universidade federal de santa catarina pós-graduação em letras ...

76Although their main role is to enhance scholarly interaction between researchers,BRs have at least one secondary role which is to provide librarians with accessible andsynthetic evaluation of reference books (Chen, 1976:2). These librarians would representnon-expert readers and potential buyers of books that seek for highly qualified advice onwhat is relevant for the body of disciplinary knowledge at that point of the developmentof the research program. But aiming at this secondary objective can be negativelyaffected by delays in publishing BRs of new material, especially in fields that advancesare measured at short intervals:[C]Reviewers have to work fast, but unfortunately, sometimes that is not whathappens. A reviewer might take two years to hand his/her text back to thejournal, after accepting the invitation to produce the review, in spite of letters andtelephone calls.Some books, for example, will be reviewed soon after being released and thus willhave greater impact than others which may receive attention much later (sometimes solate that in fact other more up-to-date or better books would appear, making the very actof reviewing or buying the book a less important or even worthless action).3.2.3 Reasons for reviewing booksFor a junior scholar, it is an opportunity to get published and thus getstarted in the disciplinary debate that is fostered by journals. Althoughaccording to the editors, senior scholars do not do it on regular basis forlack of time and interest, book reviews can still serve them the special socialfunction of acknowledging other senior colleagues’ work. Finally, for less