ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries


38/C&RL News

L e tte rs
K u d o s  f o r  k e e p in g  c u rr e n t
T o  the Editor:

I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed 
Ellen Metter’s article “Madonna in the hal­
low ed halls” (Novem ber 1995). While I do 
consider myself somewhat “au courant” with 
the popular media, I confess that my first 
(and second) thought was that o f the Pea­
nuts comic strip— not a rap singer! In fact, 
even now, only very faint bells are tinkling. 
T o redeem myself, I hurriedly confess to a 
strong liking for The Simpsons. Anyway, con­
gratulations on the article. It was interesting 
and appropriate.— Suzanne Jones, University 
o f Prince Edward Island

Thank you to Ellen Metter for reminding 
librarians to keep up with popular culture. I 
can now  “come out o f the closet” and admit 
that I channel surf and like rap thanks to 
her article. There are many good  reasons 
for staying in touch with the popular media 
that many o f our patrons prefer. Here’s a 
personal example: I recently had a student 
come in asking for information on Lane Frost. 
Huh? Turns out he’s the rodeo star Luke Perry 
played in the movie 8 Seconds. He was a 
very important influence on this student, and 
he could not believe w e didn’t have a book 
about him, let alone that a librarian might 
not know w h o he was! If w e ’re supposed to 
serve our patrons w e  really can’t be igno­
rant o f the stuff that’s part o f most people’s 
lives. And considering Greeley [Colorado] 
hosts the Independence Stampede Rodeo. I 
should have known who Lane Frost was!—  
Lynne M. Fox, Univ. o f  Northern Colorado

F le e tin g  fa m e
T o the Editor:

In reading the obituary o f Leslie M. Oliver 
(Novem ber 1995), I came across an egre­
gious error. W ho is W. A. Jacobson? Per­
haps your writer means the late William A. 
Jackson, the first librarian o f Harvard’s 
Houghton Library and one o f Am erica’s 
greatest institutional book collectors and 
bibliographers. Ah, how fleeting is fame!—  
Marcus A. McCorison, Worcester, Mass.

Ed. note: Mr. McCorison is right. It is 
W. A. Jackson and w e regret the error. ■