June 2007

Bearkat writes “”In a university not far away, sci-fi heaven …
UC Riverside’s library of science fiction,fantasy and horror books is the world’s largest and a necessary trek for scholars”. Read the scoop at the Los Angeles Times“

Harry Potter fans are sweating out the last 24 days awaiting the final title in the series, and don’t want to know the outcome (or maybe they do?) Here’s a report from the NYTimes on some efforts to spoil the surprise and the efforts of others to protect it (website the Leaky Cauldron along with Rowling’s own site ). The Times also has a blog that asks readers to surmise how the series will end.

Hey, you librarians who have the book in the back room, have you taken a peak yet? Better reply as anonymous…

madcow writes “”Our presence in the courtroom was declared a threat to national security,” Chase said. Chase, one of two librarians from Plainville CT’s Library Connection received an NSL to turn over computer records in their library on July 13, 2005″

Read more from Wired….“

At the American Memory Project I found this broadside that the LOC had scanned. The broadside was titled Moral substitute for war. International federation of nations under a cosmopolitan constitution. How the nations of the world could protect themselves against foreign invasion without the use of armies and navies.

At the bottom of the broadside is the following line: This is a brief synopsis of an address recently delivered by Prof. Henry Olerich before the Omaha Jacksonian Club and also before the Omaha Woman’s Club.

Curious about Olerich I ran a Google search and found a Nebraska Historical Society web page called A Martian Paradise in Nebraska?

The Historical Society page had this blurb Utopian novels, touting plans to help the common person lead a “better life,” were popular in the late 1800s. Henry Olerich, who moved to Omaha in 1902, wrote such works. His first, A Cityless & Countryless World, centered around a Martian who came to earth to teach earthlings how to create a paradise similar to the one on Mars. The paradise would include “communities” (rectangular tracts of land) on which “big houses” would be built, each accommodating a “family” of one thousand. Each member of the family would be required to work toward the greater good of the community. Although Olerich planned to develop one of his communities in Nebraska, he was never able to find the needed support. He continued to publish books promoting Utopian ideals until his death in 1927.

After reading the blurb I was interested to see a copy of A Cityless & Countryless World. The book was reprinted in 1971 and was available on Amazon for $30. (The original is selling for $350) This was just enough expense to keep me buying it at the time. Recently I ran another Google search and found that the Internet Archive had a full-text copy of the book that had been scanned by the University of California Libraries.

I find it neat that one scanning project at the LOC lead me to another resource scanned by another library. (University of California)

At the American Memory Project I found this broadside that the LOC had scanned. The broadside was titled Moral substitute for war. International federation of nations under a cosmopolitan constitution. How the nations of the world could protect themselves against foreign invasion without the use of armies and navies.

At the bottom of the broadside is the following line: This is a brief synopsis of an address recently delivered by Prof. Henry Olerich before the Omaha Jacksonian Club and also before the Omaha Woman’s Club.

Curious about Olerich I ran a Google search and found a Nebraska Historical Society web page called A Martian Paradise in Nebraska?

The Historical Society page had this blurb Utopian novels, touting plans to help the common person lead a “better life,” were popular in the late 1800s. Henry Olerich, who moved to Omaha in 1902, wrote such works. His first, A Cityless & Countryless World, centered around a Martian who came to earth to teach earthlings how to create a paradise similar to the one on Mars. The paradise would include “communities” (rectangular tracts of land) on which “big houses” would be built, each accommodating a “family” of one thousand. Each member of the family would be required to work toward the greater good of the community. Although Olerich planned to develop one of his communities in Nebraska, he was never able to find the needed support. He continued to publish books promoting Utopian ideals until his death in 1927.

After reading the blurb I was interested to see a copy of A Cityless & Countryless World. The book was reprinted in 1971 and was available on Amazon for $30. (The original is selling for $350) This was just enough expense to keep me buying it at the time. Recently I ran another Google search and found that the Internet Archive had a full-text copy of the book that had been scanned by the University of California Libraries.

