I had a kind of transcendant experience at the McCormick place convention center on Monday night. ALA Annual is not a thing given to transcendance, trust me. I doubt McCormick Place is a place given to transcendance.
It wasn't seeing, hearing, and even meeting Jimmy Wales, though that was boffo. Oh, my LITAblog post is here. [Word Press has emerged victorious from our battles a number of times. The RSS feeds defeat was particularly bloody.]
On and on I blather. OK, Monday night, we planned to take in the David Sedaris gig. However, the inn was full and we were't allowed in. Sitting on the floor and listening to an audio simulcast was too much like NPR for me! So, I decided to see if I could get on the wifi teat. Wifi teat at McCormick was limited to these hallways on the 4th and 5th floors. Somewhere coming there's a post about McCormick weirdness. However!
I was able to access the wifi corridor even though exhibits were closed and sessions besides Sedaris were over. So I was alone (except 1 security guard at a post way far away) in a HUGE sweep of space with an enormous window wall overlooking the lake in front of me. I had my choice of the leather club chairs which were occupado every time I went on the teat previously. Alone, in a large space, beautiful view, teat, OMG. Silence. No, not silence. A quiet sound of water, ebbing and flowing. Not the lake. The play of the fountains four floors down and quite a ways over. For me, it did transcend...
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Monday, June 27, 2005
Red Chi-town roof hell
I need to post just a little some of the things I cannot post on the LITA blog. OK, there was this panel moderator with the worst rug I've ever seen. And the rather odd post OCLC blogger soiree revelry (look for the pix). Steven Cohen and I at least were not obnoxious drunks. And my admiration for Rochelle Hartman has just grown immensely.
But! Ok. Never again hotels.com. I can learn,
Smallest room imaginable with two double beds. No desk no chair. If you open a drawer in the bureau the TV is on, then you can’t walk anywhere. Not that there is anywhere to walk. Really, you do need to go outside to change your mind.
Much cursing in the morning. The bathroom is a claustrophobe’s nightmare. Me, I’m only a tiny bit claustrophobic. Can usually control. Not in that bathroom. There is actually just barely room for the toilet paper holder. It’s up over your left shoulder if you are seated.
The room is equipped with one of those folding luggage holders. But the only place big enough to open it is directly in front of the door. You are trapped.
Did I mention the stylized barbed wire wallpaper? I am so not kidding.
I don’t think my long-time long-distance lover and I will kill each other, but we are having words every time we are awake in the room.
But! Ok. Never again hotels.com. I can learn,
Smallest room imaginable with two double beds. No desk no chair. If you open a drawer in the bureau the TV is on, then you can’t walk anywhere. Not that there is anywhere to walk. Really, you do need to go outside to change your mind.
Much cursing in the morning. The bathroom is a claustrophobe’s nightmare. Me, I’m only a tiny bit claustrophobic. Can usually control. Not in that bathroom. There is actually just barely room for the toilet paper holder. It’s up over your left shoulder if you are seated.
The room is equipped with one of those folding luggage holders. But the only place big enough to open it is directly in front of the door. You are trapped.
Did I mention the stylized barbed wire wallpaper? I am so not kidding.
I don’t think my long-time long-distance lover and I will kill each other, but we are having words every time we are awake in the room.
I cannot grok!
Tech Law Advisor: Grokster Decision
Aghhhhh mort. I have no brains due to ALA. But my thanks to Babylon Sister for keeping up for me...further attempts to grok anon. (Anonymously?)
Aghhhhh mort. I have no brains due to ALA. But my thanks to Babylon Sister for keeping up for me...further attempts to grok anon. (Anonymously?)
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Be still my beating heart
It's all good: OCLC Beta
To start, WorldCat Wiki! OMG. I so love Open WorldCat. It borders on the criminal. I try not to be icky, really, but it is so good. And I get keener on wikis by the day.
I've been using/working on/pushing the unofficial wiki for the 2005 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. It is just great. It started small, and people just stepped up and added stuff. It has grown more and more useful. The latest there is using it to aggregate conference blogging--how cool is that? (I refuse to type the spelling that starts with "k" and has a "w", but if you can imagine cool coming from my 12-year-old nephew's mouth, it would be about perfect.)
I want to know if number 3 on the It's All Good list involves OpenURL and/or link resolvers. Out here in the public library electronic resource thicket we are DYING for some better way of getting our patrons into and out of electronic resources.
My former-cataloguer heart really gets going when you talk about access to multiple controlled vocabularies and consistent metadata. If only I could apply them to my life! I dislike the phrase "it's all good." I had a former co-worker who used it endlessly while he weaseled about stuff he was supposed to have done but had not. But I will make an exception right now: It's All Good is all good.
Well Alane, you really got me going. I probably won't be able to speak, except with bated breath. Maybe I'll hear about that last pilot at the symposium tomorrow?
Speaking of which, I probably won't be posting here much for the next few days. If I work out the LITAblog rss feeds, I will try to shoot those posts this way.
