I guess it’s the week for small town library drama, although I’m not sure this one would make a good movie of the week. Maybe a brief spot on 60 Minutes. A kind reader sent this article criticizing a weeding project at a public library in Urbana, IL. The title gives a good indication of [...]
Libraries
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Most Topular Stories
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Weeding Woes in the Prairie State
Annoyed Librarian19 Jun 2013 | 3:00 am -
One Library’s Twitter Strategy
David Lee King18 Jun 2013 | 11:13 amMy library has been doing a few different things with our Twitter account the last couple of years, and have finally settled on a Twitter strategy to try for the next 6 months or so. Who’s connecting with us? Our Twitter followers tend more towards marketers, advertisers, start-up business types, the “activist/we get stuff done” types in town, the 20-40 year old business up-and-comers, and a lot of media types (broadcast, newspaper, and some radio journalists). And a bunch of young geeks. We are focusing on this type of content: What’s interesting (to the library)… -
Recommendations for Digital Literacy Program and Libraries
Librarian by Day14 Jun 2013 | 5:26 pmI am pleased to report that ALA OITP Digital Literacy Task Force (of which I was a member, it has disbanded) released the final Conclusions and Recommendations for Digital Literacy Programs and Libraries. You can download the full report and read the blog post at Digital Dispatch. I have highlighted some sections I believe are the most important specifically sections related to libraries as powerful partners in their communities, working with others on digital literacy issues and demonstrating the attractiveness of libraries as partners in their communities the importance of a culture of… -
Serendipitously browsed: gems of american scenery
librarian.net10 Jun 2013 | 10:17 amI went to the Windsor Library in Windsor Vermont this weekend to take a look at their seed library. It was really neat. The whole building was terrific with large photographs of people from the community. Jim and I poked around in their historical books room and found this gem. It’s a collection of stereoscopic “Albertypes” in a book by Charles and Edward Bierstadt, brother to the more famous Albert (name of photographic process just a coincidence). The book comes with a little viewer built in to the book cover so that the images can be seen in 3D. I took a few photos of the… -
Eight New Publishers to Join UPCC
ResourceShelf18 Jun 2013 | 3:56 pmFrom Project Muse : Eight distinguished scholarly presses, including the recently-revived University of Missouri Press and the Chinese University Press, are confirmed to join the University Press Content Consortium (UPCC) and make their books available digitally on the Project MUSE platform in 2014. Cornell University Press, Northern Illinois University Press, Ohio State [...]
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David Lee King
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One Library’s Twitter Strategy
18 Jun 2013 | 11:13 amMy library has been doing a few different things with our Twitter account the last couple of years, and have finally settled on a Twitter strategy to try for the next 6 months or so. Who’s connecting with us? Our Twitter followers tend more towards marketers, advertisers, start-up business types, the “activist/we get stuff done” types in town, the 20-40 year old business up-and-comers, and a lot of media types (broadcast, newspaper, and some radio journalists). And a bunch of young geeks. We are focusing on this type of content: What’s interesting (to the library)… -
Twitter has Analytics!
14 Jun 2013 | 7:15 amWay back in 2011, Twitter announced they were starting to offer Analytics for some Twitter accounts. Finally – almost two years later, they are offering analytics to everyone! Here’s how you access those analytics: Get into your Twitter account (the web version) Click the Settings icon (looks like a gear) Click Twitter Ads (and sign in again. If you haven’t signed up for Twitter Ads, you’ll need to do that first. No cost associated with signing up, so do it for the analytics) Once you’re logged into Twitter Ads, click Analytics (in the black bar at the top of the… -
Libraries and Tumblr – last one from #BEA2013
11 Jun 2013 | 7:15 amI attended a session on Tumblr and libraries, mainly because I have to admit – I don’t get Tumblr. I use it personally as a blog, but it is HUGE as more of a discovery tool for content, especially visual content. And a bunch of librarians also use it as a discussion/sharing tool (check out http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/tumblarian). Looks like some libraries are using Tumblr very successfully! The panel included: Molly McArdle, library journal (moderator) Rachel Fershleiser, Tumblr Angela Montefinise, NYPL Erin Shea, Darien Library Kate Tkacik, Bank of Montreal Library Some… -
Ebooks in Libraries – #BEA2013
6 Jun 2013 | 7:15 amBefore I give you my two cents on this particular session, here are links to two articles that describe the session pretty well: BEA Panel Suggests Publishers Still Clueless about Library E-Books and Piracy BEA 2013: Is E-book Lending Good for Authors? Panelists included: Ginger Clark, Moderator – Literary Agent, Curtis Brown LTD Jack Perry, Owner, 38enso Inc. Maureen Sullivan, President, American Library Association (ALA) Paul Aiken, Executive Director, Authors Guild Steve Potash, President and CEO, Overdrive Carolyn Reidy, president and CEO of Simon & Schuster I have to admit… -
Goodreads Advanced Strategies – #BEA2013
5 Jun 2013 | 7:10 amPatrick Brown, Director, Author Marketing at Goodreads gave a talk on Goodreads. Good stuff! First, some info about Goodreads: 18 million members. Doubled in size in 2012. Acquired by Amazon in march. Still working things out. What isn’t changing. Goodreads is for all readers, no matter how you read. Working on new features. Discovery, discussion, and author program. 250 books added to the to read shelves every minute. And now for some tips for authors using the Goodreads Author profile (here’s a link to my Goodreads author profile): Build your platform. Metadata – make sure…
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librarian.net
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Serendipitously browsed: gems of american scenery
10 Jun 2013 | 10:17 amI went to the Windsor Library in Windsor Vermont this weekend to take a look at their seed library. It was really neat. The whole building was terrific with large photographs of people from the community. Jim and I poked around in their historical books room and found this gem. It’s a collection of stereoscopic “Albertypes” in a book by Charles and Edward Bierstadt, brother to the more famous Albert (name of photographic process just a coincidence). The book comes with a little viewer built in to the book cover so that the images can be seen in 3D. I took a few photos of the… -
Link roundup, things you might like
18 May 2013 | 6:44 amWhen nerds collide – some advice on managing groups of volunteers for one-off library projects I failed to communicate the “why” of this project to the volunteers. Before turning my volunteers loose, I needed to explain the general workflow of the library. By saying, “here is a list of books to pull” or “adjust the shelves so they look like this” wasn’t enough information for them to grasp the bigger picture. Taking a moment to discuss how the library functions, sans library jargon, would have helped them understand the overall goals for the project. Highlights from Ian… -
What is going on with New York’s public libraries?
15 May 2013 | 7:36 amRising demand for NY’s libraries and lowering support. Source. I know people are probably pretty up on the general level of change, upheaval and consternation that are happening surrounding NYPLs big changes, most notably the changes at the Central Library but also the closure and sale of the Mid-Manhattan branch. You may not know about the closure and sale of some of the Brooklyn Public Library’s branches in which buildings are being sold and new spaces are being leased/rented to fit the library collections, programs and staff into. I know we’ve been fighting against some… -
“Who are your guys?” some radical librarian resources
9 May 2013 | 9:27 amcc image from Wyoming_Jackrabbit I listen a lot to Marc Maron’s WTF podcast about comedy. He interviews pretty much everyone you’ve ever heard of in the comedy world (and some people you may not have heard of) and one of the things he always asks people are “Who are your guys?” like who did you come up with in the comedy world and who did you identify with or look up to when you got started? I recently got an email from a library school student who is an anarchist librarian wondering a similar thing basically who my guys were and what resources were out there for… -
National Library Week starts now
14 Apr 2013 | 6:40 pmHappy National Library Week. This is the week that encompasses a few more days worth celebrating including National Library Workers Day on Tuesday, National Bookmobile Day on Wednesday and Support Teen Literature Day on Thursday. Oxford University Press is giving away free access to the OED for folks in North and South America through Saturday. That’s sort of neat. I just got back from a very fun time giving a keynote speech at NETSL (more on that later) which was the first talk I’ve given all year. This was after Flavorwire’s “Coolest librarians alive” list…
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ResourceShelf
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Eight New Publishers to Join UPCC
18 Jun 2013 | 3:56 pmFrom Project Muse : Eight distinguished scholarly presses, including the recently-revived University of Missouri Press and the Chinese University Press, are confirmed to join the University Press Content Consortium (UPCC) and make their books available digitally on the Project MUSE platform in 2014. Cornell University Press, Northern Illinois University Press, Ohio State [...] -
New Dialog Debuts at SLA
13 Jun 2013 | 4:43 amFrom Knowledgespeak : The completely rebuilt Dialog information service made its official debut at the Special Libraries Association Conference in San Diego. Now called ProQuest Dialog , the service reinvents a classic resource making its rich, unique content – about a billion documents – accessible for the first time to searchers of [...] -
Mapping America's Libraries
13 Jun 2013 | 4:27 amFrom The Atlantic : “There’s always that joke that there’s a Starbucks on every corner," says Justin Grimes, a statistician with the Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington. "But when you really think about it, there’s a public library wherever you go, whether it’s in New York City or some [...] -
Bing to Power Siri's Web Search
11 Jun 2013 | 11:00 amFrom Bing Blogs: Starting this fall with iOS 7, Bing will power Siri's new integrated web search. When users ask Siri a question either the specific answer or web search links will now be delivered automatically so users can find information even faster. We are thrilled that all the great results [...] -
EBSCO Information Services Provides Access to AMA Marketing Watch
6 Jun 2013 | 9:14 amFrom the press release : Marketing professionals now have access to the latest insights from marketing thought leaders through AMA Marketing Watch™ from EBSCO Information Services. Created with the guidance of experts at the American Marketing Association, the continually updated resource provides information on best practices and contains concise summaries of each [...]
