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How to insult your users

Well, West (the American parent of our UK Westlaw) seem just about ready to start giving classes in "simultaneously patronising and insulting some of your core users".

Sarah Glassmeyer posted this screenshot to Twitpic of a West email to its users.

Shall I explain why I find this to be hugely insulting? Well.... do West understand who the biggest users / on site trainers / troubleshooters / BUYERS of its products are? Have they ever actually met a librarian, or do they still think all librarians wear half-moon glasses / twinsets / pearls / sensible shoes / their hair in buns? I suppose we should be grateful they didn't throw in a clipart library matron, or something about keeping te noise down too. And do they really think it's a good idea to imply that knowing a colleagues name in another department, who's there to do expert research work to save that fee earner valuable time, is beneath the dignity of a fee earner?

Sigh.

*Written by the librarian who has short hair, no glasses, no pearls, twinsets or other librarian clothing, and who has never told anyone to shhhh in her life. And whose colleagues DO know her first name, cos, y'know, I'm a real person, and it's my job to do the research work*


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Comments

Unknown said…
This is unbelievable if Westlaw did this in the UK I can only imagine the outrage there would be! Do we know what the reaction has been like in the US?
25 August 2009 at 11:31
Dumpling said…
Hi James, I've just blogged an update, from info from Information Overlord.
25 August 2009 at 12:05
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