Gentle readers, keep out of trouble. Do not come to Live8 in Philly. No, you cannot sleep on my floor--it's taken! If you do not take this, my excellent, solemn advice, IM me at lislemck, or email library.lisle@gmail.com. I live about 6 blocks from the Parkway. If you can get here, I will not deny you water or in-door plumbing facilities.
To start, WorldCat Wiki! OMG. I so love Open WorldCat. It borders on the criminal. I try not to be icky, really, but it is so good. And I get keener on wikis by the day.
I've been using/working on/pushing the unofficial wiki for the 2005 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. It is just great. It started small, and people just stepped up and added stuff. It has grown more and more useful. The latest there is using it to aggregate conference blogging--how cool is that? (I refuse to type the spelling that starts with "k" and has a "w", but if you can imagine cool coming from my 12-year-old nephew's mouth, it would be about perfect.)
I want to know if number 3 on the It's All Good list involves OpenURL and/or link resolvers. Out here in the public library electronic resource thicket we are DYING for some better way of getting our patrons into and out of electronic resources.
My former-cataloguer heart really gets going when you talk about access to multiple controlled vocabularies and consistent metadata. If only I could apply them to my life! I dislike the phrase "it's all good." I had a former co-worker who used it endlessly while he weaseled about stuff he was supposed to have done but had not. But I will make an exception right now: It's All Good is all good.
Well Alane, you really got me going. I probably won't be able to speak, except with bated breath. Maybe I'll hear about that last pilot at the symposium tomorrow?
Speaking of which, I probably won't be posting here much for the next few days. If I work out the LITAblog rss feeds, I will try to shoot those posts this way.
Gentle readers, keep out of trouble. Do not come to Live8 in Philly. No, you cannot sleep on my floor--it's taken! If you do not take this, my excellent, solemn advice, IM me at lislemck, or email library.lisle@gmail.com. I live about 6 blocks from the Parkway. If you can get here, I will not deny you water or in-door plumbing facilities.
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
"Who died and made them Moses? "
BuzzMachine... by Jeff Jarvis Wiki cooties and the death of editorials
The rapid death of the LA Times wikitorials made me quite sad. So did the reporting. Old media was happy that new media got a black eye. Jeff Jarvis makes some good points, particularly about building community and newspaper egos.
The rapid death of the LA Times wikitorials made me quite sad. So did the reporting. Old media was happy that new media got a black eye. Jeff Jarvis makes some good points, particularly about building community and newspaper egos.
Monday, June 20, 2005
Me, the world and the LITA Blog
LITA Blog
Crazy as it seems, I volunteered to blog ALA with LITA. I'm not even a LITA member, mostly for want of $. And now that I see who is a LITA blogger, I feel like a seventh grader trying to hang with college kids, only more so.
I can't quite figure out how this happened. I know that Karen Schneider was recruiting people. I figured I was going to some LITA sessions, so why not? Now I've read the policy:
I saw Eric Lease Morgan's initial post. Eric Lease Morgan.
Now I know I was crazy. I am happy in the bush league of library-related blogs. LITA: "it is expected that blog postings will be professional and reflect well on LITA. Bloggers are strongly encouraged to check facts, cite sources, present balanced views, acknowledge and correct errors, and check spelling and grammar before making a post live." None of my IM-influenced babble and chatter. Pout. But I will do my best, including lugging Miss Monster's ibook around Chicago, looking for wifi. Gee, maybe I should try public wifi as a test first, since I've never used it.
All right. I'm just being a scaredy cat. I will go, not so blithely, but forward. If I can figure out the RSS feed stuff, I'll mirror my posts here.
Crazy as it seems, I volunteered to blog ALA with LITA. I'm not even a LITA member, mostly for want of $. And now that I see who is a LITA blogger, I feel like a seventh grader trying to hang with college kids, only more so.
I can't quite figure out how this happened. I know that Karen Schneider was recruiting people. I figured I was going to some LITA sessions, so why not? Now I've read the policy:
Bloggers must be members or staff of LITA, or invited guests such as Top Technology Trends experts. Each Interest Group and Committee chair will be invited (but not required) to appoint a blogger. Categories will be created for each interested IG/Committee. Other blog categories may be established by the steering committee/blog managers as needed.So maybe I can get kicked off?
The blog may have ongoing bloggers, as well as bloggers who are provided access to the blog for specific conferences or events.
I saw Eric Lease Morgan's initial post. Eric Lease Morgan.
Now I know I was crazy. I am happy in the bush league of library-related blogs. LITA: "it is expected that blog postings will be professional and reflect well on LITA. Bloggers are strongly encouraged to check facts, cite sources, present balanced views, acknowledge and correct errors, and check spelling and grammar before making a post live." None of my IM-influenced babble and chatter. Pout. But I will do my best, including lugging Miss Monster's ibook around Chicago, looking for wifi. Gee, maybe I should try public wifi as a test first, since I've never used it.
All right. I'm just being a scaredy cat. I will go, not so blithely, but forward. If I can figure out the RSS feed stuff, I'll mirror my posts here.
