Chopra recommended by librarians

[trasa]

In the public library in Mariestad, Sweden, on a shelf where the librarians place books they recommend, there has been on several occasions a book by Deepak Chopra. I do not know its English title but it could be something like: "Lords of the Light." It is a fiction and not one of this joker's "scientific" books.

Okay by me, apart from this book being porly written I don't see any harm in it being recommended. But if - and I'm sure they're out there in abundance - the librarians should recommend books that are lying? That is, books with fake conclusions or no conclusions at all, in fields like homeopathy.

Religion, you say, isn't that frequently recommended? Oh, I'm sure it is, and I don't like it a bit, but let's start with things that can seriously affect your healt. My question is this:

Apart from talking to the librarians themselves, could I do anything about this? Is there a law to use, in whatever country? Is there anything that say's that promoting lying books is wrong?

I realise libraries all over the world are filled with books on eery subjects like those above mentioned, but when the librarians themselves recommend them? And don't we all trust librarians more than the everyday person?

I'm seriously troubled over this...

[Jas]

I wrote a letter to a local bookstore chain (Chapters/Coles/Indigo) about their placement of books on creationism and ID (written by Christian apologists), in the Science section. Could you maybe email the National Librarians association, or something along those lines?

Although I don't think that there's any law against it, maybe if the books were dispensing medical advice?

[trasa]

Hi Jas,

So, what did they respond? Did they respond?

[Jas]

They sent me a letter back, and said that they would forward it to their 'management team'. A real person answered the letter though, not just an automated system, which surprised me. I think it would help if more people wrote letters though.

[corplinx]

I was upset that Battlefield Earth was on the "we recommend" rack at the video shop. Of course, it is marked that these are employee picks (as opposed to an endorsement by the video chain).

Similarly, my nearest library was a section of books that the employees like. I don't care what's on it.

[tim]

I visited my local library to find books on the parnormal - both sides of the argument.
Books on the "pro" side - 15.
Books on the "anti" side - 0.
Sigh.

[Thinking in CT]

Originally posted by corplinx
I was upset that Battlefield Earth was on the "we recommend" rack at the video shop. Of course, it is marked that these are employee picks (as opposed to an endorsement by the video chain).



There is an entire movie-fan sub culture devoted to "Bad Movies" i.e. people who love to watch terrible films to that they can 'goof" on them. I'm sure that video rental people are aware of this (they stock a good collection of stinkers) and are probably devotees of the genre. "Battlefield Earth" is on every "worst movies of all time" list compiled since its release and is now an essential addition to all bad movie collections.