Joe Strupp of Editor & Publisher writes Wednesday about the closing of The Wall Street Journal‘s research library due to recent staff cutbacks on March 23.
Strupp writes, “Asked to comment on the library closing and Norman’s memo, Journal Spokesman Robert Christie stated in an e-mail to E&P: ‘Yes, we are closing the library. It is regrettable. Our reporters do have access to multiple databases including Factiva and this migration to digital databases as you has been happening for many years.’
“Officially an assistant librarian, Norman has been running the library since 2007 when the previous librarian left. She has been at the Journal since 2005, with four years’ prior experience at Bloomberg’s library. She declined comment, but confirmed the memo had been posted.
“‘I also love my job very much and I don’t see myself finding a news librarian job in the near future. Every day is different and a challenge. No offense but being a public librarian would drive me crazy,’ she adds in the memo, which noted she may be able to remain in her post under a contract status without benefits, but has no confirmation yet. ‘I’m even worried about the microfilm. Between where the Proquest historical database leaves off and our PDF archives begins, there is about 10 years where the only physical form of the paper exists on microfilm.'”
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