Thank you, Bernie and Chaka and 236 other Representatives
Confessions of a Mad Librarian: Thank you, Bernie
I was not surprised that my Representative, Chaka Fattah, voted in favor of the reduction of powers. Some days, he almost makes up for having Santorum and Specter as my Senators. Santorum makes me almost like Specter. No question how they will vote on the Senate version of this. Then there's Bush's threatened veto.
I do think the chilling effect for the public is real. Even my mother, who I will one day forgive for voting for Bush, doesn't want her library reading records retained or searched without her knowledge. Recent immigrants tend to be afraid of MPOW just in general. They keep talking about the 9/11 terrorists using libraries. There was plenty of other, more important evidence of what they were planning, that was overlooked. But yeah, let's blame libraries! /irony
I was not surprised that my Representative, Chaka Fattah, voted in favor of the reduction of powers. Some days, he almost makes up for having Santorum and Specter as my Senators. Santorum makes me almost like Specter. No question how they will vote on the Senate version of this. Then there's Bush's threatened veto.
I do think the chilling effect for the public is real. Even my mother, who I will one day forgive for voting for Bush, doesn't want her library reading records retained or searched without her knowledge. Recent immigrants tend to be afraid of MPOW just in general. They keep talking about the 9/11 terrorists using libraries. There was plenty of other, more important evidence of what they were planning, that was overlooked. But yeah, let's blame libraries! /irony
Romance authors
I've been meaning to scan these for years! I think they are from the 2002 Romance Writers of America conference. My sister and I attended Librarians Day (she was honorary) and had a blast. Here's me with Jenny (Jennifer) Crusie, one of my favorite authors. I'm the one with the uvula showing, hair 12" shorter and weighing 10 or so pounds more than this morning?
This is my sister and I with Amanda Quick. She really likes librarians.
This is my sister and I with Amanda Quick. She really likes librarians.
Friday, June 17, 2005
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Yeah and double yeah!
A Pilgrim's Digression - Food For Thought
Yeah to the House of Representatives for
Double yeah to Matthew for his eloquence regarding the war in Iraq. I am the daughter of two WWII veterans, and the granddaughter of two WWI veterans. I deeply respect their service, and that of all who serve. But I also was born in Saudi Arabia. I knew the strife between Sunni and Shi'a before I could spell in Arabic or English. I also still remember lying on the floor under the kitchen table in Upstate New York while my mom cooked dinner and seeing footage of body bags being loaded in Vietnam. I was a little kid.
The only person I know whose name is on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial in DC is Jimmy Love. Jimmy was the nicest guy in my eldest sisters' (twins) high school class. He was the one who stayed and wrestled with us little kids after the big kids finished playing touch football on the empty lot. I looked for his name when I went to the memorial.
I see the honor rolls at the end of the NewsHour on PBS and I tear up. They silently show the pictures, names, ranks, home towns, and ages of the fallen. But I tear up when I hear "When the lights go on again." Or "The Star-Spangled Banner." I am a sentimental, patriotic fool. But this war was and is wrong. The words of the prayer I learned (little Lisle again) weren't "war without end, amen." Even my grandfather joked about the "war to end all war." But he would not be laughing now.
I got a t-shirt last year when I volunteered at the Eyes Wide Open exhibit. The front says, "War is costly." The back says, "Peace is priceless." Every time I wear it (not to work!), completely unknown people start conversations with me. The conversations range, but none of them attack me or the meaning of the shirt. I treasure the connectedness I am getting. It seems crazy that a T-shirt can be so meaningful to people. I wish it wasn't war that is bringing us together.
I learned about Martin Luther King, and Gandhi, via that same kitchen TV, albeit in different houses. Peace made so much sense to me. War only when completely unavoidable. I still can't believe there are people who have not learned that lesson.
Yeah to the House of Representatives for
Despite a possible veto from President Bush, the House voted Wednesday to block the FBI and the Justice Department from using the Patriot Act to search library and bookstore records. The vote was 238-187."--MSNBC via LISNews.
Double yeah to Matthew for his eloquence regarding the war in Iraq. I am the daughter of two WWII veterans, and the granddaughter of two WWI veterans. I deeply respect their service, and that of all who serve. But I also was born in Saudi Arabia. I knew the strife between Sunni and Shi'a before I could spell in Arabic or English. I also still remember lying on the floor under the kitchen table in Upstate New York while my mom cooked dinner and seeing footage of body bags being loaded in Vietnam. I was a little kid.
The only person I know whose name is on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial in DC is Jimmy Love. Jimmy was the nicest guy in my eldest sisters' (twins) high school class. He was the one who stayed and wrestled with us little kids after the big kids finished playing touch football on the empty lot. I looked for his name when I went to the memorial.
I see the honor rolls at the end of the NewsHour on PBS and I tear up. They silently show the pictures, names, ranks, home towns, and ages of the fallen. But I tear up when I hear "When the lights go on again." Or "The Star-Spangled Banner." I am a sentimental, patriotic fool. But this war was and is wrong. The words of the prayer I learned (little Lisle again) weren't "war without end, amen." Even my grandfather joked about the "war to end all war." But he would not be laughing now.
