Blogging

Rules of Circ #27 (RoC)

"Rocks, Paper, Scissors."

Guess which item of the aforementioned list I would be more than glad to hand out to every patron who asks for it?

It is so annoying during science fair season, when the library is swarmed by students who only bring blank poster-boards with them and expect to walk out with a finalized project. They will usually draw straws to determine which sucker has to sheepishly walk up to the Circ desk and ask for every single supply needed. It is not only reserved to young students, I have encountered many older patrons who were upset that I would not give them any paper for their book/movie/play/manifesto/complaint which they are currently working on.

It seems like every tax paying citizen feels like it is their given right to use the library as if it was some rogue Staples that just gives ish away. I'm sure with your tax returns, and a calculator we can figure out exactly how much you "contributed" to the library. Here's a clue to save you some long division, it probably is not much more than $50. Sure that sounds reasonable enough for you to pillage the supply closet a time or two, but that money also goes towards the collection which includes countless copies of classic American literature aka the Harlequin series (yes, I do enjoy taking as many jabs at "romance novels" as possible).

So in actuality, the amount of your taxes spent on supplies is extremely low. I'll do you all a favor and break it down in a simple list.

Each patron's taxes affords them to:
- 25 scissor swipes -- Read More

Top 25 Librarian Blogs, Says Onlinedegrees.com

Online Degree's top twenty-five here.

By way of comparison, here's the LISNews list of Top 10 blogs.

What's Happening at CIL?

Check it out...what's happening at Computers in Libraries. Among other interesting tidbits, Blake Carver is speaking about Drupal on Tuesday.

Here are the conferees on twitter.

Listing of Save the Library & Other-Named STL Campaigns

Check out this comprehensive list of Save the Library campaigns, compiled by Stephen Abram.

He writes on Stephen's Lighthouse Blog: Some of these campaigns are grass roots and some come from the state library association, friends’ groups or others. Some may have ended. It’s just one influencer strategy and it’s is not a mark against a state if they haven’t chosen public viral campaigning since there are other choices to educate, lobby, advocate and influence the budgetary process.

I just felt that it might be useful to pull the lot together for others to see them and learn. I am sure I missed a few so please add them in the comments. In the next week I will add postings for the main value of the library studies by library sector for your use.

Commenting on comments, v. 1

This anonymous commenter on Ed Feser's blog post "Stove on contemporary academic style" makes one common kind of bogus objection: he presupposes that one who affirms some of the ideas of Aristotle and Aquinas (where Aristotle and Aquinas can stand for any thinker) is committed to affirming them all. But unless he can show either that (a) Feser explicitly affirms Aristotle's views on the souls of animals and slaves, or (b) that it is logically inconsistent to deny Aristotle's views on the souls of slaves and animals, and simultaneously to affirm those views of Aristotle and Aquinas that Feser expressly does affirm, the objection lacks all traction. Suppose (as seems likely) that those parts of A & A that Feser does affirm do not logically imply Aristotle's views on the souls of animals & slaves, and suppose further that Feser does not affirm these views, or that he even condemns them outright; is Feser obliged to explain away crimes committed by those who follow views he doesn't affirm and isn't required to affirm? I think not. -- Read More

What's the Deal with Librarians...

In my best Jerry Seinfeld impression: "What's the deal with librarians and their holiday themed sweaters?" I swear, it seems that at every branch I have been to, it seems like it's a requirement to have a closet full of festive sweaters for the whole year.
Are they the "in gifts" to give to that newly graduated MLS student?? If that's the case so be it, I wear a size S or M, and don't forget the gift receipt!

Library Blog Contest from Salem Press

Hey, LISNews has company...Salem Press (they publish literary and history reference libraries in a variety of formats) is looking for the coolest library/librarian blogs around. Here's their contest announcement:

As you are probably aware, blogs about libraries have spread across the web. There are (literally) hundreds of people writing about books, libraries, librarians and related subjects. If you count the blogs that come from specific institutions, spreading local news, there are thousands of the things. Some are funny. Some are brilliant. Others, aren't.

Salem Press' staff includes many fans of library blogs. We're entertained and enlightened by them. So, we've decided to recognize the best efforts in the field. Not only to praise the praise-worthy but also to publicize the good stuff. To that end, we're hosting something we call the Library Blog Awards. We think there should be a well-organized directory of library blogs and a "peoples' awards" program of some kind to let folks know what blogs are best-liked and most widely read.

Go for it bloggers!! Thanks to the Effing Librarian for the tip!

The Subconscious Shelf (Or, What Your Books Say About You)

The New Yorker débuts a new photo feature on it's blog today... you submit a photograph of your bookshelf, and we (The New Yorker) tell you what it says about you.

Less than 50 minutes and no charge, if you're picked.

Behind the Wheel of a Bookmobile

From Book Patrol: It started innocently enough. Over dinner a friend mentioned that he saw a used bookmobile for sale on Craigslist and wished he could by it. That was all the impetus Tom Corwin needed.

He was soon off to suburban Chicago to buy the decommissioned bookmobile. He paid $7500 for it.

Corwin has already garnered the support of the National Book Foundation, the Association of American Publishers and the American Library Association for the project and has signed a deal with Whitewater Films in Los Angeles for the documentary which will be titled "Behind the Wheel of the Bookmobile." The film will also include information on the history of bookmobiles.

Authors that have already signed up in support include Michael Chabon, Dave Eggers, Junot Diaz, Tom Robbins and Scott Turow, with many of them to take a turn at the wheel...here they are.

Follow the tour on the website and on Twitter.

Dog Earred Pages

Ah, dog earred pages, the traceable cookies of the pre-HTML era.
When I came across this book in the bookdrop today, I saw two pieces of paper sticking out and I was hoping they were the $100 bookmarks the previous patron forgot to take out. But alas, they were just dog-earred pages. Funny thing about them was that the first one was on the chapter about "Body Odors" and the second one was on "Fertility."
Methinks, one could definitely be an inhibitor of the other.

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