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Agnostic, Maybe
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Roll the Dice
9 Jun 2013 | 10:05 amThis past week I had the chance to attend a day of the New Jersey Library Association Annual conference down in Atlantic City. In its own way, the location is somewhat apropos as a setting for a librarian gathering. The glamour of the Boardwalk Empire days lives on as a fiction of television, depicting a time when the city was America’s choice destination resort of the 1920’s. The legendary acts of Frank Sinatra, Martin and Lewis, and Sammy Davis Jr. at the 500 Club in the 1950’s would influence and entertain generations of people. But the city has been in a slow decline since the… -
No Laughing Matters
30 May 2013 | 10:29 pmToday at the library I was doing a one-on-one instruction session with a person who is relatively new to using the computer. He has taken my computer classes and scheduled these additional sessions so as to get some individual instruction to be able to get his resume typed and start applying for jobs. It’s been a slow process as he is used to using an electronic typewriter (still own one, in fact) and some of the typewriter-vs-computer aspects have been harder to grasp. But, even in its labored pace, he has been eager to learn more, practice what I’ve taught him, and do additional… -
Say Yes to the Sweater Vest
27 May 2013 | 8:21 pmIf you haven’t seen it yet, Sarah Houghton recently wrote a blog post entitled, “Wear What You Want: Dressing to Lead in Libraries”. It’s a great piece about dressing for the library workplace in which she advocates for personal style but acknowledges the existence of dress codes as well as peer and public expectations. It’s also receiving inevitable pushback from the people of the “you can’t just wear anything” camp despite Sarah’s acknowledgements of the limitations of her “wear anything” position. People seem to forget that just because her position doesn’t apply to… -
Scene Missing
15 May 2013 | 2:40 pmI usually don’t write about my work at the library because a good number of solid personal reasons, but something happened today that really shook me. One portion of my job is computer instruction; I teach all of the computer classes at my branch plus I offer one-on-one sessions by appointment. The latter are for subjects that I don’t teach in the classroom setting since they don’t generate enough interest to warrant reserving the computer lab. Plus it also gives me a chance to provide additional individual attention to someone who needs a little extra time or care. Personally, I think… -
Guest Post: Why am I getting my MLIS? Because I have to.
5 May 2013 | 9:48 pmWhen I tell people I’m in graduate school studying to be a librarian, I receive the response, “You need a Master’s degree for that?” I find myself struggling to defend it. Librarians do more than what the average person realizes, but how much of that is really gained through the MLS? I usually wind up confessing it is like a stamp to gain entry a nightclub. I’ve been advised countless times by librarians that your coursework doesn’t really matter, but your experience does. I agree that there is no teacher greater than experience, but isn’t this a huge flaw in our profession’s…
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theanalogdivide
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Deleted Scenes
6 Jun 2013 | 8:20 pmThis past Wednesday I had the unique privilege of doing a talk with Richard Kong and Leah White at the Small Public Library Management Institute down in Springfield. SPLMI (it’s a library event, so it’s gotta have an acronym, innit?), is an weeklong program put on by the Illinois State Library just for managers and directors of small public libraries. It’s intense. It’s fairly comprehensive. And it’s only $50 bucks for the participants. As you can imagine, it’s a pretty amazing thing that the ISL puts on, and we were honored to be invited to speak. Our… -
Notes on the Midwinter Bump
23 Jan 2013 | 1:16 pmFor those unfamiliar with the Midwinter Bump, I thought I’d post a more thorough explanation of what this crazy project is all about. Essentially, I’m looking to quantify the ways librarian efforts contribute to book sales. What I need: I need a co-conspirator from each awards committee. In order to conspire properly, I’ll need you to provide two titles. The first one is easy: simply the winner of said prize. If it’s a category that awards multiple titles, I’d prefer one or two titles that would gain the most from greater attention. (I’m guessing Gone… -
See You in Seattle
23 Jan 2013 | 10:57 amThe ALA Midwinter Meeting is quickly sneaking up on us. Some of you may be on their way to Seattle as we speak. This will be my first MW, as I’ve never been heavily involved in national committee work. I’ve never been one to take half-steps into anything, so I’ll be hitting the Pacific Northwest with a lot on my plate. Here’s where you’ll find me: LITA Happy Hour: I’ll be arriving in Seattle sometime Friday afternoon, so this seems like a good way to ease into Business Mode and touch base with all of you whom I haven’t seen (in person, at least) in a… -
Thanks, Reaching Forward!
7 May 2012 | 11:58 amI was given the opportunity to give two talks at Reaching Forward this year, in partnership with Tony Molaro of Prairie State College. For those of you outside of Illinois, Reaching Forward is the state’s annual conference for library support staff. This is the second time I’ve been to this conference, and I’ve always had a great time. Thanks to the fine folks at the Illinois Library Association for putting together a great event, and to Tony for being a fantastic co-presenter. Here are the slides: Lifehacker: Technology to Improve Your Life View more presentations from… -
Midwinter Bump: Preliminary Findings
31 Jan 2012 | 2:31 pmHow about that Midwinter Bump, eh? If you follow EarlyWord, you’ve probably seen the dramatic immediate effect the Caldecott, Newbery, and Printz awards have had on the Amazon rankings of their respective winners. One week out, we’ve got to ask ourselves the inevitable question: is it sustainable? So far, we’re seeing some qualified successes in a number of categories. Here’s the chart compiling the before-and-afters that I’ve received so far. Titles that have gained in Amazon ranking since the awards are noted in green, while those that have shown a…
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Librarian by Day
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Recommendations for Digital Literacy Program and Libraries
14 Jun 2013 | 5:26 pmI am pleased to report that ALA OITP Digital Literacy Task Force (of which I was a member, it has disbanded) released the final Conclusions and Recommendations for Digital Literacy Programs and Libraries. You can download the full report and read the blog post at Digital Dispatch. I have highlighted some sections I believe are the most important specifically sections related to libraries as powerful partners in their communities, working with others on digital literacy issues and demonstrating the attractiveness of libraries as partners in their communities the importance of a culture of… -
It Takes a Library: It is Time to Change the Tone of the Conversation About the Future of Libraries #ittakesalibrary
6 Jun 2013 | 6:25 amLast night Emily Lloyd tweeted Hashtag I’d like to see: #ittakesalibrary. Especially in place of #savelibraries. — Emily Lloyd (@PoesyGalore) June 6, 2013 YES THIS PLEASE! It is past time to change the tone of the conversation around the future of libraries. Nina McHale wrote I hope that in five years, the person next to one of us on a flight won’t say, “Do we need libraries, since everything is online?” They’ll get, instinctively, the inherent value of not just libraries, but LIBRARIANS to society. Let’s not wait five years. Let’s start working… -
Once a Librarian, Always a Librarian?
4 Jun 2013 | 8:46 amI recently posted to Facebook Dear ALA, Library Journal, and others: I have an MLS. I paid good money for it. I earned it. I am a librarian. Forever. The fact that I do not currently (nor may ever again) work in a library does not change that fact. Please make room for me on your surveys etc. Thank you. Bobbi, MLS Forever. Then I made this Then someone at ALA sent me a message saying they completely agreed with me and asked me what this meant to me. How does an ALA that supports librarians who do not currently work in libraries look to me. Which I thought was a great response and a completely… -
On Lean In – Did Sandberg Forget that Some Women (and Men) are Childless?
24 May 2013 | 8:47 amThis is meant not as a harsh criticism but rather a gentle reminder to Sheryl Sandberg. I enjoyed Lean In and I agree with, and relate to, a great deal of what Sandberg says. Sheryl – there are women in the workplace, and at home, who do not have children for one reason or another and we would like a seat at your table. I almost didn’t read Lean In. When it came out I was finishing up the semester and I read some of the critiques of it. But I must have placed a hold at the public library and my turn on the list came around right as the semester ended so I thought why not? I really enjoyed… -
My 2013 Summer Reading Books List
19 May 2013 | 2:24 pmMy reading list for the summer of 2013, there are over 30 books on this list. It is unlikely I will read them all. It is likely I will read books that are not on this list. Some of these books I have already read, or read portions of, but would like to reread all or part of. The books are no particular order. Some of them are related to my library interests, some are related to my political science interests, some to my communications interests, and some are just general interest. Enjoy Carr, Patrick J. Hollowing Out the Middle: The Rural Brain Drain and What It Means for America (started…
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Librarian in Black Blog – Sarah Houghton
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Cancer: I Will Punch You in the Feelings
12 Jun 2013 | 2:14 pmUpdate: Surgery *is* happening today at 2:20pm PST. Thankfully I can get it over with. Think happy thoughts of kittens & rainbows. Hello all. I want to begin with a heartfelt expression of gratitude and amazement at your outpouring of support, shared cancer stories, and advice. I have been stunned by how “not alone” I have felt as a result of sharing my story. I figured I’d get a couple of messages from close friends or an “oh yes, I had that ten years ago” story or two, but the magnitude of your kindness has humbled me greatly. I’ve had a few hundred… -
Cancer: I Will Kill It Dead
6 Jun 2013 | 8:40 amI have bad news and I have good news. You should probably read both. Bad News: I have been diagnosed with cervical cancer at the age of 36. Good News: We caught it very early and the cancer is small enough that a surgical procedure will get rid of it. My doctors are optimistic about my prognosis and all of my insane middle-of-the-night librarian research tells me the same thing. This is highly survivable thanks to catching it early in a regular exam. My friends and family have been extremely supportive and I am thankful for all of their positive energy and snarky humor that’s helping me… -
Wear What You Want: Dressing to Lead in Libraries
24 May 2013 | 2:57 pmUpdate: I’ve now deleted seven comments off of the blog (and three emails) that had no discursive value, no points to be made, no arguments or positions taken, but were just pointed name calling and insults. I’m all for open and free commenting, but what you write has to fit the two simple guidelines listed on the site: No spam, personal attacks, or rude or intolerant comments AND Comments need to actually relate to the blog post topic. An interesting discussion happened today on Twitter about clothing and librarianship. It all started with Jaime Corris Hammond (@jaimebc) posting… -
Call-For-Help systems: Crowdsourced Ideas from the ALA Think Tank
10 May 2013 | 3:33 pmWe’re looking for a security system here at the San Rafael Public Library–some kind of remote way to indicate “Hey, something’s definitely wrong with staff member X who’s dealing with the public right now – go help!” Staff at our various service desks at the Downtown Library (Circulation, Children’s, Adult, Administration) have no way to communicate to each other when something’s wrong at one of them (e.g. threatening individual, etc.). The Library has two different floors and all of the desks are visually separated from each other – there… -
My name is Sarah and I still have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
4 May 2013 | 12:21 pmMay is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Awareness Month. What is that, you may ask? If you’re a longtime reader of my blog, you’ll know that I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. You can read my posts from previous years (2009, 2011, 2012) for details on what EDS is and how it has affected my life. In short, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is a connective tissue disorder. My body makes collagen that is messed up on a fundamental level. Collagen is everywhere–skin, internal organs, tendons, ligaments–so bad collagen = bad lots of other stuff. What is EDS like for me? I live every day in pain.