I got a t-shirt last year when I volunteered at the Eyes Wide Open exhibit. The front says, "War is costly." The back says, "Peace is priceless." Every time I wear it (not to work!), completely unknown people start conversations with me. The conversations range, but none of them attack me or the meaning of the shirt. I treasure the connectedness I am getting. It seems crazy that a T-shirt can be so meaningful to people. I wish it wasn't war that is bringing us together.
I learned about Martin Luther King, and Gandhi, via that same kitchen TV, albeit in different houses. Peace made so much sense to me. War only when completely unavoidable. I still can't believe there are people who have not learned that lesson.
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
You go, NYPL!
New York library offers audio downloads - Tech News & Reviews - MSNBC.com
This service is offered to library card holders. It is via Overdrive. I checked it out at last year's ALA Annual (in despised Orlando). It seemed way cool, but too rich for MPOW's poverty-stricken blood.
via LISNews, but of course.
This service is offered to library card holders. It is via Overdrive. I checked it out at last year's ALA Annual (in despised Orlando). It seemed way cool, but too rich for MPOW's poverty-stricken blood.
via LISNews, but of course.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Monday, June 13, 2005
Wikitorials
Major Editorial Shake-up at 'L.A. Times'
"The paper also plans, beginning this week, online "wikitorials," which allow readers to participate in online discussions with the paper, and even "re-write Los Angeles Times editorials," Martinez wrote. The approach is based on "Wikipedia," an online encyclopedia edited by Web participants."
I love the two-way street. Can't wait to see how this plays out vis-a-vis citizen journalism.
Though "From now on, the paper will allow editorial writers to pen signed pieces (once a year) that go against the paper's editorial position. " does give me pause. Once a year? Seems quite limiting. What if something comes up next month? Would I spend the year waiting and hoarding my "turn"? Definitely won't want to spend the budget in January!
Thanks to the inimitable Bernie Sloan via Web4Lib.
"The paper also plans, beginning this week, online "wikitorials," which allow readers to participate in online discussions with the paper, and even "re-write Los Angeles Times editorials," Martinez wrote. The approach is based on "Wikipedia," an online encyclopedia edited by Web participants."
I love the two-way street. Can't wait to see how this plays out vis-a-vis citizen journalism.
Though "From now on, the paper will allow editorial writers to pen signed pieces (once a year) that go against the paper's editorial position. " does give me pause. Once a year? Seems quite limiting. What if something comes up next month? Would I spend the year waiting and hoarding my "turn"? Definitely won't want to spend the budget in January!
Thanks to the inimitable Bernie Sloan via Web4Lib.
" the ability to produce digital records has far outstripped the ability to manage and preserve them."
For the Record - Government Technology
Great article--putting here with the FULL INTENTION of reading it more closely and grokking. Been cluttering up the drafts since June 1, so up the pipeline it goes. More blog as scratchpad...
Great article--putting here with the FULL INTENTION of reading it more closely and grokking. Been cluttering up the drafts since June 1, so up the pipeline it goes. More blog as scratchpad...
Sunday, June 12, 2005
Unfinished and finished business
Reading, reading, reading...little song: E C Eflat C E C coda endless coda
Dragon's Honor. Unfinished. Kij Johnson was recommended on a blog, so I requested this without noticing it was Star Trek fiction. I did try to read it anyway. This must be my year for not finishing books.
The Foundling. Another Heyer. So sue me. Comfort food. Not fabulous.
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom Veddy interesting. Ideas ideas ideas. Unfortunately, all unsympathetic characters, with very little development. Still, Whuffie. A post-scarcity economy. Disney World, though I'm still hating Orlando from ALA last year. I enjoyed Eastern Standard Tribe last year. Ideas from that stuck with me. Really, if only he would work on character development! Maybe now I need some Neal Stephenson. But first, some Michael Chabon.
Just finished:
Blink [the power of thinking without thinking] by Malcolm Gladwell. Mr. G gave me a hardcover copy on the exhibit floor (and signed it, but I'm not that into that) at Midwinter Meeting in Boston, where he'd been a speaker--missed him--rats!. Probably my best swag. (I am not picking up advanced reading copies in Chicago!!!! I swear it.) It is very thought provoking, which is of course almost funny. I want to look up some of the research on facial expressions and emotion. Though looking for a key to everything is just right out. Still. I also recommend an article from The New Yorker on MG's site. It's on personality tests, which I became convinced are bunk back when I administered them in MPOW's job and career information center. I really should have become a fur designer.
Note: The Worldcat link for Dragon's Honor keeps opening a m-soft page though I've checked it and redone it twice. Cannot explain. Also, good thing MG gave me Blink, as MPOW does not seem to own. And I think he spoke here last year?
Dragon's Honor. Unfinished. Kij Johnson was recommended on a blog, so I requested this without noticing it was Star Trek fiction. I did try to read it anyway. This must be my year for not finishing books.
The Foundling. Another Heyer. So sue me. Comfort food. Not fabulous.
