2020 RF Cheers and Jeers!

In the spirit of the season—Ho, ho, ho!—Readers First is not jeering this year. This is a break from tradition—typically we like to voice the snark that many librarians might harbor but are simply too nice to say. Feature writes who want a source that will slag publisher and vendor come our way, knowing we will lay it on with a trowel. Instead, this year we cheer all publishers and vendors who have offered special terms and even free access on content during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping beleaguered readers (and librarians) have better access to a time when many physical collections were inaccessible. There are too many to thank individually but a listed (somewhat outdated, alas) may be found posted by the U of South Dakota library, Vendor Love in a Time of COVID. Not included in this list is Amazon, which we at RF hope will ink a deal with DPLA (as reported earlier on RF) to bring previously exclusive content to library readers. Amazon earned an RF jeer last year—we’re withholding the raspberry this year pending the outcome of those negotiations.

If you are not on the list at this link and want a mention, please post below!

Cheers, too, to all librarians and library organizations that expanded digital content offerings, created virtual programming, advocated for funding, and advocated with vendors to help their readers. The pandemic has revealed weaknesses in places, but it has also shown how nimble, able to transform, and dedicated librarians are to providing content and services under even the most trying circumstances.

Here’s to a brighter 2021 for all!