Daily Thoughts 4/3/2009

La Lecture, Pierre August Renoir, 1889

Daily Thoughts 4/3/2009

The Human Side of Enterprise Annotated Edition Updated With New Commentary by Joel-Cutcher Gershenfeld by Douglas McGregor. This is considered a classic book on management theory. It is the book which named Theory Y. This book contains commentary, annotations, suggested reading, and a few brief questions at the end of each chapter to help you think about what was being written. I am finding it very interesting.

Reading books on business management is a kind of strange experience for me. The books have this tendency to veer between being extremely controlling or having a kind of sticky sweet cooperate with the company message (cinnamon bun or big stick). It is like reading another language which often makes little common sense. But, I am learning a new perspective which at times is very uncomfortable. I am trying to read practical books, not motivational sales authors like Zig Ziglar or Og Mandino.

April 30, 2009 is Poem In Your Pocket Day which is part of National Poetry Month. This is a link for some of the poems for your pocket. http://www.poets.org/page.php/prmID/409

I put the new graphic novel, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 1910 by Alan Moore on hold. I am looking forward to reading this soon. I also put Slumdog Millionaire on hold on dvd.

I have been going over ordering books with a new librarian. It has been interesting. I went over reading reviews in magazines like Publishers Weekly and Library Journal. The starred reviews are usually the ones which people are most likely to buy. The last line of a book review often says whether or not to buy the book or not. In Choice magazine, an academic book review journal on the last line of the review they tell you what type of library should buy a particular type of book; academic, undergraduate, public library, etc.. Last lines and paragraphs are often what you should read before looking at a whole book review.

I also showed her the Library Journal online review section http://www.libraryjournal.com/community/Book+Reviews/47112.html as well as Powell's review summary, http://www.powells.com/reviews/all . This was fairly easy stuff to do.

We also have a breakdown of circulation by call number so this was helpful in finding what books are popular. In addition, we write down things which patrons ask for which we don't have. We ordered two more copies of The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale. Sometimes what people want more than anything is something that tells them that they are wonderful.

I often check the shelves to see what is there. Usually I check for the most popular authors, subjects, and publishers. Most publishers are on the web now, so it is very easy to see what publishers are just coming out with. Sometimes you learn more by explaining what you are doing than doing it.

I spent some more time at city hall this afternoon discussing Earth Day. A lot of it was acknowledging I could get people to come and asking for supplies; flowers, some some small plants, trash bags for cleanup, and other things.

I am going to have to go over the standard way of doing things in the next week or so. I put several books on collection development and collection management on hold for my local library. I think I need to review what I am doing.