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom Veddy interesting. Ideas ideas ideas. Unfortunately, all unsympathetic characters, with very little development. Still, Whuffie. A post-scarcity economy. Disney World, though I'm still hating Orlando from ALA last year. I enjoyed Eastern Standard Tribe last year. Ideas from that stuck with me. Really, if only he would work on character development! Maybe now I need some Neal Stephenson. But first, some Michael Chabon.
Just finished:
Blink [the power of thinking without thinking] by Malcolm Gladwell. Mr. G gave me a hardcover copy on the exhibit floor (and signed it, but I'm not that into that) at Midwinter Meeting in Boston, where he'd been a speaker--missed him--rats!. Probably my best swag. (I am not picking up advanced reading copies in Chicago!!!! I swear it.) It is very thought provoking, which is of course almost funny. I want to look up some of the research on facial expressions and emotion. Though looking for a key to everything is just right out. Still. I also recommend an article from The New Yorker on MG's site. It's on personality tests, which I became convinced are bunk back when I administered them in MPOW's job and career information center. I really should have become a fur designer.
Note: The Worldcat link for Dragon's Honor keeps opening a m-soft page though I've checked it and redone it twice. Cannot explain. Also, good thing MG gave me Blink, as MPOW does not seem to own. And I think he spoke here last year?
So... is this the simple search form or the advanced search?
Dilettante's Ball: Polishing the turd: the dangers of redesigning the OPAC
More deep thoughts about opacs from Ross Singer...I guess I love advanced search as much if not more than any librarian who spends a lot of time with electronic resources.
But our catalogs! Eli has a pick of someone working a card catalogue. It took me right back to my youth. I LOVED filing catalog card and circulation cards when I was in high school and college. Such a promotion over shelving, which I also liked. (I think liking inventory was the all-time "you should become a librarian" marker. But did I listen? Noooooo.)
I was quick at card filing--I still know the alphabet backwards. It made sense of the world for me--author, title, subject, series. Main entry. "Nothing before something" just resonates for me. But I loved the concept of the OPAC the first time I met one. Catnyp, was it? CLEO? Did any of you ever use a microfiche union catalog? Ew. No wonder I was willing to genuflect at the OPAC altar. I saw the beauty of keyword searching instantly. I even set up a classification scheme (for shame, now) for an OPAC still in use. I will pay.
I've carried on about the OPAC at MPOW plenty in the past. Now, we're supposed to be moving to this Googly one search box that will cover the OPAC, electronic resources, and our home-grown web content. Will keep you posted on whether this turd polishing is effective.
More deep thoughts about opacs from Ross Singer...I guess I love advanced search as much if not more than any librarian who spends a lot of time with electronic resources.
But our catalogs! Eli has a pick of someone working a card catalogue. It took me right back to my youth. I LOVED filing catalog card and circulation cards when I was in high school and college. Such a promotion over shelving, which I also liked. (I think liking inventory was the all-time "you should become a librarian" marker. But did I listen? Noooooo.)
I was quick at card filing--I still know the alphabet backwards. It made sense of the world for me--author, title, subject, series. Main entry. "Nothing before something" just resonates for me. But I loved the concept of the OPAC the first time I met one. Catnyp, was it? CLEO? Did any of you ever use a microfiche union catalog? Ew. No wonder I was willing to genuflect at the OPAC altar. I saw the beauty of keyword searching instantly. I even set up a classification scheme (for shame, now) for an OPAC still in use. I will pay.
I've carried on about the OPAC at MPOW plenty in the past. Now, we're supposed to be moving to this Googly one search box that will cover the OPAC, electronic resources, and our home-grown web content. Will keep you posted on whether this turd polishing is effective.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
LOC Project: Searchable database of all U.S. newspapers
diglet: "LOC Project: Searchable database of all U.S. newspapers
National Digital Newspaper Program (A partnership between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities)
'The National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP), a partnership between the National Endowment of the Humanities (NEH) and the Library of Congress (LC), is a long-term effort to develop an Internet-based, searchable database of all U.S. newspapers with descriptive information and select digitization of historic pages. Supported by NEH, this rich digital resource will be developed and permanently maintained at the Library of Congress. An NEH grant program will fund the contribution of content from, eventually, all U.S. states and territories.'"
So maybe I will get that database of Pennsylvania newspaper holdings! I do note that "select digitization."
National Digital Newspaper Program (A partnership between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities)
'The National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP), a partnership between the National Endowment of the Humanities (NEH) and the Library of Congress (LC), is a long-term effort to develop an Internet-based, searchable database of all U.S. newspapers with descriptive information and select digitization of historic pages. Supported by NEH, this rich digital resource will be developed and permanently maintained at the Library of Congress. An NEH grant program will fund the contribution of content from, eventually, all U.S. states and territories.'"
So maybe I will get that database of Pennsylvania newspaper holdings! I do note that "select digitization."
the real intersection of knowledge and power?
Inside Higher Ed :: Silence in the Stacks
Recent posts here might lead one to think I am a Marxist. I am not--they threw me out early on, and I was merely curious. From my vague recollections of political philosophy, I think I am a utopian socialist. From each...to each, etc. Even if there is no utopia, not even in speculative fiction.
