Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/31/2016

Birmingham Reference Library, the Reading Room - Taylor Edward R.

Birmingham Reference Library, The Reading Room,  1881, Edward R. Taylor

Daily Thoughts 05/31/2016

I took a couple days to relax away from library things.

On the way to work, I read some of Grunt  The Curious Science of Humans at War by Mary Roach.  This book is a purposeful grossout.  The author describes human injuries like losing ones private parts and having them replaced, diarrhea as a major killer of soldiers, sweating and heat stroke in the military and many other subjects.  It is aimed at peakings ones curiosity.  There is also a section on shark repellent as well as malodorants in combat.  The grossness is gripping.

I checked the displays and the gift books.

I also checked the Facebook and Twitter for the library.

I spent some time working on weeding.  I also did a little work preparing for next weeks order for books.  I read the latest copy of the Times Literary Supplement.

I spent a little time working on Bookletters.

I also talked to some of my reports about helping people and paying attention.

There is a Beginning Microsoft Word class tonight and a Fundamentals of Computers class as well in the computer lab.

I finished reading Grunt on the way home.  One of the final sections was on sleep deprivation and being on a combat submarine.  Mary Roach describes how people lose competence and focus with increasing sleep deprivation.  The book had a bibliography, but no index.

Web Bits


Boys who live with books ‘earn more as adults’

Survey Institutional Library Spending Up Slightly in North America;  Europe Declines

The British Library Puts Treasure Trove of 20th Century Literature Online for Your Browsing Pleasure



Saturday, May 28, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/28/2016

Still Life, Roses and Book - Samuel Peploe
Still Life, Roses and Book, Samuel Peploe, 1920

Daily Thoughts 05/28/2016

I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library.

I also checked the displays and the gift books.

I placed an order for new books.

I read the latest copy of Bookpage.

A couple of different patrons have suggested programs to me that seem interesting.

The last session of the Creative Nonfiction writing workshop was today from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.  I gave a short tour of the different material that is available for writers at the library.

Web Bits


Library Officials Want to Break Free of Contract With Private Firm

Friday, May 27, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/27/2016


Scene of Adolfo Pinto’s Family - Jose Ferraz de Almeida Junior
Scene of Adolfo Pinto's Family, Jose Ferraz de Almeda Junior, 1891


Daily Thoughts 05/27/2016

I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library this morning.



I also read some of The Anatomy of Inequality today.  There is a quote from Aristotle which I like, "Education is the key; he who knows right acts right."



I read a bit of Grunt as well.  I am reading about camouflage right now.



I checked the displays and the gift books.  I also put out the new copy of the Book Page for June.



The book, Sepp Holzer's Permaculture A Practical Guide to Small-Scale Integrative Farming and Gardening came in for me to read.



There is a program today from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the community room.  Dominique Wilder is reading from her book, The Words I Didn't Listen To. The program went very well.


Web Bits


How to Make a Librarian Happy
http://zestnow.com/how-to-keep-a-librarian-happy/










Thursday, May 26, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/26/2016

Vincent van Gogh - Oleander.jpg
Vincent Van Gogh, Oleander, December 1887

Daily Thoughts 05/26/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I also finished reading Living In Two Worlds:  On Being A Social Chameleon with Asperger’s by Dylan Emmons.  I enjoyed reading the book. It was very real.

I checked the gift books and the displays.  I also ordered 20 copies of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee in mass market because it is the final mass market version.

We had the Adult Games Night tonight from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the fiction room.

There was a Social Media class from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the computer lab tonight.

I spent a little time looking over the religious books.

I checked out the book, Grunt The Curious Science of Humans at War by Mary Roach.

Web Bits


Writing, Reflecting, Capturing: Three Less Discussed Leadership Skills Leading from the Library

Legos A New Frontier for Libraries

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/25/2016


Portrait of Keats Listening to the Nightingale on Hampstead Heath, 1845



Daily Thoughts 05/25/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.



On the way to work, I read some more of Living In Two Worlds by Dylan Emmons.  I am reading about Dylan Emmons love of the Goosebump books as a child and his early attempts at writing.

I also read some more of The Anatomy of Inequality.  I am reading about how if someone succeeds at barter initially, they tend to accumulate more than the person on the bad end of a trade.  This accumulation tends to increase over time concentration wealth.



I checked the gift books and the displays this morning.


There was a retirement party today for one of the maintenance men.


I did some weeding in the afternoon.  I also ordered some titles that are prepublication which will coming out in several months.
There is a Beginning Wordpress class tonight at 5:30 p.m. in the computer lab.
I ordered a few titles from Melville House Publishing.







