Comments on: Hotshot Harry, day 2 at the AHA: “A photo of the candidates in the job center might be worthy of Walker Evans” http://www.historiann.com/2009/01/03/hotshot-harry-day-2-at-the-aha-a-photo-of-the-candidates-in-the-job-center-might-be-worthy-of-walker-evans/ History and sexual politics, 1492 to the present Wed, 22 May 2013 07:19:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: Shooting fish in a barrel : Historiann : History and sexual politics, 1492 to the present http://www.historiann.com/2009/01/03/hotshot-harry-day-2-at-the-aha-a-photo-of-the-candidates-in-the-job-center-might-be-worthy-of-walker-evans/comment-page-1/#comment-303323 Shooting fish in a barrel : Historiann : History and sexual politics, 1492 to the present Tue, 28 Apr 2009 12:46:15 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=2688#comment-303323 [...] elite institution who argues that we must “End the University as We Know It” (h/t to Hotshot Harry who sent the link on to me.  Congrats on the new job, Harry!)  Stanley Fish has the week off, so [...] [...] elite institution who argues that we must “End the University as We Know It” (h/t to Hotshot Harry who sent the link on to me.  Congrats on the new job, Harry!)  Stanley Fish has the week off, so [...]

]]> By: moi http://www.historiann.com/2009/01/03/hotshot-harry-day-2-at-the-aha-a-photo-of-the-candidates-in-the-job-center-might-be-worthy-of-walker-evans/comment-page-1/#comment-173013 moi Mon, 05 Jan 2009 20:51:01 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=2688#comment-173013 Where I taught undergrad courses, it was against university policy to order textbooks from any store but the campus bookstore, which was really a big chain bookstore (selling mainly football merchandise) under a university alias. And this store would not order any but the latest edition. So the university was doing everything in its power to ensure professors couldn't order older editions, where more used books would be available, in paperback, on websites like half dot com and amazon marketplace. How much more anti-student and anti-learning can a university get! Some of us got away with giving our business to a local independent bookstore anyway. I sometimes requested one or two "review" copies to give away to needy students or to place in the reference section of the library. I figured if publishers can twist the university's arm to sell only new books, and if marketing is such a big priority that they give professors $100 books in the hope of making $10,000, there's nothing unethical about making full use of those free copies. I also got a lot of unsolicited review copies in fields I did not teach. Those went to a library in a third world country. Where I taught undergrad courses, it was against university policy to order textbooks from any store but the campus bookstore, which was really a big chain bookstore (selling mainly football merchandise) under a university alias. And this store would not order any but the latest edition. So the university was doing everything in its power to ensure professors couldn’t order older editions, where more used books would be available, in paperback, on websites like half dot com and amazon marketplace. How much more anti-student and anti-learning can a university get! Some of us got away with giving our business to a local independent bookstore anyway.

I sometimes requested one or two “review” copies to give away to needy students or to place in the reference section of the library. I figured if publishers can twist the university’s arm to sell only new books, and if marketing is such a big priority that they give professors $100 books in the hope of making $10,000, there’s nothing unethical about making full use of those free copies. I also got a lot of unsolicited review copies in fields I did not teach. Those went to a library in a third world country.

]]> By: Historiann http://www.historiann.com/2009/01/03/hotshot-harry-day-2-at-the-aha-a-photo-of-the-candidates-in-the-job-center-might-be-worthy-of-walker-evans/comment-page-1/#comment-172961 Historiann Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:40:49 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=2688#comment-172961 That's a good solution, John S., and very generous of you, too. Public libraries need all the help they can get. Are your comics now in the Special Collections, or were they sold to raise cash? That’s a good solution, John S., and very generous of you, too. Public libraries need all the help they can get. Are your comics now in the Special Collections, or were they sold to raise cash?

