Louise

Ex Libris Anonymous buys discarded cheesy library hardcovers, then rebinds the covers around blank notebook paper, binding in the occasional interior page — usually figures, illustrations, or particularly egregious text.

Friday Funnies from LISNews.com!

(a new feature)

A little Friday Flash Fun from those cheeky Brits: the Library Song

Friday Time Killers

(a new feature from LISNews)

The fastest growing craze in puzzles these days is Sudoku, a 9-grid number puzzle. Your patrons may have asked you about them (mine have!). Addictinggames.com has a version you can play online–three new puzzles every day.

Waste your time and stave off Alzheimer’s, all in one blow!

Submitted by Cortez: “Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe opens December 9, 2005. We are already getting requests for the books.” From the Washington Examiner

Narnia promotion enchants library

A faun carrying an umbrella. A queen in a sledge. A magnificent lion.

The images appeared in the mind of British writer C.S. Lewis more than 50 years ago, prompting him to write “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” The novel about the Pevensie children, evacuated to the countryside from World War II London, and their discovery of the magical land of Narnia on the other side of a wardrobe, has captivated generations of children and adults.

And his step-son is touring:
http://www.petoskeynews.com/articles/2005/11/02/ne ws/local_regional/news01.txt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Nar nia“

sent by slashgirl: Interesting opinion piece on cbc.ca by Mary Ellen Lang about reading and how necessary it is. Find it here. Excerpt:

For years, studies have shown that the most significant therapy for young offenders is not Outward Bound camps, not psychological counselling, not tough love or family healing, but remedial reading.

…People who cannot read are surrounded with a culture that requires this skill at every turn. They are also surrounded by people who can make their way through all these unfathomable shapes and letter combinations with apparent ease. To say that non-readers suffer from feelings of acute frustration, anger and inadequacy would be an understatement.

Four finalists named in bid for presidential library:

DALLAS – The list of finalists to build the George W. Bush Presidential Library has been limited to four: Southern Methodist University, the University of Dallas, Baylor University in Waco and a group led by Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

Donald Evans, head of the library selection committee, confirmed last night that the city of Arlington, Texas A and M and the University of Texas System were eliminated.

From Reuters.com:

E.L. Doctorow’s Civil War novel The March and Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking a memoir of her husband’s death and daughter’s illness, were among finalists announced on Wednesday for the National Book Award.

Didion and Doctorow are among the best-known and popular of the nominees, after the foundation came under fire last year for nominating a narrow range of obscure writers.

Texas: “Texas Libraries Step Up with a Texas Two Step for Disaster Relief. The Texas library community is rallying to rebuild hope and the future for victims of Hurricane Katrina. TLA applauds the efforts of local librarians in quickly responding to the incredible challenges in many communities.”

Mississippi: Friends of Mississippi Libraries, working with the Library Commission and MLA, has established a fund for donations to rebuild those MS libraries severely damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

MSU Libraries has created a web guide for internet resources on Hurricane Katrina. It includes a number of sites with information for survivors and also has a section on information for libraries.

Louisiana: Donations To Help Louisiana Public Libraries Devastated By Hurricane Katrina can be vetted through The State Library of Louisiana.

Alabama: The Alabama Library Association (ALLA) is promoting the following job service for hurricane victims: KatrinaJobRelief, which is designed to help find employment for hurricane victims.

Other ways to help libraries and librarians in the gulf can be found on the Katrina Help Wiki (Library section created). Includes link to library-specific aid agencies and donation sites like the ones listed above.

From the NY Times (requires registration):

A librarian at an evangelical seminary outside Philadelphia stumbled across what may be one of the most important musicological finds in years: A working manuscript score for a piano version of Beethoven’s “Grosse Fuge.” With an audio slide show.

This was posted on the Tulane University website today:

Current message from President Cowen

September 3, 2005, 1 p.m.

Dear Tulane colleagues,

First of all, I want you to know how much I admire and respect your courage during these difficult times. We have all been through a terrible ordeal and I realize that many of you have lost all of your personal possessions. My heartfelt sympathies to each and everyone of you.

It is now time to address the most immediate issues facing our 6,000 employees and they are numerous. We are doing our best to address them as quickly and correctly as we can. I do not have many answers for you today but promise that I will as we continue this process.

Our goal is to try and eliminate as much uncertainty as possible about the future operations of the university and to assist you in rebuilding your professional careers and personal lives.

It goes on to outline some basics for staff.

Via the Librarian’s Rant