I find it neat that one scanning project at the LOC lead me to another resource scanned by another library. (University of California)

The Cuban paper “Periodico 26” relates a bit of covert American history regarding assasination attempts aimed at Castro during the Cold War, and Radio Habana corroborates the story, laying the blame squarely on former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.

More on the same story from Prensa Latina, and the AP,and ABC-TV News also report Castro’s claim that our current President wanted him dead.

Anonymous Patron writes “The New York Times’s Maureen Dowd slaps down Vice-President Cheney again in a Times Select editorial, “A Vice President Without Borders, Bordering on Lunacy”, while giving props to the “National Archive data collectors” for pushing back & resisting his efforts to keep everything his office does classified: http://select.nytimes.com/2007/06/24/opinion/24dow d.html“

A lot of librarians, and Ann Seidl in particular, have long been awaiting the premier of her film “The Hollywood Librarian.” Seidl, a 43-year-old consultant, first became inspired to create a cinematic tribute in 1997 while pursuing her master’s of library and information studies at the University of Denver…the movie finally premiered last Friday during ALA.

Here are a few reviews from The Washington Post (also mentioned in TWIL) and from LJ .

This Week in LibraryBlogLand
week ending June 24, 2007

……….

Karen Schneider (ALA TechSource) discusses the RDA/DC initiative. Comment from Chris Schwartz (Cataloging Futures). Jenny Levine (Shifted Librarian) highlights the Phoenix Public Library’s OPAC. Lots of discussion in the comments.

Laurie Prange (Laurie the Librarian) wonders whether the concept of library services for distance learning has died.

Eric Goldman (informit.com) lists the best and worst internet laws (via)

Article: Chronicle of Higher Education on the new metrics of scholarly authority. More from Scott Pfitzinger (BiblioTech Web). David Warlick (2 Cents Worth) discusses how information has changed. Later, he decides that maybe it’s hasn’t changed but its nature has.

Sabina Iseli-Otto (LibrarianActivist.org) has a series of posts about filtering of adult computers at the London (Ontario) Public Library. [starts here].

After finishing a Library 2.0 program, Alan Zuckerman (My 23 Journeys) asks: What do we *really* need to know to help our patrons on the computer?

Laurie Prange (Laurie the Librarian) notes that belonging to social networking sites is a lot of work. But, as Karen G. Schneider (Free Range Librarian) points out, sometimes it’s really worth it. For tips on more formal networking, see here and here.

Responses to Gorman: Jessamyn West (librarian.net) includes links to more; David Lee King; Sarah Houhgton-Jan (LibrarianInBlack);

Gerald Ward posted on the Publib mailing list about administrators and library work environments. For the rest, and discussion, search the list archives for “Perplexed Librarian.”

BLOGGING & PODCASTING

Judith A. Siess (OPL Plus) has compiled a list of library technician blogs. Laura Cohen (Library 2.0) thinks administrator blogs could be a very good thing.

At Infobib: LibWorld, a series in which guest authors introduce the library blogs of their particular country.

Greg Schwartz (Open Stacks) is starting a live web chat/show/podcast. Pilot episode of Uncontrolled Vocabulary on June 28.

LIBRARY ORGANIZATIONS

Scott Walter’s four-part series on what’s it’s like to run for ACRL office: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.

K. G. Schneider (Free Range Librarian) asks, What kind of ALA do we want for the next fifty years? Rochelle Hartman (Tinfoil + Raccoon) says goodbye to ALA Council and hello to the Library Society of the World.

THE LIGHTER SIDE:

Library t-shirt of the week: Miskatonic Library Staff

Movies: The Washington Post at the ALA premiere of Hollywood Librarian.

Pronouncing “Library 2.0”: Two Point Oh? Two Dot Oh?

CONFERENCES & PRESENTATIONS

Betsy McKenzie (Out of the Jungle) on Unconferences.

New Jersey Library Association (NJLA) 2007 (April 23-25)
– Mike Giarlo (Technosophia) posted his talk.