Web Bits


Therapy Dogs Work Wonders for Struggling Reader


Comixology Launches Comics Subscription Service

Rock In the Vault University Libraries Become Go To Institutions for Music  Archives


Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/24/2016

Index

Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, The New York Public Library. (1862 - 1963). The Public Library of Santa Barbara, with its open-air reading room Retrieved from http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/5124b198-ff66-73e3-e040-e00a180652b2

Daily Thoughts 05/24/2016

I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library.

I took a break from library things yesterday.

I rested on the train to work.

There were two books waiting for me, War Factory by Neal Asher and Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay.

I checked the gift books and the displays this morning.

The book, The Maker's Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse Defend Your Base With Simple Circuits, Arduino, and Raspberry Pi by Simon Monk came in for me to read.  It is very tongue in cheek.

I read a copy of the latest New York Times Book Review and the New York Review of Books.  I worked a bit on an order of books for next week.

I spent some time going over scheduling issues.

There is a Fundamentals of Computers Class and a Beginning Microsoft Word class tonight.

I read some more of Living In Two Worlds by Dylan Emmons.  I learned that Asperger's syndrome is named after Hans Asperger.  I also read some more The Anatomy of Inequality on the way home.  The more people are settled in one place, the greater the inequality.  Hunter gatherers have more equality while city dwellers with greater specialization have a higher degree of inequality.  Inequality is not wealth it is also access to the law, shelter, healthcare, and other human needs.


Sunday, May 22, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/22/2016

La lectora.jpg
La Lectora, Federico Faruffini, 1863

Daily Thoughts 05/22/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of The Anatomy of Inequality.  I am reading about the concept of the social contract.  I also read a bit of Living In Two Worlds.  Dylan Emmons is describing his diagnosis of aspergers syndrome.  I am definitely going to invite him to talk about this book.

Web Bits


Amazon to Launch More Brick and Mortar Bookstores

The Delicate Task of Restoring One of the World's Oldest Libraries


Saturday, May 21, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/21/2016

Index
Art and Picture Collection, The New York Public Library. New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox and Tilden Foundations, Fifth Ave, 40th to 42d Sts.Retrieved from http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e2-8d7b-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Daily Thoughts 05/21/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I placed an order for new books this morning.

I have started reading Living In Two Worlds on Being A Social Chameleon by Dylan Emmons.  The writing is quite clear in its style.  I also started The Anatomy of Inequality Per Molander.  Per Molander is asking the question why do some societies keep income inequality in reasonable bounds having started from an egalitarian base.

Melville House Library Presentation 05/20/2016

I had a cup of coffee and an almond croissant at the Brooklyn Coffee Roasting company before I went to the Melville House Boosktore.  The coffe is quite good.  I was in DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn.

 There were some interesting titles which I saw in the bookstore.  Script and Scribble The Rise and Fall of Handwriting by Kitty Burnstbrey, Havana Real by Yoani Sanchez,  Pies and Tarts for Dinner and Desert by Stephanie Reynard which included meat pies, pot pies, and fruit pies, Rotis Roasts for Every Day of the Week by Stephanie Reynard, Hillbilly Nationalists Urban Race Rebels and Black Power Community Organizing in Radical Times by Amy Sonnie and James Tracy, Jorge Luis Borges The Last Interview and Other Conversations, and The Art of Lying Down A Guide to Horizontal Living by Bernd Brunner.  These were all books that the publisher distributed.  

Melville house had put out some galleys for forthcoming books.  I picked up four of them, Networks of New York an Illustrated Field Guide to Urban Internet Infrastructure by Ingrid Burrington, The Anatomy of Inequality Its Social and Economic Origins and Solutions by Per Molander,  The Day The Renaissance Was Saved, The Battle of Anghiari and Da Vincic's Lost Masterpiece by Niccolo Capponi, and Trainwreck The Women We Love to Hate, Mock, and Fear... and Why by Sady Doyle.  I  saw these before the presentation. 

The Librarian Preview was quite interesting.  The editors from Melville House introduced a number of titles to librarians.  There were a few which I think stood out, mainly nonfiction, Dragons in the Diamond Village by David Bandurski coming out in October 2016, Refugees Terror and Other Troubles With the Neighbors by Slavoj Zizek which is also coming out in October 2016, and Culture as a Weapon Art and Marketing in the Age of Total Communication.  They highlighted the book, The Anatomy of Inequality. This is the next book I plan on reading.  In addition, I think the book, David Bowie The Last Interview will be very topical because of David Bowie's recent passing.