]]> By: John S. http://www.historiann.com/2009/01/03/hotshot-harry-day-2-at-the-aha-a-photo-of-the-candidates-in-the-job-center-might-be-worthy-of-walker-evans/comment-page-1/#comment-172957 John S. Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:37:58 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=2688#comment-172957 I have something of a middle position on unsolicited textbooks. I have, in the last three years, given over a dozen textbooks to my local public library. They have sold some to raise money to expand their collection, and have put others on the shelves. I don't think that local residents will actually check these books out of the library all that often (interest in history being what it is), but I feel satisfied being able to contribute to the public interest this way. (Of course, the librarians were far more interested in the donation of 2,000 comic books I made last year. The fact that I owned so many, and that the library was so interested, says something about me and them, I suppose.) I have something of a middle position on unsolicited textbooks. I have, in the last three years, given over a dozen textbooks to my local public library. They have sold some to raise money to expand their collection, and have put others on the shelves. I don’t think that local residents will actually check these books out of the library all that often (interest in history being what it is), but I feel satisfied being able to contribute to the public interest this way.

(Of course, the librarians were far more interested in the donation of 2,000 comic books I made last year. The fact that I owned so many, and that the library was so interested, says something about me and them, I suppose.)

]]> By: Historiann http://www.historiann.com/2009/01/03/hotshot-harry-day-2-at-the-aha-a-photo-of-the-candidates-in-the-job-center-might-be-worthy-of-walker-evans/comment-page-1/#comment-172691 Historiann Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:40:22 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=2688#comment-172691 Ick--yes, I think faculty selling the books they're sent unsolicited is borderline immoral, let alone sending away for books that they intend to re-sell! Good for your campus to turn away the book buyback people. A few years ago, I invited my grad students into my office to take away the free textbooks, course readers, primary source readers, etc. I'd been sent unsolicited. (Grad students usually appreciate books, and since many of them will need decent reference books, I thought they were worthy.) I walked out for a few minutes to give the students some room to browse, and when I came back in I found a total stranger in my office with them taking away some of the books! When I asked her who the hell she was and what she was doing in my office uninvited, she said she was a book re-seller but that the books she was taking were for her daughter, a high-school student. I called bull$hit on that and asked her to leave, and informed her that my materials would be donated to my grad students only. I couldn't believe this larceny. Tacky, tacky, tacky. Ick–yes, I think faculty selling the books they’re sent unsolicited is borderline immoral, let alone sending away for books that they intend to re-sell! Good for your campus to turn away the book buyback people.

A few years ago, I invited my grad students into my office to take away the free textbooks, course readers, primary source readers, etc. I’d been sent unsolicited. (Grad students usually appreciate books, and since many of them will need decent reference books, I thought they were worthy.) I walked out for a few minutes to give the students some room to browse, and when I came back in I found a total stranger in my office with them taking away some of the books! When I asked her who the hell she was and what she was doing in my office uninvited, she said she was a book re-seller but that the books she was taking were for her daughter, a high-school student. I called bull$hit on that and asked her to leave, and informed her that my materials would be donated to my grad students only.

I couldn’t believe this larceny. Tacky, tacky, tacky.

]]> By: R Collins http://www.historiann.com/2009/01/03/hotshot-harry-day-2-at-the-aha-a-photo-of-the-candidates-in-the-job-center-might-be-worthy-of-walker-evans/comment-page-1/#comment-172683 R Collins Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:26:43 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=2688#comment-172683 Historiann And I am a mathematics prof so that is why I try my best to put a dent in the prices. It didn't hurt that my favorite textbook came out in paperback. We have a ban on our campus on the book buyback guys. They are turned around at the door. We also have a ban on the reselling of our textbooks that we get for free. Had a few profs who were ordering books like crazy, and then just reselling them at the faculty book resell places for alternative income. Historiann
And I am a mathematics prof so that is why I try my best to put a dent in the prices. It didn’t hurt that my favorite textbook came out in paperback.
We have a ban on our campus on the book buyback guys. They are turned around at the door. We also have a ban on the reselling of our textbooks that we get for free. Had a few profs who were ordering books like crazy, and then just reselling them at the faculty book resell places for alternative income.

