AKC is a not-for-profit that has always had secure income; AKC’s “surpluses” would make most for-profits envious.  It can easily afford a professional librarian; someone responsible for assuring AKC has the greatest dog library in the world.

I don’t suppose anyone at AKC would debate me on:  “Resolved AKC is financially secure enough to afford its library staff/operation” – such that it was.  Not only will I take the pro position I’ll gladly defend “AKC should expand its library services.”  And for damn certain AKC wouldn’t want me to have access to their books – I’d find in far less time than it’s taken to write this more than enough money to keep the library staffed.

AKC says it will still accept donations to their librarian-less library.  Nothing is said about regular acquisitions.  What about periodicals – one of the library’s best resources? 

Still if your viewpoint is foot-traffic and cost, it’s easy – and I’ll even grant appropriate – to reach the decision AKC has made.  That’s because the viewpoint is wrong.  It’s narrow and ultimately ignorance of the worst sort.

The right viewpoint is, “Should there be a world class library dedicated to everything to do with Canis familiaris?”  Of course there should be.  It doesn’t have to be run by AKC, but AKC should be committed to it. 

AKC might have said, “We’re getting out of the library business.  We have thoroughly evaluated our options and believe we will much better fulfill our goals by relocating AKC’s library to XYZ-institution which shares our commitment to having the greatest dog library in the world.  We intend to support this endeavor.”   

Instead of seeing their library as a great underutilized resource and addressing that, AKC saw a way to save a few bucks.  That’s pathetic.  It’s an indictment of the mentality of the senior staff that made the decision and the Board for allowing the decision to stand. Written by John Mandeville for DOG NEWS