Minnesota Public Radio hosted a call-in show on the politics of presidential libraries. The directors of the Nixon and Hoover presidential libraries appeared on the show to discuss the relationship between politics and history.
July 2007
Go Wi/Fi and Die?
Fang-Face writes “Are Your Cell Phone and Laptop Bad for Your Health?, a piece by Steven Cox of AlterNet.org, has been published by the site. In it, Mr. Cox examines the escalating anti-cell and Wi/Fi movement. The movement is founded upon the predicate that electromagnetic fields impair good health, and was once sneered at as neo-Ludditism. This movement is now gaining political momentum and scientific support. Laptops, cell phones, blackberries; will you go Wi/Fi and Die @ your library?”
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About HP7 /If You Don’t Want To Know, Skip It
…from MSN J. K. Rowling explains the finer points of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”. Draco, Neville, Snape and more are covered.
Tampa Libraries Suffering from “Mission Creep”
michaelkpate writes “The Tampa (FL) Tribune has written an editorial citing examples of “library mission creep“. It complains of a shift from the ideal of increasing/expanding collections, and wants a moratorium on library building–“So make no mistake about it. The construction of new branch libraries is mostly about adding value to neighborhoods, not about getting more books to more people.”
“If, on the other hand, computer access is now the top priority, the library board should explore partnerships with other agencies or businesses. Perhaps it could team up with the neighborhood recreation centers, which also want to provide computer access to kids and seniors.
In the meantime, the board was wise to limit Internet computer time to two hours per person per day. It turns out that some citizens have been running their businesses from library computers, hogging them all day. While the new time limit may inconvenience a few, it will avoid the need for new buildings to meet the growing demand for public computers.”
Old Library’s Renaissance Tab Grows
It’s sticker shock for taxpayers in Salt Lake City , where the new multi-faceted museum project, the Leonardo (the former Main Library), is going to cost $33 million dollars, thirteen million more than originally projected.
Mayor Rocky Anderson is pushing the plan – he has sent e-mails to City Council members – and insiders are scrambling to lobby for a sales-tax revenue bond. The term would extend 20 years.
Mary Tull, Leonardo’s director, points to staggering spikes on everything from seismic stabilization and asbestos removal to certifying the building as environmentally sound.
“We have been struggling with the architects and the city to try to get the architectural budget down during this horrendous scope of inflation,” Tull said. “It’s unreal.”
Librarians Hottie Calendar
Librarians always seem to be good for a laugh.
From The Spoof, news of a “Librarian Hotties” calendar for 2008. Miss February, “Matilda Krumpf” is pictured, and the ALA’s spokesperson “Gladys Stoutbottom” is quoted.
Frey Publisher Blasts Oprah’s “Bad Manners”
From Oprah vs. James Frey: The Sequel:
Oprah Winfrey and Nan Talese are giants in their respective fields. Talese is a publishing legend whose imprint at Doubleday includes such prestigious authors as Margaret Atwood, Pat Conroy, Ian McEwan and Antonia Fraser. Oprah Winfrey is, of course, Oprah. The last time the two women met was on Winfrey’s show in January 2006, when one of Talese’s authors, James Frey, famously apologized for the lack of veracity in his book A Million Little Pieces as Oprah berated him and withdrew her Book Club’s lucrative endorsement of the book. All the while, Talese sat next to her author, stunned and sidelined. The event made for great television. And it may now be ready for a sequel.
Read on for the full scoop.
Librarian Rows, yes, Rows to Work at the Library of Congress
After years battling awful traffic on the Anacostia Freeway in suburban Maryland, librarian Gabriel Horchler has found a calm and enjoyable way to get to work at the Library of Congress…as a matter of fact, he calls his commute “the highlight of my day.” He rides a bicycle to his where his 21-foot-long fiberglass rowing shell is stored in a boathouse, then completes his commute with another bicycle.
The routine is only possible thanks to a flexible work schedule. The Library of Congress allows employees to arrive between 6:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. — a policy intended in part to help workers cope with the area’s notorious traffic.CNN has the story.
This Week in LibraryBlogLand (July 30, 2007)
This Week in LibraryBlogLand
week ending July 29, 2007
……….
More talk about Maricopa County (Ariz.) and Dewey: Karen G. Schneider (ALA TechSource) (see also the discussion); Andrew Lavallee (Wall Street Journal) (comments from Jessamyn West (librarian.net).)