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Helene Blowers |
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Could this be a library?
24 May 2013 | 8:24 amIn my travels this week I found myself delayed at LaGuardia for three hours due to mechanical issues. Travel delays are never fun, especially when you’re on a tight time table. But this time, I didn’t seem to mind so much because I was at Delta’s terminal D and this was the site around me…Literally hundreds of free access ipads available and attached to every visible area of counter space. The traditional rows of seating near the gates were replaced by workspace counters and ipads that provide free internet, the ability to order have food ordered to your station (credit cards swipes… -
IPL Talk - From Libraries to Lifebraries
21 Nov 2012 | 12:41 pmVisiting innovative public libraries and talking with passionate library staff are among my favorite “professional extracurricular” activities. I always come away inspired by what I see and proud to work in such a honorable profession. Two weeks ago, my travels, afforded me the opportunity to speak with staff from the Indianapolis Public Library on their annual Staff Day. I had heard so much about the Central Library expansion that has happened several years ago, but had never had the chance to see the space in person. The Learning Curve,… -
Moving News
5 Oct 2012 | 11:25 amOk, so I’ve been holding onto this information for over a week now and busting at the gut to share the news more publicly. After 5 years here at the Columbus Metropolitan Library I’m moving onto a new chapter in my career – helping libraries continue to innovate services in a) a position that aligns more closely to product development and strategy and b) in a role that will allow me to work with and be a stronger active advocate for the library community. I won’t be moving far, since OCLC's corporate headquarters is… -
Measuring Social Media
19 Sep 2012 | 8:36 pmMy column for this month’s Computer in Libraries magazine on measuring digital media is available this month as a free html. Since this doesn’t happen very often, I thought it was worth noting :-)Measuring Social Media and the Greater Digital Landscape Remember the good old days of the internet, when the measurement of your organization’s digital landscape was merely tracked in page hits, site visits, and unique visitors? The tools used for tracking and reporting website usage were simple and straightforward then. Data always came from the same primary source, the server’s… -
International Young Librarians Academy
17 Sep 2012 | 6:46 pmIt’s been a fast few weeks since I flew to Latvia to participate as an instructor in the International Young Librarians Academy. Although my schedule didn’t allow for me to stay for all of the weeklong event, my time in Yentspils with over 50 young librarians from all over Eastern Europe was memorable and enlightening. So much enthusiasm, fresh ideas and energy! I was indeed sorry to leave when I had to.Anyway, here are the slides from my main presentation on modern libraries. As one young librarian from Prague commented afterwards… “what I like most…
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Swiss Army Librarian
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Social Networking Cliff Notes, 18 June 2013 Edition
19 Jun 2013 | 7:38 amImage courtesy of greyweed on flickrIn case you missed it, Monday's episode of NPR's All Things Considered had a segment interviewing teens on what social network tools they use, and why. Since I don't use most of these tools myself, it's hard for me to keep them all straight. The kids definitely mixed-and-matched tools based on what they wanted to accomplish, and routinely reposted content from one to others. I found all of this very interesting, and perhaps useful for libraries reaching out to patrons. Here is my take-away on current tools (which will be out of date by… -
Reference Question of the Week – 6/9/13
15 Jun 2013 | 9:12 amWednesday is my night to work at the library, and a couple hours before we closed I got an email from a coworker that just said, I just took a picture that I think will be perfect for your blog. Ask me about it before you leave. I had no idea what this might be, but at the end of the night, this was the picture from her phone: She found this amusing because it looked to her that this patron was so desperate for help that she was willing to kneel before the desk (and pray?). That is a funny thought, but when I explained to the rest of the evening staff what was really going on, they were even… -
Video: Who Needs Libraries? We All Do!
12 Jun 2013 | 8:00 amI don't know how I missed this video when it was originally posted last year, but it's making the rounds again and I'm happy to share: [video link] What a great approach to showing the relevance of libraries. Good job, MBLC! -
Reference Question of the Week – 6/2/13
8 Jun 2013 | 7:21 amI'm not exactly sure why this question stuck out in my mind this week, but it did. One of our regular patrons is a man with special needs who LOVES horror stories, superheros, movies, television, and reading. He's either in the library or calls every day, and generally all of his questions revolve around the above topics. So, it was slightly unusual one day when he called and asked, Can you find me Stephen King's email address? I thought of a horror story about the Red Sox I want to tell him so he can write a story about it. A perfectly reasonable request, and I actually became a little… -
Overhearing Cell Phone Conversations, And The Annoyance Therein
5 Jun 2013 | 7:06 amA little while ago I saw an interesting post on Lifehacker about why hearing a cell phone conversation is so annoying. I'd heard this theory before, and agree with it - at least, in my own anecdotal experience, overhearing a cell phone call is way more distracting than overhearing two people having a conversation. I'd even add one more element to their list: phone calls are more distracting than a conversation because of the pauses. When two people are having a conversation, since one or the other is constantly talking, it becomes sort of a constant background noise (which is easy for me to…
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ACRLog
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Ebooks Are not Electronic Journals
17 Jun 2013 | 11:05 amAs a physical science librarian I know journals are the primary form of scholarly communication in the sciences. While the particle physicists have arXiv and some of the cool-kids will tout non-traditional knowledge transfer though social media, my chemists use journals and are pretty comfortable with that. Of course, electronic journals are greatly preferred – it’s easy to print and you can grab articles off the web and file them away for the rest of your career. No photocopying or waiting – and your graduate students can practically live in the lab. This shouldn’t be news to any… -
Analyzing Authority @ the ACRL Conference
3 Jun 2013 | 3:38 pmOn the last morning of my last day at the ACRL Conference I tweeted out a quick observation: Would be interesting to text mine #acrl2013 tweets for the word “authority” — seems to be coming up in lots of contexts/sessions. — Maura Smale (@mauraweb) April 13, 2013 I got a couple of retweets and even started up a Twitter conversation with @nancyeadams, who shared a preprint of an article she’s written that discusses authority (among other topics), which I’m looking forward to reading this summer. But then it was time to head home. I’ve never done any… -
Shifting the Focus: Fostering Academic Integrity on Campus
27 May 2013 | 9:23 amACRLog welcomes a guest post from Elise Ferer, Humanities Liaison Librarian at Dickinson College. When I was in library school I did not see clear links between my role as a librarian and promoting academic integrity on campus. I knew plagiarism was bad (who doesn’t?), but what could a librarian do about it besides teaching how to cite properly? As a new librarian at my institution I was asked to work on the annual report on our online academic integrity tutorial that all incoming students are required to complete. After spending time with the tutorial thinking about it and seeing the… -
What I Gained With My MLIS
23 May 2013 | 12:00 amAs my Facebook and Instagram feeds are flooded with graduation photos, it’s time to reflect on my education, now that I graduated with my MLIS almost exactly a year ago. In the last few weeks, I’ve seen a lot of criticism of the MLIS curricula, and for good reason. Education is expensive and job outlooks are bleak; it makes sense that we need to re-evaluate this investment. I’ve been critical of our degree myself. But as I’ve read many posts questioning the value of our degree, I’ve tried to take stock of the 2 years I spent in school and consider how some of my more… -
Shared Governance and Library Faculty: Jazzing Academic Community
21 May 2013 | 5:51 pmACRLog welcomes a guest post from Sue Wiegand, Periodicals Librarian at St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN. As Commencement season draws near, I thought again of lines from Dana Goia’s poem: “Praise to the rituals that celebrate change…Because it is not the rituals we honor/but our trust in what they signify…” It’s been two years now since I served as Chair of our Faculty Assembly, the first librarian here to be elected to this role. Commencement is a ritual celebrating academic community — when we come together to celebrate the culmination of the…
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The Distant Librarian
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Free ebook: The Teacher-Librarianship by Distance Learning program at the University of Alberta
18 Jun 2013 | 9:00 amThe Teacher-Librarianship by Distance Learning program at the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada) is pleased to announce the publication of a new free ebook: Becoming and Being: Reflections on Teacher-Librarianship, edited by Jennifer Branch-Mueller, Kandise Salerno, and Joanne de Groot. Each chapter was written by 25 graduating (or soon to graduate) TLDL students as part of the final course in their MEd in Teacher-Librarianship. The book includes chapters on becoming a qualified teacher-librarian, space and place and the role of the teacher-librarian, teacher-librarians as instructional… -
Podcast Recommendation: The New Disruptors
14 Jun 2013 | 7:17 amI recently started listening to a new (to me) podcast called The New Disruptors, which you may find interesting. Its tagline is "Discussing the profound changes in the economy for making things." I just finished listening to episode 26, an interview with Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost, who have successfully crowdfunded three projects (two physical, one digital), and learned they had written a book about the experience, which, if you're considering launching something on Kickstarter or Indiegogo, is a must read! -
Excited about Netspeed 2013
10 Jun 2013 | 10:12 amNetspeed is Alberta's library technology conference, and it's been a few years since I've attended 'cause it always seemed to be about a year behind the times to me. I know, I'm responsible for the content too, and I have spoken at the conference in the past, but overall it just hasn't floated my boat in a while. That's why I'm really excited to see this year's program (PDF), which has the following things that will have me attending this year: Nora Young keynote Makerspaces (I know, about a year behind ;-) Responsive Web Design Community… -
Alberta Open Data Portal
28 May 2013 | 2:26 pmI haven't had a chance to look through it at all, but was really pleased to learn about the new Alberta Open Data Portal, which, ...makes data the provincial government collects on behalf of citizens publicly available in machine readable formats with an open licence. This means there are no technical or legal restrictions for using the data. By sharing this data, the Alberta government is increasing the transparency of government business, promoting economic opportunity and increasing citizen involvement in government. The open data portal currently contains about 280 data sets. New… -
Wonderful visualizations from Traverse Area District Library
22 May 2013 | 8:50 amServeral weeks ago as a result of a post by Michael Stephens I was introduced to this awesome page of usage visualizations at the Traverse Area District Library (Traverse City, MI). I had a great email exchange with the developer, Bill Rockwood, about how he put it together, and he's since posted a page outlining how it was built. Eventually, as time permits, Bill and his team will put the code up on GitHub for the rest of the world to use :-) Definitely worth a peek. Are you aware of any similar projects?