]]> By: Historiann http://www.historiann.com/2009/01/03/hotshot-harry-day-2-at-the-aha-a-photo-of-the-candidates-in-the-job-center-might-be-worthy-of-walker-evans/comment-page-1/#comment-172678 Historiann Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:19:59 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=2688#comment-172678 R Collins--yeah, don't get me started on Book Buyback week. Once again, students were lined up to shuck off their used books *before classes were even finished* in December. Students would do better to sell their used books on Amazon! However, I have to say that history profs are far from the worst offenders in terms of book prices. For most of my classes, I assign 5 paper monographs, which can cost up to about $115.00 (if all are brand-new) but which can usually be had for less if purchased used and/or on-line. These are supplemented with primary source handouts (which I provide gratis) plus on-line journal articles that are accessible via our library. It's the large textbooks for economics, engineering, and other science and math courses that make for the big-dollar courses. R Collins–yeah, don’t get me started on Book Buyback week. Once again, students were lined up to shuck off their used books *before classes were even finished* in December. Students would do better to sell their used books on Amazon!

However, I have to say that history profs are far from the worst offenders in terms of book prices. For most of my classes, I assign 5 paper monographs, which can cost up to about $115.00 (if all are brand-new) but which can usually be had for less if purchased used and/or on-line. These are supplemented with primary source handouts (which I provide gratis) plus on-line journal articles that are accessible via our library. It’s the large textbooks for economics, engineering, and other science and math courses that make for the big-dollar courses.

]]> By: R Collins http://www.historiann.com/2009/01/03/hotshot-harry-day-2-at-the-aha-a-photo-of-the-candidates-in-the-job-center-might-be-worthy-of-walker-evans/comment-page-1/#comment-172661 R Collins Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:49:49 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=2688#comment-172661 Many of the profs now not only wait for a paperback but send their students to the amazon.com and alibris.com websites to buy those same books for twenty percent of the original price after they have been out for a few months. Our bookstore gave only a ten percent discount on used textbooks; it is criminal to expect students to pay a thousand dollars a semester for books for their courses. The prices are well out of hand. Many of the profs now not only wait for a paperback but send their students to the amazon.com and alibris.com websites to buy those same books for twenty percent of the original price after they have been out for a few months. Our bookstore gave only a ten percent discount on used textbooks; it is criminal to expect students to pay a thousand dollars a semester for books for their courses. The prices are well out of hand.

]]> By: Historiann http://www.historiann.com/2009/01/03/hotshot-harry-day-2-at-the-aha-a-photo-of-the-candidates-in-the-job-center-might-be-worthy-of-walker-evans/comment-page-1/#comment-171651 Historiann Sun, 04 Jan 2009 19:14:11 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=2688#comment-171651 Aren't you cute-as-a-button, Cameron Blevins! All in good fun, I hope you agree. And thanks for the further intel on the wireless network--how supremely convenient that it's working in the bar! I'd buy you a Boilermaker myself, if I were in NYC myself, but alas... Aren’t you cute-as-a-button, Cameron Blevins! All in good fun, I hope you agree. And thanks for the further intel on the wireless network–how supremely convenient that it’s working in the bar! I’d buy you a Boilermaker myself, if I were in NYC myself, but alas…

]]> By: Cameron Blevins http://www.historiann.com/2009/01/03/hotshot-harry-day-2-at-the-aha-a-photo-of-the-candidates-in-the-job-center-might-be-worthy-of-walker-evans/comment-page-1/#comment-171648 Cameron Blevins Sun, 04 Jan 2009 19:12:35 +0000 http://www.historiann.com/?p=2688#comment-171648 Couldn't agree more about the celebrity complex, especially for us fresh faced younger attendees who have never seen these people in person before. Also the wireless network I've found is around the bar area and is "hhonors". Couldn’t agree more about the celebrity complex, especially for us fresh faced younger attendees who have never seen these people in person before.
Also the wireless network I’ve found is around the bar area and is “hhonors”.

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