Jessamyn West (librarian.net) explains why the digital divide is a library issue. Joyce Valenza (NeverEndingSearch) illustrates her networks, 2005 and 2007 versions. David Lee King answers the question, Why should staff learn Library 2.0 when patrons aren’t allowed to use it on library PCs? More from Kathryn Greenhill (Librarians Matter).
The Fashion section of the New York Times had an article about hip librarians. Meredith Farkas (Information Wants to Be Free) posted her response and links to several others.
More MSM library coverage, this one from CNET News.com (via)
WPA pro-library posters (1936-1943) (via)
Meredith Farkas (Information Wants to Be Free) links to several career advice posts.
Jessamyn West (librarian.net) discusses a Wisconsin survey on library use and non-use. Comments from Jennifer Macaulay (Life as I Know It).
BLOGGING
Do you blog? Meredith Farkas (Information Wants to Be Free) is conducting a new Survey of the Biblioblogosphere.
THE LIGHTER SIDE
Video: Grand March of the Librarians (sequel to last winter’s March of the Librarians.
xckd: Wikipedian Protester.
Paul Waelchli (Research Quest) declares Fantasy Sports the official national sport of librarians.
Library t-shirt of the week: Books are weapons.
CONFERENCES & PRESENTATIONS
List of scheduled library-related conferences.
WiLSWorld (July 25-26)
– Michael Golrick (Thoughts from a Library Administrator)
– Multitype Librarian.
Gaming, Learning, and Libraries Symposium (GLLS) (July 22-24)
– Paul Waelchli (Research Quest)
– Michelle Boule (A Wandering Eyre)
– Beth Gallaway (Game On: Games in Libraries)
ALA Annual Conference 2007 (June 21-27)
– Wade Wyckoff (WadingIn)
………………..
This Week in LibraryBlogLand (TWiL) appears on lisnews.org every Monday. [Feeds]
This Week in LibraryBlogLand
week ending July 29, 2007
……….
More talk about Maricopa County (Ariz.) and Dewey: Karen G. Schneider (ALA TechSource) (see also the discussion); Andrew Lavallee (Wall Street Journal) (comments from Jessamyn West (librarian.net).)
Jessamyn West (librarian.net) explains why the digital divide is a library issue. Joyce Valenza (NeverEndingSearch) illustrates her networks, 2005 and 2007 versions. David Lee King answers the question, Why should staff learn Library 2.0 when patrons aren’t allowed to use it on library PCs? More from Kathryn Greenhill (Librarians Matter).
The Fashion section of the New York Times had an article about hip librarians. Meredith Farkas (Information Wants to Be Free) posted her response and links to several others.
More MSM library coverage, this one from CNET News.com (via)
WPA pro-library posters (1936-1943) (via)
Meredith Farkas (Information Wants to Be Free) links to several career advice posts.
Jessamyn West (librarian.net) discusses a Wisconsin survey on library use and non-use. Comments from Jennifer Macaulay (Life as I Know It).
BLOGGING
Do you blog? Meredith Farkas (Information Wants to Be Free) is conducting a new Survey of the Biblioblogosphere.
THE LIGHTER SIDE
Video: Grand March of the Librarians (sequel to last winter’s March of the Librarians.
xckd: Wikipedian Protester.
Paul Waelchli (Research Quest) declares Fantasy Sports the official national sport of librarians.
Library t-shirt of the week: Books are weapons.
CONFERENCES & PRESENTATIONS
List of scheduled library-related conferences.
WiLSWorld (July 25-26)
– Michael Golrick (Thoughts from a Library Administrator)
– Multitype Librarian.
Gaming, Learning, and Libraries Symposium (GLLS) (July 22-24)
– Paul Waelchli (Research Quest)
– Michelle Boule (A Wandering Eyre)
– Beth Gallaway (Game On: Games in Libraries)
ALA Annual Conference 2007 (June 21-27)
– Wade Wyckoff (WadingIn)
………………..
This Week in LibraryBlogLand (TWiL) appears on lisnews.org every Monday. [Feeds]
Harry and the Strange Logic of Book Discounters
The tangled web of Harry Potter, author J.K. Rowling, Harry’s British & US publishers, on-line bookstores (Amazon), bookstore chains (Barnes & Noble, Borders), non-bookstore chains (Wal-Mart, Costco), independent bookstores and all those Harry Potter fans/readers is examined in Saturday’s New York Times.
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