From the Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

Polly Scilken asked my advice about some offers she had for U*L. After hearing her out, I decided that I would like to acquire the U*N*A*B*A*S*H*E*D^tm Librarian, and be responsible for keeping the unique and wonderful philosophy of Marvin Scilken, U*L's creator, alive and well, while adding perhaps a little of my own experience and personality.

Although my 35 years of experience as a librarian have been dramatically different from Marvin's, my service philosophy was very much the same, and in fact was strongly influenced by Marvin's overriding commitment to "serve the user". My positions at all of the following institutions were technical services and technology related, except for the last (and current) one listed below: Library of Congress, Information Dynamics Corporation, Hennepin County (MN) Library [I hired Sanford Berman in 1973], New York Public Library Branch Libraries, Columbia University School of Library Service, and Westchester Library System.

The only changes immediately anticipated are somewhat subtle. There will be Contributing Editors -- noted experts -- whose columns will appear, beginning with this issue: Sanford Berman, Bernadine Abbott Hoduski and Carole Leita. Other regulars may join them. These contributors notwithstanding, the bulk of the content will still be derived from the newsletters, releases, procedures, forms, etc. that consistently make U*L a practical and valuable publication.

Please send all communications to the new U*L address:

The U*N*A*B*A*S*H*E*D^tm Librarian
P.O. Box 325
Mount Kisco, NY 10549

Fax: 914-244-0941

Please update your labels, rolodexes, etc. - mjf

From the Editor

Shortly before I was to begin my job at the New York Public Library, Hamilton Grange Branch as a Young Adult Specialist, I received an offer I chose not to refuse. I am now the Production Manager at Pseudo Programs, Inc., an Internet television station, a job that does not require nor in any way utilize an MLS. The decision to take the job at Pseudo, which is more the line of work I fled to go to library school, was not an easy one to make. Wanting to embrace my position as Editor of U*L added grist to the angst mill.

I have to be honest: money played a role in the choice I made. I have struggled my whole adult life to earn enough to pay New York City rent and was not looking forward to making do at NYPL for less money than I'd been earning when I left New York to earn my master's degree at the University of South Florida.

There were certainly other factors involved in my selection of Pseudo over NYPL, but it needs to be said that public librarians in particular, and most librarians in general, need to earn more money. Are there any jobs that require a master's degree that routinely pay less? I am not a materialistic person, but I am sick of devoting my time and energy to one institution after another that does not value me.

Because I will not be an active librarian for the time being, my input in U*L will be less than we had originally planned. I wish my father the best of luck with it, and thank Polly Scilken for the help and advice she gave us putting our first issue together.

Jenna Freedman