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Information Tyrannosaur
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The Evolution of Library Instruction
18 Jun 2013 | 6:52 amimage via Denise Chan on Flickr The other day I read Lane Wilkinson’s excellent post about his thinking as he and others are tackling revising the ACRL Information Literacy Standards. This is important work since, as Lane points out, they were approved 13 years ago. Much has happened since that time and this is a document that affects a lot of libraries. Libraries around the country use it to guide their own teaching, college competencies, and accreditation. Lane talks about the idea that instead to simply teaching skills and abilities such as evaluating information, we teach… -
Remove Your Librarian Glasses
14 May 2013 | 4:55 amImage via Graham Blackall on Flickr I recently spoke briefly at an all day retreat at our college about why I am involved with diversity work on campus (I’m a member of the faculty Multicultural Affairs Committee and completed a 25 hour intensive called Intercultural U). There are a lot of reasons for doing diversity work, despite it’s difficulty and the discomfort it can cause, including social justice reasons, and the opportunity for critical thinking and grappling with complexity. But the main reason I’m drawn to this work is because it’s personally enriching. -
Hacking The Learner Experience – ACRL 2013
17 Apr 2013 | 8:59 amI had an amazing time at ACRL in Indianapolis, learned a lot and talked with some really smart, engaged people. I also had a blast presenting on Hacking The Learner Experience with Brian Mathews and Lauren Pressley. I’ll be posting some of the themes that I took away from the conference soon, but I figured I would get our slides up in the meantime. Hacking the Learner Experience from Andy Burkhardt -
Feeling Busy? Stay Close To Your Roots
16 Apr 2013 | 5:44 amimage via khowaga1 on Flickr It’s that time of the academic year when everyone is busy. At Champlain we’ve been having a lot of conversations about faculty workload and about how course load, advising, service, professional development keep growing as we try to do more and more. Librarians here also wear a lot of hats. Almost all of us teach, we all do reference, we serve on committees and are involved with campus initiatives, all in addition to our regular job duties. And students might be some of the busiest among us. They have various classes, jobs, internships, clubs,… -
Putting Our Assumptions To The Test
26 Mar 2013 | 7:04 amI’m currently reading Eric Ries’ book The Lean Startup. Ries talks a great deal about experimenting and validating learning. Often we provide products or create services because we think it is what has an impact or is what our users want. But in a number of examples that Ries provides, adding new features or services does not create any change at all and a lot of what organizations do is superfluous. This leads him to ask “which of our efforts are value creating and which are wasteful?” To answer this question he says that we need to identify and test our assumptions…
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Library Journal Reviews» Prepub Alert
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Check Out These United for Libraries Author Events at ALA: Six Events, 34 Authors
17 Jun 2013 | 8:50 amLast week, I told you about United for Libraries’ terrific author panels at ALA: Crossing Over: Teen Books for Everyone!, Quirky Books for Quirkier Librarians, Shoot Between the Lines: Mystery Writers Reveal All, and First Author, First Book. That’s 22 authors on four panels in two days, and I’m reading every title. I can currently recommend that you pick up Matthew Guinn’s The Resurrectionist, a debut novel that limns racial wrongs just brought to light, John Dufresne’s No Regrets, Coyote, a really witty thriller that sobers up in the end, and sf great John Scalzi’s The Human… -
Sneak Preview: 12 Unexpected Titles You’ll Discover at ALA
17 Jun 2013 | 8:09 amAnna Badkhen’s The World Is a Carpet: Four Seasons in an Afghan Village (Riverhead: Penguin Group USA. Jun. 2013. 288p. ISBN 9781594488320. $26.96). Award-winning reporter Badkhen, whose beats have included the Middle East, portrays life in an Afghan village by detailing the weaving of a single carpet. Dan Beachy-Quick’s An Impenetrable Screen of Purest Sky (Coffee House, dist. by Consortium. Sept 2013. 224p. ISBN 9781566893411. pap. $15.95). Striking poet Beachy-Quick offers a first novel of sorts that promises to be an engaging study of memory, storytelling, and coming of age. Will… -
So Many Books, Just One Galley Guide
17 Jun 2013 | 7:27 amSo many books, so little time. That’s the problem with cruising the show floor at the American Library Association conference, which is why Library Journal has a galley guide especially for you. The guide has been my sole focus this week, as I’ve wrapped up all my December 2013 coverage. So you can do two things. First, register now for the 2013 Galley & Signing Guide, available shortly. Even if you aren’t attending the conference, I hope that you would find it interesting to see what’s forthcoming from a range of publishers. Second, check out my sneak preview of titles that might… -
Sign Up Now for the 2013 ALA Galley & Signing Guide
11 Jun 2013 | 7:46 amSo many books, such little time to prowl the aisles at the American Library Association conference in Chicago at the end of this month, June 27–July 2. Fortunately, Library Journal is again offering a galley and signing guide that should help you find what you want. Interested in Sophie McKenzie’s Close My Eyes, in advanced listening format, no less? What about Dara Horn’s A Guide for the Perplexed or Jayne Anne Phillips’s Quiet Dell? Wouldn’t it be cool to meet Trickster illustrator Matt Dembicki, fantasy star Richard Kadrey, or New York Times best-selling crime novelist Gregg… -
Four United for Libraries Author Panels at ALA That You Should Not Miss
10 Jun 2013 | 8:18 amOne of the best things about American Library Association conferences is the presentation of author panels by United for Libraries—and I should know, because I’ve been lucky enough to introduce them for more than 15 years, starting back with Friends of the Libraries USA before it joined up with ALA. The authors are always sharp, interesting, and eager to communicate with librarians, and the rooms are always packed. Way back when, the panels were launched with a first books presentation, and First Author, First Book remains my favorite. This year’s panel boast seven authors, ranging from…
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Annoyed Librarian
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Weeding Woes in the Prairie State
19 Jun 2013 | 3:00 amI guess it’s the week for small town library drama, although I’m not sure this one would make a good movie of the week. Maybe a brief spot on 60 Minutes. A kind reader sent this article criticizing a weeding project at a public library in Urbana, IL. The title gives a good indication of [...] -
A Tornado Struck the Library
17 Jun 2013 | 3:00 amA Kind Reader alerted me to this excellent fodder for a television movie of the week about a librarian in Round Lake, NY. Like many compelling narratives, the movie of the week could begin in medias res, with an angry group of protesters gathered at a library board meeting shouting about something. The camera fades [...] -
Ebook Troubles
12 Jun 2013 | 3:00 amThe ebook revolution we’ve all been told is coming seems to be sputtering out before it can even begin, all because of fear and greed, which is probably what stops most revolutions. Read this very informative story at Wired: Why Book Publishers Are Still Dragging Their Heels on Selling You E-Books. It’s a depressing statement [...] -
Nothing to Worry About
10 Jun 2013 | 3:00 amYou’re probably aware that last week the news broke that the NSA has been collecting telephone information about all Verizon customers for the past seven years, specifically “telephony metadata” such as which numbers called which other numbers at which time. Oh, and they can access all the stuff on Google, Facebook, and Apple servers. The [...] -
Should the ALA Tell You How to Dress?