Workshop on Instruction in Library Use (WILU) 2007 (May 16-18)
– Notes from John Dupuis (Confessions of a Science Librarian)
– Notes from Mita Williams (New Jack Librarian)
– Conference blog

NASIG (May 31-June 3)
– “Column People: Comments from metaProjects, Anna (eclectic librarian), Steve Oberg (Family Man Librarian), and Michelle Boule (A Wandering Eyre)

(New Hampshire) Nonprofit Technology Conference (June 11)
– Notes by Lichen Rancourt (Remaining Relevant) start here.

Web 2007 (Penn State Web Professionals) (June 11-12)
– Notes from Tara Murray (diylibrarian.org)
– Conference blog.

International Association of Technological University Libraries (IATUL) 2007 (June 11-14)
– Lots of notes from Richard Akerman (Science Library Pad)

International Council for Scientific and Technical Information (ICSTI) – France – Public Conference 2007 (June 21-22)
– Notes from Richard Akerman.

Podcasters Across Borders (June 22-24)
– Notes from Connie Crosby start here.

Edubloggercon 2007 at NECC (June 23, 2007)
– Doug Johnson (Blue Skunk Blog)

BIGWIG Social Software Conference (around and during ALA Annual, late June 2007)
– Michelle Boule (A Wandering Eyre) explains how this unconference works. [More about it].
– Even more about it from Karen A. Coombs (Library Web Chic)
– Official wiki (where it all happens, I think).

ALA Annual Conference 2007 (June 21-27)
– Official wiki.
– PLA Blog.
– LITA Blog.
– Librarian Like Me.
– Christopher Harris (Infomancy).
– Chris Zammarelli (Libraryola).
– Jenny Levine (Shifted Librarian).
– Mary Beth Sancomb-Moran (Impromptu Librarian).
– David Lee King
– Cindi Trailor
– Star Hoffman (i>geeky artist librarian)
– WordPress tag: ALA2007.
– Lots o’ posts aggregated at LibWorm (via).

Society of American Archivists (SAA) Annual 2007 (August 28-September 1)
– Unofficial Wiki.

………………..
This Week in LibraryBlogLand (TWiL) appears on lisnews.org every Monday. [Feeds]

This Week in LibraryBlogLand
week ending June 24, 2007

……….

Karen Schneider (ALA TechSource) discusses the RDA/DC initiative. Comment from Chris Schwartz (Cataloging Futures). Jenny Levine (Shifted Librarian) highlights the Phoenix Public Library’s OPAC. Lots of discussion in the comments.

Laurie Prange (Laurie the Librarian) wonders whether the concept of library services for distance learning has died.

Eric Goldman (informit.com) lists the best and worst internet laws (via)

Article: Chronicle of Higher Education on the new metrics of scholarly authority. More from Scott Pfitzinger (BiblioTech Web). David Warlick (2 Cents Worth) discusses how information has changed. Later, he decides that maybe it’s hasn’t changed but its nature has.

Sabina Iseli-Otto (LibrarianActivist.org) has a series of posts about filtering of adult computers at the London (Ontario) Public Library. [starts here].

After finishing a Library 2.0 program, Alan Zuckerman (My 23 Journeys) asks: What do we *really* need to know to help our patrons on the computer?

Laurie Prange (Laurie the Librarian) notes that belonging to social networking sites is a lot of work. But, as Karen G. Schneider (Free Range Librarian) points out, sometimes it’s really worth it. For tips on more formal networking, see here and here.

Responses to Gorman: Jessamyn West (librarian.net) includes links to more; David Lee King; Sarah Houhgton-Jan (LibrarianInBlack);

Gerald Ward posted on the Publib mailing list about administrators and library work environments. For the rest, and discussion, search the list archives for “Perplexed Librarian.”

BLOGGING & PODCASTING

Judith A. Siess (OPL Plus) has compiled a list of library technician blogs. Laura Cohen (Library 2.0) thinks administrator blogs could be a very good thing.

