national: Concordia prof making bucks off books?
Nawfal Sheikh, The Link, Concordia

A Concordia University professor forced his students to buy a $60 book that he wrote by borrowing all of the available copies himself, an employee at the university's library claims.

John Bassett, a circulation desk worker, says communications professor Nikos Metallinos donated copies of a book that he wrote to the library and made it required reading for one of his classes. Bassett says Metallinos later took out all of the library's copies, forcing students to shell out their own money to access the material.

In an e-mail to a Concordia students' union councillor, Bassett accused Metallinos of contravening the library's mandate.

"This undermines our very purpose and has all the staff and librarians really upset," Bassett said in the e-mail. "We're here to provide free access to information, not withholding it to line a professor's pocket."

Bassett and two other library workers, who chose to remain anonymous for fear of administrative reprisals, said Metallinos did the same thing last year. Bassett said Metallinos was incensed when the library asked for the books back.

"When [the books] were recalled [Metallinos] called to complain about having received the letters. We explained to him that somebody else wanted it," said Bassett.

"He just got really upset and said, 'well too bad, I'm going to keep them the entire semester,' - and he did. Consequently, he had $20 in overdue fees to pay; the fees were waived," Bassett added.

According to the library's loan policy, faculty are allowed to take out books for up to 120 days and are subject to recall after two weeks if a request for the book is made.

Metallinos denies he took out the books to make money off students. He said he had legitimate reason to borrow every copy from the library.

Metallinos said he was "re-editing" the book, which was originally published in 1996. He also said he monitors the books after a student told him "a couple of years ago" the copies had heaps of "notes and slang."

As well, the professor said he was concerned students had identified potential quiz material in the book that could hinder further reading.

Asked if this was the first time he withdrew his own book from the library Metallinos hesitated and said, "yes." When questioned further, Metallinos said he couldn't recall.

"Well, I don't know. I honestly do not remember, don't recall something specific like that and even if it was, perhaps it would be for the same reasons."

Metallinos returned the books to the library several hours after being interviewed.

"They were returned today," confirmed a library employee who answered the phone.

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