5 Jun 2013 | 3:00 amA Kind Reader forwarded an email about some new cutting edge research by a couple of librarians. It’s the sort of research that will be sure to increase their chances of tenure. As with so much research done by librarians, it consists of a rigorous and scientific survey at Surveymonkey. Before you click through and [...]
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Library Journal
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Reed Adds Library Amendment to Immigration Bill
19 Jun 2013 | 2:29 pmSen. Jack Reed (D-RI) is offering a library amendment to the immigration bill that the Senate is considering this week. The amendment, #1223, would make public libraries eligible for funding for English language instruction and civics education, and would also add Susan Hildreth, the director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to the Task Force on New Americans. The American Library Association (ALA) is asking its members to call their Senators in support of Reed’s amendment. According to the Congressional Record, Reed said that the amendment “recognizes the… -
American Library Association Publishes 2011-2012 Annual Report; More than 75% of Libraries Now Offer eBooks
19 Jun 2013 | 1:23 pmDirect to Full Text of ALA Annual Report From an ALA Announcement: The report highlights the key initiatives of former ALA President Molly Raphael, which centered on “Empowering Voices.” The report also underscores how ALA supports the efforts of libraries in providing essential technological resources, protecting patron privacy and promoting early childhood literacy. Libraries continue to lead the way in the transformation of libraries and library services in an increasingly global digital information environment. The Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study funded by the… -
American Library Association Publishes 2011-2012 Annual Report; More than 75% of Libraries Now Offer eBooks
19 Jun 2013 | 1:23 pmDirect to Full Text of ALA Annual Report From an ALA Announcement: The report highlights the key initiatives of former ALA President Molly Raphael, which centered on “Empowering Voices.” The report also underscores how ALA supports the efforts of libraries in providing essential technological resources, protecting patron privacy and promoting early childhood literacy. Libraries continue to lead the way in the transformation of libraries and library services in an increasingly global digital information environment. The Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study funded by the… -
Uncommonly Open: The New Digital Commons Network
19 Jun 2013 | 9:15 amSOMETHING IN COMMON Pacific University (top) includes links to the Digital Commons Network alongside commercial databases. A Digital Commons journal (below) from Purdue University Visitors to the new Digital Commons Network (DCN) portal recently launched by bepress are greeted with a clean layout featuring one prominent, ornate graphic—a large, three-layered, color-coded wheel encircling a simple invitation: “Explore 691,431 works from 275 institutions.” As the new portal to content produced and stored using bepress’s widely used Digital Commons publishing and institutional repository… -
If You Can Buy It, You Can’t Borrow It? | Backtalk
19 Jun 2013 | 9:08 amWhat would happen to our libraries if the following statement became a reality: “If you can buy a book, you can’t borrow it?” What if I told you that it’s on the verge of happening internationally, and in a way that is pretty despicable? For years, international negotiations have been moving forward on what many have come to call the “Treaty for the Blind.” The goal of the treaty is to make it possible for people who are blind, or have other print disabilities like dyslexia, to get access to the books they need for education, employment, and inclusion in society, no matter…
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Library Journal Reviews» In the Bookroom
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Audiobook Month Audies Giveaway: Fiction
19 Jun 2013 | 9:00 amJune is Audiobook Month! To celebrate, LJ and audiobook publishers are giving away the nominated books in eight Audie Awards categories, including the Audie for Nonfiction. To enter the giveaway for all of the audiobooks listed below (on CD or as digital files—your choice, though some titles may be available only as one or the other), listen to the clips and leave a comment below telling us if you think the right audiobook was awarded the prize or if you would have given it to another title. The contest will remain open until June 26 at noon EDT, at which point a winner will be chosen at… -
Gender Struggles | What We’re Reading
17 Jun 2013 | 9:56 amThis week, Library Journal and School Library Journal staffer reads involve struggling with gender stereotypes in fantasy books, computer games, and 19th-century England. In other news, LJ Executive Editor Josh Hadro is reading Vonnegut’s last book of essays, and I have yet not kicked my audiobook habit. Kate DiGirolomo, Editorial Assistant, LJ I’ve started The Thinking Woman’s Guide to Real Magic by Emily Croy Barker (Pamela Dorman Bks., Aug.), which I was particularly excited to read as it was announced at LJ’s Day of Dialog and hailed as being “Lev Grossman for… -
Pop Culture Advisory: Game of Thrones
14 Jun 2013 | 10:05 amThe third season of HBO’s epic fantasy series Game of Thrones ended last weekend, and fans will have to wait a while for the next one; it hasn’t even started filming yet. So where are fans to go for the intrigue, swordplay, magic, and sexytimes they’ve come to expect on Sunday nights? Neal Wyatt’s RA Crossroads has some suggestions; LJ‘s GoT-watching staff and friends have plenty more. While Sharon Kay Penman‘s “Here Be Dragons” trilogy provides no actual dragons (sorry, Daenerys Targaryen), it has power plays, murder, and manipulation in… -
Audiobook Month Audies Giveaway: Multi-Voiced Performance
14 Jun 2013 | 9:40 amJune is Audiobook Month! To celebrate, LJ and audiobook publishers are giving away the nominated books in eight Audie Awards categories, including the Audie for Multi-Voiced Performance. To enter the giveaway for all of the audiobooks listed below (on CD or as digital files—your choice, though some titles may be available only as one or the other), listen to the clips and leave a comment below telling us if you think the right audiobook was awarded the prize or if you would have given it to another title. The contest will remain open until June 21 at noon EDT, at which point a winner will… -
Audiobook Month Audies Giveaway: Audio Drama
12 Jun 2013 | 9:02 amEdited to add: This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Jessi Brown! June is Audiobook Month! To celebrate, LJ and audiobook publishers are giving away the nominated books in eight Audie Awards categories, including the Audie for Audio Drama. To enter the giveaway for all of the audiobooks listed below (on CD or as digital files—your choice, though some titles may be available only as one or the other), listen to the clips and leave a comment below telling us if you think the right audiobook was awarded the prize or if you would have given it to another title. The contest will remain…
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Library Journal
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Reed Adds Library Amendment to Immigration Bill
19 Jun 2013 | 2:29 pmSen. Jack Reed (D-RI) is offering a library amendment to the immigration bill that the Senate is considering this week. The amendment, #1223, would make public libraries eligible for funding for English language instruction and civics education, and would also add Susan Hildreth, the director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to the Task Force on New Americans. The American Library Association (ALA) is asking its members to call their Senators in support of Reed’s amendment. According to the Congressional Record, Reed said that the amendment “recognizes the… -
American Library Association Publishes 2011-2012 Annual Report; More than 75% of Libraries Now Offer eBooks
19 Jun 2013 | 1:23 pmDirect to Full Text of ALA Annual Report From an ALA Announcement: The report highlights the key initiatives of former ALA President Molly Raphael, which centered on “Empowering Voices.” The report also underscores how ALA supports the efforts of libraries in providing essential technological resources, protecting patron privacy and promoting early childhood literacy. Libraries continue to lead the way in the transformation of libraries and library services in an increasingly global digital information environment. The Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study funded by the… -
American Library Association Publishes 2011-2012 Annual Report; More than 75% of Libraries Now Offer eBooks
19 Jun 2013 | 1:23 pmDirect to Full Text of ALA Annual Report From an ALA Announcement: The report highlights the key initiatives of former ALA President Molly Raphael, which centered on “Empowering Voices.” The report also underscores how ALA supports the efforts of libraries in providing essential technological resources, protecting patron privacy and promoting early childhood literacy. Libraries continue to lead the way in the transformation of libraries and library services in an increasingly global digital information environment. The Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study funded by the… -
Uncommonly Open: The New Digital Commons Network
19 Jun 2013 | 9:15 amSOMETHING IN COMMON Pacific University (top) includes links to the Digital Commons Network alongside commercial databases. A Digital Commons journal (below) from Purdue University Visitors to the new Digital Commons Network (DCN) portal recently launched by bepress are greeted with a clean layout featuring one prominent, ornate graphic—a large, three-layered, color-coded wheel encircling a simple invitation: “Explore 691,431 works from 275 institutions.” As the new portal to content produced and stored using bepress’s widely used Digital Commons publishing and institutional repository… -
If You Can Buy It, You Can’t Borrow It? | Backtalk
19 Jun 2013 | 9:08 amWhat would happen to our libraries if the following statement became a reality: “If you can buy a book, you can’t borrow it?” What if I told you that it’s on the verge of happening internationally, and in a way that is pretty despicable? For years, international negotiations have been moving forward on what many have come to call the “Treaty for the Blind.” The goal of the treaty is to make it possible for people who are blind, or have other print disabilities like dyslexia, to get access to the books they need for education, employment, and inclusion in society, no matter…
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In the Library with the Lead Pipe
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Call for Articles
19 Jun 2013 | 8:59 amIn Brief: In the past, In the Library with the Lead Pipe has asked our readers what topics they would like to see covered. Today we share a list of the articles we dream of publishing. In addition to asking our readers, the Editorial Board at In the Library with the Lead Pipe often discusses ideas for articles that we would like to read. Sometimes one of us approaches a writer we think would be a good fit, sometimes we write it ourselves, and sometimes those ideas get lost in the ether. Today we would like to share some of these ideas in their varying states of thought-out-ness in the hopes… -
Adventures in Rhetoric: The Traditional Library
5 Jun 2013 | 2:48 pmIn Brief: Librarians make frequent reference to “the traditional library” yet there is no accepted definition of the term. Responding to a debate that began at the 2013 ACRL National Conference, the author presents the results of a literature survey that explores the rhetorical usage and meaning of the phrase. Results indicate that the “traditional library” is commonly defined as a physical space emphasizing physical collections, and is often invoked as a counterpoint to the “modern” or “digital” library. A discussion of the potential value of… -
What I Wish I’d Known About Building Teen Services From Scratch
22 May 2013 | 3:30 amIn brief: During my first professional position I found myself building a teen services program from scratch at a public library in a small town. In this article, I reflect on some of what I learned through that experience, including the value of data, the importance of having a vision, how much relationships matter, and the value of professional community. I conclude with a call for dialogue among other builders of teen services to share our experiences and lessons. Teen Iron Chef Competition – photo by Gretchen Kolderup When I finished library school (where I’d focused on teen… -
Becoming a Writer-Librarian
8 May 2013 | 3:00 amIn Brief: This article offers a reflection on my pursuit to become a writer-librarian. In addition to participating in a professional writing program at my institution, in November of 2012 I participated in Academic Writing Month and Digital Writing Month. Through these immersive experiences I worked to figure out who is my writerly librarian self and discovered some tools and techniques to help me along the way. This article begins with an explanation of Academic Writing Month and Digital Writing Month, discusses writing in Library and Information Science, and then offers more reflection on… -
The Digital Public Library of America: Details, the Librarian Response and the Future.