At Infobib: LibWorld, a series in which guest authors introduce the library blogs of their particular country.

Greg Schwartz (Open Stacks) is starting a live web chat/show/podcast. Pilot episode of Uncontrolled Vocabulary on June 28.

LIBRARY ORGANIZATIONS

Scott Walter’s four-part series on what’s it’s like to run for ACRL office: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4.

K. G. Schneider (Free Range Librarian) asks, What kind of ALA do we want for the next fifty years? Rochelle Hartman (Tinfoil + Raccoon) says goodbye to ALA Council and hello to the Library Society of the World.

THE LIGHTER SIDE:

Library t-shirt of the week: Miskatonic Library Staff

Movies: The Washington Post at the ALA premiere of Hollywood Librarian.

Pronouncing “Library 2.0”: Two Point Oh? Two Dot Oh?

CONFERENCES & PRESENTATIONS

Betsy McKenzie (Out of the Jungle) on Unconferences.

New Jersey Library Association (NJLA) 2007 (April 23-25)
– Mike Giarlo (Technosophia) posted his talk.

Workshop on Instruction in Library Use (WILU) 2007 (May 16-18)
– Notes from John Dupuis (Confessions of a Science Librarian)
– Notes from Mita Williams (New Jack Librarian)
– Conference blog

NASIG (May 31-June 3)
– “Column People: Comments from metaProjects, Anna (eclectic librarian), Steve Oberg (Family Man Librarian), and Michelle Boule (A Wandering Eyre)

(New Hampshire) Nonprofit Technology Conference (June 11)
– Notes by Lichen Rancourt (Remaining Relevant) start here.

Web 2007 (Penn State Web Professionals) (June 11-12)
– Notes from Tara Murray (diylibrarian.org)
– Conference blog.

International Association of Technological University Libraries (IATUL) 2007 (June 11-14)
– Lots of notes from Richard Akerman (Science Library Pad)

International Council for Scientific and Technical Information (ICSTI) – France – Public Conference 2007 (June 21-22)
– Notes from Richard Akerman.

Podcasters Across Borders (June 22-24)
– Notes from Connie Crosby start here.

Edubloggercon 2007 at NECC (June 23, 2007)
– Doug Johnson (Blue Skunk Blog)

BIGWIG Social Software Conference (around and during ALA Annual, late June 2007)
– Michelle Boule (A Wandering Eyre) explains how this unconference works. [More about it].
– Even more about it from Karen A. Coombs (Library Web Chic)
– Official wiki (where it all happens, I think).

ALA Annual Conference 2007 (June 21-27)
– Official wiki.
– PLA Blog.
– LITA Blog.
– Librarian Like Me.
– Christopher Harris (Infomancy).
– Chris Zammarelli (Libraryola).
– Jenny Levine (Shifted Librarian).
– Mary Beth Sancomb-Moran (Impromptu Librarian).
– David Lee King
– Cindi Trailor
– Star Hoffman (i>geeky artist librarian)
– WordPress tag: ALA2007.
– Lots o’ posts aggregated at LibWorm (via).

Society of American Archivists (SAA) Annual 2007 (August 28-September 1)
– Unofficial Wiki.

………………..
This Week in LibraryBlogLand (TWiL) appears on lisnews.org every Monday. [Feeds]

Lawrence Lessig, author of Code 2.0 and Free Culture: The Nature and Future of Creativity gives a talk to Google employees. He discusses numerous ideas that will be of interest to librarians. The presentation includes a discussion of the dicotomy of a read only culture versus a read/write culture. Even if you have heard Lessig speak before this presentation is particularly informative. Video at iBookWatch

The New York Times discusses ways of easing the process of giving away books. Columnist Alina Tugend spoke to her local librarian in Larchmont, NY about their donations and discusses a few other options and strategies to minimize the pain. Tugend relates the experience of her family’s move across the Atlantic and said that she and her husband somehow managed to cull their collection and “felt purified.”