Aside: Wikipedia says
I need to poke holes in McLemee's ideas. First off, I don't see the need for one academic librarian/s' blog to define the genre. The blogosphere is about many, many voices, as many as possible, each adding their notes to a glorious polyphonic choir. OK, some of the notes are clankers. We readers get to pick out the strains that interest us most, and add our voices. /overblown analogy
I can easily think of six interesting blogs by academic librarians:
Catalogablog
Caveat Lector
diglet
Dilettante's Ball
Information Wants To Be Free
j's scratchpad
I didn't even make it to the "L"s. LISNews has an academic library section. I cannot believe anyone who does not read LISNews qualifies as "kept up." But I think you need to read all the sections if you really want to keep up.
The six blogs I've listed cover cataloging, digitization, information literacy, newspapers--among my interests. I, however, am not an academic librarian. I think I can learn from all types of libraries. On high-falutin' days, I think an academic librarian might find something worth reading in B-cubed. Our collective experiences can and should be used to inform us, and policymakers, and funders, and our publics. In fact, I even follow some non-librarian blogs. I doubt the bloggers of BoingBoing think of how their work can inform librarians. I know I am not the only librarian to read it. Applying a librarian lens to BoingBoing? I know librarians who claim reading People is important to their jobs. I think they probably have a point; not knowing who many many celebs are does slow me down at the reference desk sometimes. But I tell myself I have other strong points; I am not reading People. But I will continue to read blogs; I'm still sampling broadly. Eventually the blogroll and I may settle down.
Recent posts here might lead one to think I am a Marxist. I am not--they threw me out early on, and I was merely curious. From my vague recollections of political philosophy, I think I am a utopian socialist. From each...to each, etc. Even if there is no utopia, not even in speculative fiction.
Aside: Wikipedia says
Utopian Socialists were important in the formation of modern movements for intentional community and cooperatives, such as Open Source and Techno Communism.Cool, though apparently the big thinkers were 18th and early nineteenth century.
I need to poke holes in McLemee's ideas. First off, I don't see the need for one academic librarian/s' blog to define the genre. The blogosphere is about many, many voices, as many as possible, each adding their notes to a glorious polyphonic choir. OK, some of the notes are clankers. We readers get to pick out the strains that interest us most, and add our voices. /overblown analogy
I can easily think of six interesting blogs by academic librarians:
Catalogablog
Caveat Lector
diglet
Dilettante's Ball
Information Wants To Be Free
j's scratchpad
I didn't even make it to the "L"s. LISNews has an academic library section. I cannot believe anyone who does not read LISNews qualifies as "kept up." But I think you need to read all the sections if you really want to keep up.
The six blogs I've listed cover cataloging, digitization, information literacy, newspapers--among my interests. I, however, am not an academic librarian. I think I can learn from all types of libraries. On high-falutin' days, I think an academic librarian might find something worth reading in B-cubed. Our collective experiences can and should be used to inform us, and policymakers, and funders, and our publics. In fact, I even follow some non-librarian blogs. I doubt the bloggers of BoingBoing think of how their work can inform librarians. I know I am not the only librarian to read it. Applying a librarian lens to BoingBoing? I know librarians who claim reading People is important to their jobs. I think they probably have a point; not knowing who many many celebs are does slow me down at the reference desk sometimes. But I tell myself I have other strong points; I am not reading People. But I will continue to read blogs; I'm still sampling broadly. Eventually the blogroll and I may settle down.
Monday, June 06, 2005
Columbia library pix
Low (but not lowly) Library, where I sat at Borges' feet. The Asian kid was break-dancing to horrible 80s rock--what else do you do during reunion?
Butler transcends...it almost levitates off Columbia's campus on fine days when one sits on Low steps.
Google searches for quality not quantity
New Scientist Technology
If you survived the search engine pissing contests of the mid-90s, you will be surprised to hear that Google is now considering quality a priority over quantity, at least for news searches. I already looked at Yahoo Mindset. I liked the concept but my results were peculiar. Maybe shopping versus research isn't quite the right polarity?
I can't remember where I snagged this--am always hurrying to save something as draft at work, then looking at it at home and being confuzzled. Well, let's suspect LISNews, Dilettante's Ball, and Dr Web's Domain, since I remember being in all three places today, albeit briefly. Doing Bloglines at the reference desk is sort of good/sort of bad.
If you survived the search engine pissing contests of the mid-90s, you will be surprised to hear that Google is now considering quality a priority over quantity, at least for news searches. I already looked at Yahoo Mindset. I liked the concept but my results were peculiar. Maybe shopping versus research isn't quite the right polarity?
I can't remember where I snagged this--am always hurrying to save something as draft at work, then looking at it at home and being confuzzled. Well, let's suspect LISNews, Dilettante's Ball, and Dr Web's Domain, since I remember being in all three places today, albeit briefly. Doing Bloglines at the reference desk is sort of good/sort of bad.
