Overnight, Chicago-based divine, Inc. has become the bete noire of the library community. It took millions of dollars from libraries for journal subscriptions, but failed to pass the money on to publishers. Then it sought bankruptcy protection for its subscription agency, leaving thousands of angry librarians uncertain about whether they'll ever receive the journals they paid for. A visit to the first European "divine Day," held Jan. 20 at the height of the crisis, was a disorienting experience. In a darkened auditorium at a plush hotel in the U.K.'s West Midlands, a corporate promotional video is running. A soothing voice intones, "divine understands the challenges facing businesses today." An upbeat musical accompaniment plays in the background.
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