24 Apr 2013 | 9:00 amIn brief: The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) launched last week. This article attempts to tease out the librarian response to DPLA and explore what it means for the future of the library in popular imagination, as well as in our field. I describe the what, who, and how of DPLA and ask, after two years of work on the project, what can librarians can expect from DPLA and what does DPLA expect from us? This article concludes by proposing that librarians want four things from DPLA: Advocacy, Inclusion, Investment and Clarity. Introduction: Two years ago I took a gigantic leap of…
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OEDB.org
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A Librarian’s Guide to Space Tourism – 32 Resources
17 Jun 2013 | 10:47 amThere has been a lot in the news this year about the burgeoning space tourism industry. Much of what used to be purely science fiction has now become a reality and today everyday citizens can take a trip to outer space…for a price. And that price has come down substantially since Dennis Tito, the world’s first space tourist coughed up $20 million for an eight-day trip to the International Space Station aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in 2001. Today, a Virgin Galactic ticket for a seat on board SpaceShipTwo will set you back $250,000 for a suborbital flight. So far nearly 600… -
10 Treehouse, Dollhouse, and other Truly Unique Libraries – Part II
13 Jun 2013 | 9:09 amThis is a continuation of my post from earlier this week titled 10 Treehouse, Dollhouse, and other Truly Unique Libraries – Part I 6) Royal Grammar School Chained Library This unique library in Guildford, England was built in the early 1500’s and is one of the few original chained libraries where books were bound to their shelves allowing for added security for valuable books. The library is now the Headmaster’s study but still contains books dating back to the 1400s including two early editions of Sir Isaac Newton’s Principia. More coverage here. 7) BiebBus… -
10 Treehouse, Dollhouse, and other Truly Unique Libraries – Part I
11 Jun 2013 | 1:25 pmI’ve been very interested in the use of library space lately as well as the design of libraries be they traditional, mobile, pop-up or other types and in my research I’ve come across some truly unique and interesting libraries. Here are five with five more coming up later this week. 1) Ecological Children’s Activity and Education Center The Soneva Kiri resort in Koh Kood, an island in the Gulf of Thailand, has built a Children Activity and Learning Centre with a library space. Shaped like a giant manta ray, this unique library structure is built into a… -
10 Fun Ways to Feed Your Mind this Summer
6 Jun 2013 | 8:43 am1. Learn a new language Summer is a great time to learn new things, why not study a new language? There are plenty of free online tools to help you such as Duolingo that will guide you through learning Spanish, English, French, Italian, German, and Portuguese. Once you’ve got some phrases down, check out a language learning meetup group in your area and test them out such as the French Language Meetup Group where local French language and culture lovers meet up for conversation and fun. For more online resources for language learning check out 10 Good Sites & Apps… -
16 Free Live Webinars for Librarians in June
4 Jun 2013 | 2:07 pmThere are plenty of free learning opportunities for librarians online, and this post will list many, but this upcoming webinar titled “Why aren’t they reading quietly?! Messing around at the library” was particularly intriguing to me, and I caught up with one of the presenters to ask him a few questions! Featured Webinar: Why aren’t they reading quietly?! Messing around at the library Presented by the Colorado State Library Wednesday, June 12 2:30-3:30 pm (Eastern) http://cslinsession.cvlsites.org/upcoming/why-arent-they-reading-quietly Do you seek ideas on how to turn your…
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Library Stuff
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Academics will need both the physical and virtual library for years to come
19 Jun 2013 | 4:55 am“Ask someone to describe an academic in the throes of research and there’s a good chance that description will include a physical library (or at least a collection of office shelves not dissimilar to a library) with books and journals open on the desk, and a notebook – whether hard copy or digital. The reality may be somewhat different. Jisc and RLUK’s recent survey of around 3,500 UK academics highlighted that while academics primarily look to the library to provide the journals and books necessary to their teaching and research, they spend much less time in the physical… -
Yale University picks Summon for discovery
19 Jun 2013 | 4:07 am“Yale University has chosen the Summon discovery service from Serials Solutions, a ProQuest business. With this purchase, the US university aims to improve access to its collection, which includes 15 million volumes and information in all media. Yale University Library is said to have chosen to work with Serials Solutions because of ease of customisation, integrity of search results, a unified index architecture and the company’s track record for rapid innovation of new discovery features.” (via Research Information) -
Penguin Tests Social Reading Rewards Program
19 Jun 2013 | 4:05 am“Penguin has unveiled a new program, aimed at raising the discoverability of its books, that will allow customers to read some of its most anticipated titles months before they go on sale. Called First to Read, the program will allow its members to access excerpts from forthcoming books, and to request e-galleys.” (via Publishers Weekly) -
NIH launches Dietary Supplement Label Database
19 Jun 2013 | 3:57 am“Researchers, as well as health care providers and consumers, can now see the ingredients listed on the labels of about 17,000 dietary supplements by looking them up on a website. The Dietary Supplement Label Database, free of charge and hosted by the National Institutes of Health, is available at www.dsld.nlm.nih.gov. The Dietary Supplement Label Database provides product information in one place that can be searched and organized as desired. “This database will be of great value to many diverse groups of people, including nutrition researchers, healthcare providers, consumers,… -
Library for All: Free Digital Content for Developing Countries
19 Jun 2013 | 3:34 am“Between the high cost of buying and shipping books and the decreasing expense of buying mobile devices and services, connecting students in the developing world to badly needed educational texts and visuals is becoming more realistic, in some cases, as a digital endeavor. But there’s no clear evidence that just handing out classroom sets of low-cost tablets and laptops—such as those manufactured through the One Laptop Per Child campaign— will bring substantial educational change. And that’s where Library for All hopes to step in.” (via MindShift)
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The 'M' Word - Marketing Libraries
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Practice Self-Promotion
29 May 2013 | 10:46 amMary Ellen Bates showed this slide in a presentation at SLA 2011. Take a look at this cool project called Show Me the Awesome on the Stacked blog. It's all about "30 days of self-promotion." According to the project's full details, "During the month of May, library/librarian type bloggers are being welcomed to join in by posting about anything relating to self-promotion, be it a project they've worked on ... or be it talking about the topic of self-promotion itself." So there are 30 different posts you can read, all described and linked from this main page. Here at The M Word, we… -
Study Your Users With Ready-Made Studies
16 May 2013 | 7:40 pmSteven Bell I've been meaning to write a post about using local / state / national studies to learn more about the people in your target audiences ever since the new Ithaka Survey came out last month. I haven't done it yet -- but Steven Bell has. And he's done it even better than I could have. So I'm just going to send you over to his Library Journal column, From the Bell Tower, so you can read "Studying the Studies" for yourselves. The first step in successful marketing is researching the people you're trying to reach in order to understand the most effective way to reach them. Most of… -
Take 2 Minutes to Vote for Libraries (US)
8 May 2013 | 10:14 amHey, America! Today is National Library Legislative Day, and you can advocate for libraries in 2 minutes or less. Go to this CapWiz site. Follow the 3 steps in red boxes. 1. The letter is already written (but you can change it if you like). 2. Fill in your basic name / address info (automatically finds your government reps). 3. Optional: Upload a photo of yourself & caption it. (I added a pic of me in my newly expanded local library; that added about 3 minutes to the process.) Click the red box to "Send Message." And you're… -
Book Review: The Library Marketing Toolkit by Ned Potter
2 May 2013 | 2:28 pmThis review is long overdue ... Hats off to Ned Potter for writing a book to help librarians market their organizations. There are two exciting aspects of this book that brings a new perspective to the books that are already out there: case studies from around the globe and a working blog where he 'll update information. We can never get enough books that encourage librarians to learn about the marketing process. My co-blogger Kathy Dempsey, did an amazing job of it in her book, The Accidental Library Marketer, and this book covers it beautifully as well. Both authors approach the marketing… -
BCLS Grand Opening
28 Apr 2013 | 5:40 pmThere was a big event in my local library world today: The main building of my county's library system had a Grand Opening celebration. The Burlington County (NJ) Library System has been around since 1921, but today its staff officially unveiled its new expansion to the public. All the details are here. My husband and I attended the celebration, and I was, of course, looking at it partially from a marketing point of view. Anytime you have a big event and invite legislators, the press, and the public, your building and your people need to be at their best. You want to have great-looking…
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Stephen's Lighthouse
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12 Technologies That Are Improving At Insane Speeds
19 Jun 2013 | 3:57 am12 Technologies That Are Improving At Insane Speeds Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/mckinsey-disruptive-technology-report-2013-6#ixzz2VfGLLIHn “McKinsey recently released a report on the 12 technologies that are disrupting the global economy, from advanced robotics and next-generation genomics to self-driving cars. Here’s a chart from the report on how fast these technologies are getting better:” Stephen -
Matt Siltala – What Makes an Infographic Cool?
