All of this flap about the Southern History Collection seems to have been started when John Brown sent the following to the list. It was a post from Robert Davis to Bob Davis at work. Then John Brown sent us a reply from the BPL, also in a post from Robert Davis to Bob Davis at work. If one looks carefully, the whole issue seems to have been bought up because of a misunderstanding about the ordering of a book written by.... Robert S. Davis !!! Is this the author of the posts that John Brown has been sending out? I would think the possibility is very high. Draw your own conclusions. Thank you John Brown for sending us both the complaint and the response. I think it is now obvious that the whole issue is a *non-issue*. And Robert S. Davis, I shall look forward to reading /Ghosts and Shadows of Andersonville: Essays in //American Civil War Social History/ when it is finally released and purchased by the BPL. Alice Campbell -------- Original Message -------- Subject: News from WSSC List 5 Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 13:09:35 -0500 From: Robert Davis <genws@hiwaay.net> To: Bob Davis at work <robert.davis@wallacestate.edu> I have been asked to qualify the previous posting about the situation with regards to the Southern History Collection of the Birmingham Public Library, the greatest collection for southern historical and genealogical research. Civil War books are now a low priority and books on states other than Alabama will also no longer be purchased or accepted as gifts. Books on Alabama and Jefferson County will supposedly still be accepted but limits have apparently been imposed even on that. We must protest these policies to the mayor of Birmingham and to the library board. It is not just a resource of benefit to a few local genealogists. The Southern History Collection has brought millions of dollars into Birmingham's economy from visits by researchers outside of Jefferson County, Alabama, and the United States but that will not continue if the collection is not allowed to add books on the Civil War, other states, or even other parts of Alabama. Please join me in writing to anyone we think might positively influence the situation: http://www.bplonline.org/admin/default.asp http://www.informationbirmingham.com/mayor/mayor.htm John Brown's second post: a response from the BPL, also contained in a post from Robert Davis to Bob Davis at work -------- Original Message -------- Subject: News from WSSC List 5 Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2006 17:15:20 -0500 From: Robert Davis <genws@hiwaay.net> To: Bob Davis at work <robert.davis@wallacestate.edu> THE BIRMINGHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY RESPONDS TO OUR CONCERNS Sorry, but we do collect genealogical and historical books related to Alabama which includes books on Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, and Florida (which some consider to be a state populated by people from the North). We continue to collect for the northeast from colonial period up to 1850 but not individual county material. We accept books from authors and other donors who wish to give us books related to Alabama history. We do collect books by Alabama authors. It would be best if people would contact me to obtain a copy of our collection policy rather than write the Administration. It is my job to be sure people understand the collection policy. Thanks Yvonne Crumpler, Department Head Tutwiler Collection of Southern History and Literature Birmingham Public Library/Linn-Henley Research Library 2100 Park Place Birmingham, Alabama 35203 o All Interested Parties: Please do not panic - this is all a BIG misunderstanding! There has not been and will not be any attempts to destroy the Southern History Collection. Why would we want to destroy a department that took years to build and that brings so much national attention to the Birmingham Public Library (BPL) and to the City of Birmingham? Please rest assured that in the past three years, we have spent more money on the Southern History Department than what has been spent on all of the other Central Library departments combined. This situation developed as the result of some confusion over the purchase of the book "Ghosts and Shadows of Andersonville: Essays in American Civil War Social History," by Robert S. Davis. The Southern History Department Head placed an order for this book in June, 2006. According to the attached Ingram page (which I pulled this morning), this book is not scheduled to be released until November, 2006. To maintain accountability of our spending, books at BPL are automatically canceled if they are not received within 90 days of the order date. If this book had been ordered as requested in June, the order would have been automatically canceled before it was actually published. The order was held and it is currently on the October Book Selection List. The Southern History Department Head thought that the book was to be released in July and the lack of communication between the Acquisitions Department and this Department Head resulted in this mass confusion. To clarify the matter of BPL's Collection Policy, books on the Civil War can now be found in both and/or one of two departments at the Central Library. Books by and about Alabama's connection to the Civil War will be placed in the Southern History Collection. Other books on the Civil War are being purchased for the Social Sciences Collection. If, at anytime, the department head determines that a book on the Civil War with no Alabama ties will strengthen the current genealogy collection, she has the authority to request and receive a copy of that book for that collection. If this occurs, multiple copies will be purchased - one for Southern History that cannot be checked out and one or two for Social Sciences that can be checked out. I apologize for this confusion and I invite all of you to visit us and tour this department to see all of the wonderful things that we have purchased and the many enhancements that we have made to ensure that all materials are available to you. I appreciate your sincere concern. Please call or email me if I can offer additional information. Barbara Sirmans [barbara@bham.lib.al.us] x If one looks carefully, the whole issue seems to have been bought up because of a misunderstanding about the ordering of a book by.... Robert Davis!!! Is this the author of the posts that John Brown has been sending out? I would think the possibility is very high.