We'll start digitizing right after we finish microfilming, thank you very much
National Digital Newspaper Program
Sadly, Pennsylvania stopped microfilming (as part of the USNP) in 1979 due to funding cuts. We just started up microfilming again in 2004. I have the distinction of serving on the Pennsylvania Newspaper Project Selection Committee. I go to Harrisburg once a year, get emails and selection packets (regular mail) in between. We have discovered that we have far more unfilmed newspapers (19th & 20th century) than we have anywhere near enough money to film. We are awash with things in need of salvation.
Even putting the titles of the newspapers we've found and their locations (libraries, historical societies, publishers, collectors) on the web seems daunting. The NEH did not give us funds for that; the State Library doesn't have funds; MPOW's titles don't even show well in our catalog let alone the state-wide union catalog, AccessPA. Go ahead, look for the Philadelphia Bulletin. Please let me know if you can find it and the years we have without calling MPOW. Big hint: it began publication before 1870.
I am sorry--that would be an exercise in frustration. Uniform title = Evening Bulletin. Even then, you'll never find the correct years. All this to express my frustration that we will not begin digitizing Pennsylvania newspapers through USDNP...we are too far behind, and we have too much.
Sadly, Pennsylvania stopped microfilming (as part of the USNP) in 1979 due to funding cuts. We just started up microfilming again in 2004. I have the distinction of serving on the Pennsylvania Newspaper Project Selection Committee. I go to Harrisburg once a year, get emails and selection packets (regular mail) in between. We have discovered that we have far more unfilmed newspapers (19th & 20th century) than we have anywhere near enough money to film. We are awash with things in need of salvation.
Even putting the titles of the newspapers we've found and their locations (libraries, historical societies, publishers, collectors) on the web seems daunting. The NEH did not give us funds for that; the State Library doesn't have funds; MPOW's titles don't even show well in our catalog let alone the state-wide union catalog, AccessPA. Go ahead, look for the Philadelphia Bulletin. Please let me know if you can find it and the years we have without calling MPOW. Big hint: it began publication before 1870.
I am sorry--that would be an exercise in frustration. Uniform title = Evening Bulletin. Even then, you'll never find the correct years. All this to express my frustration that we will not begin digitizing Pennsylvania newspapers through USDNP...we are too far behind, and we have too much.
Sunday, June 05, 2005
I am sick of being terrified; I want to terrify
Free Range Librarian: Don't Agonize, Get Busy
Be sure to read the comments, or this will not make sense!
Once again, we have issues around librarianly "niceness" and groupthink. (Groupthink is a concept that was identified by Irving Janis that refers to faulty decision-making in a group. Groups experiencing groupthink do not consider all alternatives and they desire unanimity at the expense of quality decisions.
OK, librarians are never supposed to be scary. We are nice, pleasant, soft-spoken, welcoming. Unfortunately, I think this ends up effecting us negatively. Did I mention we are passive, powerless, lack respect, effeminate (worst of all)? We are not scary. "I am librarian, hear me roar"? It is to laugh.
There have been many discussions of the librarian stereotype and what we can do to change it. I think we need to address the fact that we can't be so bloody nice! I don't mean we should frighten small children (though spooky stories are practically required for middle school). But in my experience, frightening a city administration, or a library administration, can be absolutely necessary. I assume the same is true for academic libraries. The recent victory in Philadelphia did not come about due to the kindness of the mayor's heart. The staff, the librarians' union, and the friends groups, put the fear of god into the hearts of the mayor and the library administration. We said, if you are going to ream this system, you are not going to get that bright, shiny new monument to your egos (i.e., the new Central Library). Suddenly, the system did not need to be reamed. The part where the administration is claiming credit for this victory is nauseating.
Terrorize used to mean to scare mightily. Now, it almost means the actions of a Moslem. Or at least a towel head. Definitely has a racial meaning. Be afraid, be very afraid, of Arabs. That way, it doesn't matter when we kill 10,000 civilians. Oh, an actual definition of terrorism: the calculated use of violence (or threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear. The people who are terrorizing me are not Moslem.
Meanwhile, completely unrelated to librarianism, I can only hope Rick Santorum is feeling terrorized.
Be sure to read the comments, or this will not make sense!
Once again, we have issues around librarianly "niceness" and groupthink. (Groupthink is a concept that was identified by Irving Janis that refers to faulty decision-making in a group. Groups experiencing groupthink do not consider all alternatives and they desire unanimity at the expense of quality decisions.
OK, librarians are never supposed to be scary. We are nice, pleasant, soft-spoken, welcoming. Unfortunately, I think this ends up effecting us negatively. Did I mention we are passive, powerless, lack respect, effeminate (worst of all)? We are not scary. "I am librarian, hear me roar"? It is to laugh.
There have been many discussions of the librarian stereotype and what we can do to change it. I think we need to address the fact that we can't be so bloody nice! I don't mean we should frighten small children (though spooky stories are practically required for middle school). But in my experience, frightening a city administration, or a library administration, can be absolutely necessary. I assume the same is true for academic libraries. The recent victory in Philadelphia did not come about due to the kindness of the mayor's heart. The staff, the librarians' union, and the friends groups, put the fear of god into the hearts of the mayor and the library administration. We said, if you are going to ream this system, you are not going to get that bright, shiny new monument to your egos (i.e., the new Central Library). Suddenly, the system did not need to be reamed. The part where the administration is claiming credit for this victory is nauseating.