19 Jun 2013 | 3:39 amMatt Siltala – What Makes an Infographic Cool? I guess that answer was more about the results of the infographic, rather than the makeup of the infographic, so let’s talk about the makeup: Design Story Flow Data Shareability BONUS - Think about what is next in this industry.” Stephen -
Cambridge: European Business Schools Library Group meeting slides
19 Jun 2013 | 3:35 amI am having a wonderful time at the European Business Schools Library Group meeting at the Judge School at the University of Cambridge. Here’s my slides for today’s keynote. Ebslg cambridge june 2013 from Stephen Abram Stephen -
INFOGRAPHIC: 7 Types Of Facebook Fans (And How To Make The Most Of Them)
19 Jun 2013 | 3:32 amINFOGRAPHIC: 7 Types Of Facebook Fans (And How To Make The Most Of Them) http://allfacebook.com/infographic-7-types-of-facebook-fans-and-how-to-make-the-most-of-them_b119122?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+allfacebook+%28Facebook+Blog%29 Stephen -
Six Big Tech Trends in Education to Follow
18 Jun 2013 | 4:25 amSix Big Tech Trends in Education to Follow http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2013/06/six-big-trends-in-education-to-follow/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kqed%2FnHAK+%28MindShift%29 Summary from the NMC K-12 Horizons Report “TRENDS The presence of the Internet in students’ lives outside of school, and especially on mobile devices, is allowing for more online and blended learning models in classrooms. That trend is supported by an increasing tolerance and even excitement among teachers for mobile devices as learning tools. As the cost of devices…
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Tame The Web
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A personal visit to The Urbana Free Library: A TTW Guest Post by Warren Cheetham
19 Jun 2013 | 6:12 pmYesterday morning (Tues 17th June 2013) I found myself at the Urbana Free Library, which is the focus of a lot of attention in library land at the moment. I count it as a professional privilege to have spent two hours with some of the most inspirational public library staff I have ever met. Here I offer a few observations and opinions based on my visit to the library. I’m travelling through the USA for the next two weeks on a VALA Travel Scholarship, investigating existing and planned projects where fibre-broadband rollouts affect libraries. The twin cities of Champaign and Urbana in… -
#bookgate FOIA Documents: The Mission of Libraries?
19 Jun 2013 | 5:02 amThe Smile Politely blog has posted Freedom of Information Act documents related to the Urbana free Library weeding kerfuffle. http://www.smilepolitely.com/splog/foia_documents_from_ufl_staff/ A snippet: ”She also reminded me that our mission was no longer lifelong learning.” I am having trouble processing such a statement. What will happen next? Also, see: http://www.smilepolitely.com/culture/voices_from_urbana_city_council/ -
Because those ideas are out of date? #bookgate
18 Jun 2013 | 3:00 pmNote: This post has been updated with Carol’s updated percentages! Please follow LIS professor Carol Tilley for more on what’s been weeded at The Urbana Free Library! https://twitter.com/CarolGSLIS Follow #bookgate too! Barbara Fister writes about the kerfuffle at Insider Higher Ed: http://www.insidehighered.com//blogs/library-babel-fish/throwing-books-each-other -
Weeding Kerfuffle at Urbana Free Library
18 Jun 2013 | 6:57 amThis blows my mind! http://www.smilepolitely.com/culture/do_you_ever_read_any_of_the_books_you_weed/ Both UFL staff and the public (who were alarmed at the rapidly emptying shelves) spoke out, but the weeding continued until a library board meeting (and Mayor Laurel Prussing) was called. JP Goguen, a university library employee, was at the meeting, recorded it, and sent the recording to me (the board normally does not record meetings). The conversation at this meeting is alarming. Urbana Free Library’s director, Deb Lissak, made a unilateral decision to weed books in the print… -
Hire awesome people, make rad stuff (by TTW Contributor Justin Hoenke)
13 Jun 2013 | 5:35 pmYesterday I was reading Breaking Up With Libraries by Nina McHale. I had a few thoughts. First and foremost, I was bummed that our profession was losing such an amazing and talented person. Nina has done amazing work for libraries and she will be sorely missed in this field. Secondly, this one passage of Nina’s hit me really hard: Also in the mix is my general frustration with library technology. We pay BILLIONS to ILS and other vendors each year, and for what? Substandard products with interfaces that a mother would kick to the curb. We throw cash at databases because they have the…
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Information Wants To Be Free
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Leaning into the messy world of work-life balance
28 May 2013 | 8:42 amIt’s easy to be self-righteous when you’re pregnant. At least it was for me. It was very easy for me to clearly define in my own mind what sort of a parent I would be and what sort I would definitely not be. I still wince when I remember throwing away formula samples thinking that there was no way in hell I would ever feed my son that junk. It was easy for me to read about other parents on blogs and judge the choices they made, because I would never do anything like that or feel like that. When pregnant, you have nine months to create an elaborate vision in your head of what your… -
DIY vs. Startup, or false dichotomies and labels
24 Apr 2013 | 7:35 amACRL was a terrific conference experience for me. Not only did I get to see a lot of good friends and have a lot of deep conversations with other instruction coordinators, but I got so much out of the vast majority of sessions I went to. I will freely admit that the conference was overly instruction-heavy, but for me, that’s not actually a bad thing, as I came back to work with a lot of ideas for teaching, assessing and managing our instruction program! I really enjoyed the DIY session that the In the Library with the Lead Pipe authors facilitated (From the Periphery into the… -
Mobile Learning: The Teacher in Your Pocket
23 Apr 2013 | 7:00 amThere’s a great new book out on mobile technologies in libraries and I was fortunate to have been asked to contribute a chapter on mobile learning and mobile instruction in libraries. The book is called The Handheld Library: Mobile Technology and the Librarian and it was edited by the undeniably awesome Tom Peters and Lori Bell who were into mobile tech for libraries way before mobile was hot. My chapter is called “Mobile Learning: The Teacher in Your Pocket” and is available for free via PDXScholar, our institutional repository at Portland State. It covers mobile learning… -
My critique of Value of Academic Libraries and a happy update
21 Apr 2013 | 9:27 amMy critique of the Value of Academic Libraries initiative has just been published in OLA Quarterly (it’s the first article in the PDF). I wrote it on the fly after a desperate request for content from the Oregon Library Association President, so it’s not my most thoughtful work, but I’m pretty happy with how it came out. At ACRL, I went to a panel presentation on library value that included representatives from the University of Minnesota and the University of Huddersfield, whom I’d cited in my article. I was heartened to learn that they both are now using the data… -
Stratification and losing faculty status
25 Mar 2013 | 6:00 amI was surprised when I read a couple of weeks ago that the University of Virginia was taking faculty status away from its librarians. Even more surprising was the fact that it was at the behest of the University Librarian (it seems like these challenges come, more often, from outside of the library). It appears from reports that many of those in the library with faculty status are up in arms about it. The decision library administration made at UVa was a big one; to create a system where people who’ve been there for years have faculty status and new hires do not could create all sorts…
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The Unquiet Librarian
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ALAO Distance Learning Interest Group and Instruction Interest Group Spring Workshop 2013– Making Noise in the Library: Advocating for Our Students and Our Libraries
3 Jun 2013 | 11:53 amMany thanks to the ALAO Distance Learning Interest Group and Instruction Interest Group for inviting me to be part of a day of conversation and learning about advocating for our students, student learning, and libraries! I’m lucky enough to have been part of an ALAO (Academic Library Association of Ohio) learning event twice within a year, and I appreciate how they inspire and inform my thinking. I’m including two pieces of content in this post that I crafted and facilitated for today’s day of learning and sharing: 1. Morning Keynote: Moving from Nice to Necessary:… -
“Teens and the Future of Libraries: Sharing Best Practices” Webinar Archives and My Questions for Thinking
28 May 2013 | 2:08 pmToday I was part of the panel for the final webinar, “Teens and the Future of Libraries: Sharing Best Practices,” in the collaborative month long series of conversations about Teens and the Future of Libraries facilitated by YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) and Connected Learning TV, an initiative of the Digital Media and Learning Research Hub. A Google Document with highlights from today’s conversation as well as a PDF of the Livestream Chat transcript will be available soon on the webinar page. You can also watch the video archive of today’s… -
Deep in the Heart of Texas: TLA 2013
26 Apr 2013 | 9:23 pmOriginal photo by Buffy Hamilton I’d like to thank the Texas Library Association and all of the attendees for their gracious hospitality and big warm Texas welcome to their annual conference here in gorgeous Fort Worth, Texas! It was my honor to present two sessions today: Transliteracy and Participatory Practices of Learning: Praxis for Transformation of Today’s School Libraries and Learning Communities Illuminating Learning Communities Through School Libraries and Makerspaces—Creating, Constructing, Collaborating, Contributing What I enjoy the most about these conferences… -
IASL 2013: Taking an Inquiry Stance on Participatory Culture, Learning, Literacy, and Libraries
11 Apr 2013 | 1:56 pmI want to thank the Iowa Association of School Librarians for inviting me to speak at their conference this past week; I so appreciate everyone’s hospitality and the opportunity to think aloud and learn together. I’d also like to give a special thanks to conference chair Kathy Kaldenberg for her efforts in coordinating a flawless day of fun and professional learning. Below are my slides from my opening keynote as well as my concurrent session that was a conversation exploring the concept of transliteracy. Filed under: 2013, inquiry, Participatory Librarianship and Learning,… -
Connected Learning and Implications for Libraries as Spaces and Mentors for Learning
20 Feb 2013 | 11:10 am“Connected learning is realized when a young person is able to pursue a personal interest or passion with the support of friends and caring adults, and is in turn able to link this learning and interest to academic achievement, career success, or civic engagement.” from Connected Learning: An Agenda for Research and Design For the last month or so, I’ve been dwelling in Connected Learning: An Agenda for Research and Design, a research synthesis report that outlines the research and findings of the Connected Learning Research Network, a group chaired by Dr. Mimi…
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What I Learned Today...
