Just to clarify my position -

Looking back at what I wrote yesterday, I realize that I did not express myself
 clearly.  My remark about libraries as the repository of the human graphic rec
ord, or whatever, could easily be interpreted as my holding the retrograde opin
ion that the Alexandrian Library can still exist.  I agree with Thomas Sanders
that we cannot collect everything, that we have to collect in restricted areas.
  My argument is that it is the Librarian (generalist that s/he is) has the pro
fessional duty to make the judgement as to what the restrictions are and how th
e choice to add or not to add a serial title effects the goals of the collectio
n, given whatever the realistic restrictions of that collection may be.

With all due respect to our colleague at East Carolina, I would argue that it i
s precisely because librarians are generalists (and I would further argue that
no matter how specialized a librarian may be s/he has an obligation to retain t
hat generalist viewpoint) that they are able to take the "global" view which al
lows them to make more responsible decisions regarding selection of serials.

David James
Head of Acquisitions
Milton S. Eisenhower Library
The Johns Hopkins University