Terrorize used to mean to scare mightily. Now, it almost means the actions of a Moslem. Or at least a towel head. Definitely has a racial meaning. Be afraid, be very afraid, of Arabs. That way, it doesn't matter when we kill 10,000 civilians. Oh, an actual definition of terrorism: the calculated use of violence (or threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear. The people who are terrorizing me are not Moslem.
Meanwhile, completely unrelated to librarianism, I can only hope Rick Santorum is feeling terrorized.
Friday, June 03, 2005
wow, OMG, and huh?
Recent reading:
The Pine Barrens by John McPhee. Read this after a big recommendation of McPhee's work on Karen Schneider's Free Range Librarian. From having read some of the other works she suggested, I have concluded that Karen and I do not share similar tastes in literature (pronounced litrachuh). I prefer fiction, which I find truer than fact; I like dialogue and characters. I do read nonfiction--I usually have something going--but it is not my comfort food. Somewhere in here I will get around to saying the The Pine Barrens makes all that moot. It has wonderful characters and dialogue. I heartily recommend it. One of these years, I'm going to stop on the way to the shore.
The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer. This is the OMG. How could I have forgotten? So perfect. I am resisting the temptation to run down to lending and take out five more Heyers, just barely.
It appears I recently read The Reluctant Husband by Madeleine Conway. At least, it is awaiting return to MPOW. How do you spell forgetable? Oops, gave it away.
The Pine Barrens by John McPhee. Read this after a big recommendation of McPhee's work on Karen Schneider's Free Range Librarian. From having read some of the other works she suggested, I have concluded that Karen and I do not share similar tastes in literature (pronounced litrachuh). I prefer fiction, which I find truer than fact; I like dialogue and characters. I do read nonfiction--I usually have something going--but it is not my comfort food. Somewhere in here I will get around to saying the The Pine Barrens makes all that moot. It has wonderful characters and dialogue. I heartily recommend it. One of these years, I'm going to stop on the way to the shore.
The Corinthian by Georgette Heyer. This is the OMG. How could I have forgotten? So perfect. I am resisting the temptation to run down to lending and take out five more Heyers, just barely.
It appears I recently read The Reluctant Husband by Madeleine Conway. At least, it is awaiting return to MPOW. How do you spell forgetable? Oops, gave it away.
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Re: Normative data; abnormal schedules
Forgot to mention I'm hoping to attend a program on Normative Data at ALA. Yes, it's scary that I am interested in something on statistics that is not required for graduation.
On the subject of ALA, I've placed my completely crazy tentative schedule on the unofficial ALA Chicago 2005 wiki. If you are going to be in Chicago, please see if we can go to a session or lunch or something together and let me know. My schedule usually careens out of control after day 2. I will need some sane conversations without PowerPoint in there.
On the subject of ALA, I've placed my completely crazy tentative schedule on the unofficial ALA Chicago 2005 wiki. If you are going to be in Chicago, please see if we can go to a session or lunch or something together and let me know. My schedule usually careens out of control after day 2. I will need some sane conversations without PowerPoint in there.
Free stuff, all the time
Sirsi OneSource: The Value of Libraries: Impact, Normative Data, & Influencing Funders
I have been thinking about library marketing a bit lately, prompted in part by a series of essays in Ex Libris, and in part by the absolute hideous job we do most of the time. An advertising copywriter (my former career) said that library tag lines tend to be meaningless. Why don't we say "free books, all the time"? I modified that a bit, but I think that it addresses a basic. Of course the use of the word "free" does give me pause. :) Every public librarian out there knows why.
Of course, the story related in Stephen Abrams' article also gave me pause. A few years ago, I engaged in a lot of medical research via my public library. It had a life-changing result for me. No one stood between me and the databases and ILL I needed.
We need to change how we think about users and services and where we are in the middle of them. This is abundantly clear. Public libraries are about free stuff, all the time. If librarians can't get out of the way, the stampede will be away from us and our resources. It's a crying shame.
I have been thinking about library marketing a bit lately, prompted in part by a series of essays in Ex Libris, and in part by the absolute hideous job we do most of the time. An advertising copywriter (my former career) said that library tag lines tend to be meaningless. Why don't we say "free books, all the time"? I modified that a bit, but I think that it addresses a basic. Of course the use of the word "free" does give me pause. :) Every public librarian out there knows why.
Of course, the story related in Stephen Abrams' article also gave me pause. A few years ago, I engaged in a lot of medical research via my public library. It had a life-changing result for me. No one stood between me and the databases and ILL I needed.
We need to change how we think about users and services and where we are in the middle of them. This is abundantly clear. Public libraries are about free stuff, all the time. If librarians can't get out of the way, the stampede will be away from us and our resources. It's a crying shame.
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