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Bookmarks for June 10, 2013
10 Jun 2013 | 1:30 pmToday I found the following resources and bookmarked them on Delicious. Skillcrush Skillcrush is the simplest, easiest, and most collaborative way to learn about technology. Digest powered by RSS Digest The post Bookmarks for June 10, 2013 appeared first on What I Learned Today.... No related posts. -
Bookmarks for June 9, 2013
9 Jun 2013 | 1:30 pmToday I found the following resources and bookmarked them on Delicious. Zanran Zanran helps you to find ‘semi-structured’ data on the web. This is the numerical data that people have presented as graphs and tables and charts. Girl Develop It Girl Develop It is an international organization, certified by the Board of Education, that exists to provide affordable and accessible programs to women who want to learn software development through mentorship and hands-on instruction. Digest powered by RSS Digest The post Bookmarks for June 9, 2013 appeared first on What I Learned Today.... Related… -
Bookmarks for June 8, 2013
8 Jun 2013 | 1:30 pmToday I found the following resources and bookmarked them on Delicious. Clipping Magic Easily remove the background from your photos to create masks, cutouts, or clipping paths, all done instantly online with ClippingMagic.com Digest powered by RSS Digest The post Bookmarks for June 8, 2013 appeared first on What I Learned Today.... Related posts: Are you backing up? -
Bookmarks for May 24, 2013
24 May 2013 | 1:30 pmToday I found the following resources and bookmarked them on Delicious. gedit Open source text editor Digest powered by RSS Digest The post Bookmarks for May 24, 2013 appeared first on What I Learned Today.... Related posts: No more Delicious? -
Bookmarks for May 23, 2013
23 May 2013 | 1:30 pmToday I found the following resources and bookmarked them on Delicious. Etherpad Etherpad is an Open Source online editor providing collaborative editing in really real-time Digest powered by RSS Digest The post Bookmarks for May 23, 2013 appeared first on What I Learned Today.... Related posts: Getting started with a manageable OS project
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LJ INFOdocket
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New Draft Text Issued By WIPO Negotiators For Visually Impaired Treaty
19 Jun 2013 | 6:56 pmFrom IP Watch: World Intellectual Property Organization delegates this week have launched into negotiations expected to yield the first treaty creating exceptions and limitations to copyright for the benefit of visually impaired people. Many delegations have said much work remained to be done in the next ten days to breach differences. A new text on commercial availability was released this evening . The “Diplomatic Conference to conclude a Treaty to facilitate Access to Published Works by Visually Impaired Persons and Persons with Print Disabilities” is taking place from 17-28 June in… -
OCLC and Redbox (the Automated Video and Games Lending Company) Launch Pilot Project With Five U.S. Public Libraries
19 Jun 2013 | 6:12 pmWe shared a comment/question at the bottom of this post. From OCLC: Public libraries are teaming up with Redbox to pilot “Outside the Box,” a new community initiative that brings people together for free, fun, public entertainment experiences. The initiative is led by local communities, supported by OCLC and guided by consultants at the Project for Public Spaces. Chosen based on key characteristics such as geographic and ethnic diversity, median household income and local leadership, the five partner communities and libraries include: Billings, Montana (Billings Public Library) Chicago,… -
3D Printing: Makerbot Acquired By Israel’s Stratasys For $403M in Stock
19 Jun 2013 | 2:11 pmFrom The Next Web: MakerBot, a Brooklyn, NY-based startup which makes desktop 3D printers for consumers and professionals alike, is being acquired by Stratasys, an Israeli-based 3D printer and additive manufacturer. The initial value of the proposed merger is $403 million based on Stratasys’ stock price today. It’s said that the combination of the two will aid in accelerating adoption of 3D printers by the mass market. From the Makerbot/Stratasys News Release: The company has sold more than 22,000 3D printers since 2009. In the last nine months, the MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D… -
Conference Paper: “A Crowd-Powered Socially Embedded Search Engine”
19 Jun 2013 | 1:56 pmHere’s an interesting conference paper by members of the Microsoft Research team. It will be presented next month at the 7th International AAAI Conference on Weblogs and Social Media. Title A Crowd-Powered Socially Embedded Search Engine Authors Jin-Woo Jeong Meredith Ringel Morris Jaime Teevan Daniel Liebling Affiliation For All Authors: Microsoft Research Source ICWSM 13 Proceedings (via MSR) Abstract People have always asked questions of their friends, but now, with social media, they can broadcast their questions to their entire social network. In this paper we study the re-plies… -
American Library Association Publishes 2011-2012 Annual Report; More than 75% of Libraries Now Offer eBooks
19 Jun 2013 | 1:23 pmDirect to Full Text of ALA Annual Report From an ALA Announcement: The report highlights the key initiatives of former ALA President Molly Raphael, which centered on “Empowering Voices.” The report also underscores how ALA supports the efforts of libraries in providing essential technological resources, protecting patron privacy and promoting early childhood literacy. Libraries continue to lead the way in the transformation of libraries and library services in an increasingly global digital information environment. The Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study funded…
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ALM RSS Feeds
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Working Directly with Publishers: Lessons Learned
12 Jun 2013 | 10:31 am -
ALA, Future of Libraries, Digital Content, and Ebooks
12 Jun 2013 | 7:59 am -
Library Journal Has New Editor-in-Chief
11 Jun 2013 | 10:02 amIn a June 10 statement, Library Journal announced that Rebecca Miller, editor-in-chief of School Library Journal, has taken over as editorial director of Library Journals (LJS), effective immediately. In this new role, Miller will be at the helm of both LJ and SLJ, where she has been editor-in-chief since 2011. -
ALA at BEA: Another Good Dialogue
5 Jun 2013 | 7:15 amAs previously reported, ALA President Maureen Sullivan participated on the panel “E-books from Libraries: Good for Authors?” at the 2013 Book Expo America in New York. The May 30 session, organized by the Association of Authors’ Representatives, was a win for libraries (thanks Maureen!), with a few notable things said. Turnout was strong, with perhaps 300 or more in attendance. -
I’m Crazy for Ebooks
5 Jun 2013 | 5:01 am
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UNIT 411
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Roller Derby and the Meaning of Life
18 Jun 2013 | 5:53 pmFew things restore my savaged library soul as Women’s flat track Roller Derby. Roller Derby for yours truly is a spiritual sport, possibly the last of its kind. I could stay that spectators are sworn confederates in the alchemic symbolic interchange of subculture and controlled violence skating back and forth between performance art and competition, meaning and symbol…they skate on the fine line between spectacle and disaster. All true, but misses the point. Roller Derby I think is closer to the Theater of Cruelty. The Theatre of Cruelty has been created in order to restore to the… -
Webseries breathing new life into classic literature
17 Jun 2013 | 4:28 pmBack in November, I wrote a review on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, a modern adaptation on Pride and Prejudice (if you haven’t already, you can watch the whole thing either here or on YouTube). A couple of weeks ago, I saw other fans of the modern adaptations posting on Facebook about The Autobiography of Jane Eyre. This is a web series based on the Charlotte Brontë novel Jane Eyre, a modern twist taking place this time in Canada. The series is strongly influenced by the Lizzie Bennet Diaries (there’s even a direct nod to it in episode 1), but like the novel, the story is more… -
Be inspired at the Brooklyn Art Library
16 Jun 2013 | 4:44 pmOne of my friends told me about this thing called the Sketchbook Project. The Sketchbook Project is a project where artists, as well as poets, photographers and anyone else, can submit their sketchbooks to be looked at by other people. Most sketchbooks end up at the Brooklyn Art Library in the Williamsburg neighborhood, but artists can also have their sketchbooks uploaded to the project’s digital library or tour the country in the book mobile. I bought my sketchbook to participate in the project, but it’s just a matter of how to get started (a blank page is always the… -
Libraries and the politicians that don’t care.
29 May 2013 | 6:33 pmThe American Library Association released a legislative score card for 2012 in a PDF, which sucks., So the nice folks at The Library News released a spreadsheet. So let’s see who gives a damn about libraries shall we? House Legislation LSTA – a letter circulated by members of the House of Representatives asking the Committee on Appropriations to include $184.7 million for the Library Services and Technology Act in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill for FY2013. LTRCY – a letter circulated by members of the House of… -
Rumble in the Concrete Jungle
25 May 2013 | 1:23 amJune 3rd In NYC, US v. Apple et al, will be epic. Apple will get called to the carpet for acting like thugs. Book publishers HarperCollins, Hachette, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Penguin have already settled and promised to repay consumers a total of $164 million. http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/05/penguin-will-pay-75m-back-to-e-book-buyers-over-alleged-price-fixing/ Publishers can’t roll with Apple, they were all teeth and gums just to be in the room with them, giggling drunk on a mimosa. When you roll with real thugs like Apple and Amazon you roll hard, you drink…
