major bookstore chain--ugggh!

[David Skinner]

Barnes and Nobles across from University of Texas, has ASL book in the foreign language section along with spoken langugae learning tapes and books.



On Friday, March 31, 1939, Angus B. Grieve-Smith <grvsmth at UNM.EDU> wrote:
>        The original Barnes and Noble in New York is much more
>academically oriented -- but that means that the signed-language books
>are placed in the medical/nursing section!
>
>--
>                        -Angus B. Grieve-Smith
>                        Linguistics Department
>                        University of New Mexico
>                        grvsmth at unm.edu
>
>On Fri, 11 Feb 2000, Linda Lee Lonning wrote:
>
>> Hello everyone--
>>
>> An aside on how we see signed languages treated in terms of their
>> recognition in their placement in libraries and even in bookstores.  (I
>> read the ISO one initial email realllly quickly so excuse me if I'm not
>> capturing the essence of what ISO is exactly used for.)
>>
>> It has always rubbed me the wrong way as I peruse my area bookstores here
>> in Milwaukee (I'm talking specifically about our Barnes and Noble chain
>> here) to see ASL  **NOT** in the section for foreign languages (in the
>> case of ASL, and many other languages being present, please excuse the
>> reference to "foreign" in this case...but you see my point)...but they
>> place them in the *reference section (with the dictionaries, after all,
>> you can "learn" sign language by just memorizing a bunch of pictures,
>> right??  Uhhh!  ...OR I also see sign language books placed by the
>> enlarged-print books!  (After all, that's what sign language is, right?
>> An auxillary "device" or mechanism for communication, right??
>> Double-uhhh!!)
>>
>> I've asked personel at each book store what their rationale is for the
>> placement of sign language books where they are and explained that it
>> would more fairly placed at least with the "foreign" languages.  I've
>> submitted a feedback card to their regional or corporate office (where
>> ever that one was supposed to go)...NO response at all.  I was told I
>> should write something like their regional headquarters, etc.  Wow.  How
>> customer-friendly (?!)  BUT I'm told, the placement of media for Barnes
>> and Noble is decided higher up.
>>
>> I encourage folks to stop in their local bookstores/chains and check-out
>> where sign language/Deaf culture books are placed as well.  Let me know
>> what you find-- ;) .
>>
>> Linda L. Lonning, BS, CI & CT
>> University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee--Part-time Staff Interpreter
>> Community-based Interpreter with 3 Area Agencies
>>
>
>