Melville House has a section for librarians on its website,  http://www.mhpbookscom/library

They also thanked librarians for making the book, The Girl In the Red Coat by Kate Hamer a Library Reads pick.

There was also a video from Ingrid Burrington which was very interesting and intense on her new book, Networks of New York.

The director of Chappaqua library was at the Melville House Preview and  some people were discussing how White Plains Public Libray was becoming more influential in Westchester.  I also had a discussion about We Robots Staying Human in the Age of Big Data by Curtis White which is a book which I had read in the previous year.

The publishing staff had coffee, red and white wine, and cookies for the visiting librarians.  It is the first time I have had a little wine in a while.


This is the third year that I have gone to this event.  

Web Bits


Mount Vernon Public Library Announces Election Results              

Is Your Local Public Library Run by Wall Street?

Vermont's First Library Building


Friday, May 20, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/20/2016

New library of St. Geneviève - Library of Congress.jpg
New Library of St. Genevieve, Library of Congress, December 31, 1885

Daily Thoughts 05/20/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of The Disaster Diaries last night.  I am reading about the importance of staying fit before a disaster strikes, and that all the different possible disasters have different skill sets to survive.

I am going to the Melville House Publishing preview today.  Melville House in the DUMBO neighborhood in Manhattan.  It is an interesting place.  I have gone there a number of times.

I finished reading The Disaster Diaries  How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Apocalypse by Sam Sheridan.  The author trains himself in the different skills he would need to survive a variety of different apocalyptic situations.  At the end of chapter, he tells a story of survival with his family.

He goes to driving school, survival camp, knife fighting training, shooting training, learns emergency medicine, studies post traumatic stress, and ponders leadership.  He gets ready for the end of the world as we know it.  I especially like when he goes to Alaska to learn how to survive in the snow.  The book is quite entertaining.  It is not just about survival, it is also about self-reliance and discipline.  I enjoyed reading this book.

I also finished reading The Third Wave An Entrepreneur's Vision of the Future by Steve Case.  This book has a lot more to offer than just technology.  Steve Case writes about how government interacts with high technology companies.  He also describes a plan focused on spreading out start up cultures in different cities all over the United States and the world.  There is a lot about how to make United States business more competitive and more open to innovation.  If you are interested in business and technology, this book is worth reading.

The Melville House event was quite interesting.  I got there early and had an almond croissant and a cup of coffee while I read some before the event started.  I also had a chance to look around the Melville House bookstore.  Before the event started, I picked up a few advanced reading copies from Melville House.

The presentation was quite interesting.  I will write more about it tomorrow.  I need to summarize it for both my job and this blog.

Web Bits

Technology Center at Yonkers Public Library
http://www.lohud.com/videos/news/local/westchester/2016/04/26/83546904/


Renegade Librarian Jessamyn West on Information, Access and Democracy

 

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/19/2016

1894 NY Society Library FrankLesliesPopularMonthly Jan.png

1894 NY Society Library Frank Leslies Popula Monthly January

Daily Thoughts 05/19/2016

I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library.

There are two programs today, the book club for What Happened, Miss Simone? A Biography by Alan Light from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. and Rebel Baroque from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the community room which is a baroque violin duo.

The book, The Words I Didn't Listen To is here from Dominique Wilder who is a local author with a self published book.  She is going to be doing an event on Friday, May 27 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The book,  How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Apocalypse by Sam Sheridan has come in for me to read.  I am also planning on reading Living In Two Worlds by Dylan Emmons which is a memoir about aspergers syndrome by a local college professor.

There is a Social Media class from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the computer lab today.

Web Bits

How Publishers Can Benefit from Deeper Library Partnerships
http://www.bookbusinessmag.com/post/publishers-can-benefit-deeper-library-partnerships/#utm_source=book-business-insight&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=2016-05-17&utm_content=how+publishers+can+benefit+from+deeper+library+partnerships-1

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/18/2016

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Photography Collection, The New York Public Library. (1898 - 1931).Philosophy, Boston Public Library, Boston, Mass. Retrieved from http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47d9-9e38-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Daily Thoughts 05/18/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of The Third Wave by Steve Case today.  I am reading about how starups are going to be more widely distributed throughout the United States in order to create a more equitable business situation.  Steve Case runs a startup venture called Revolution.  He also describes how startups will be more impact focused on how people can improve other peoples.  An example he gives is Revolution Foods which provides healthy school lunches.

I took a little bit to look at the Community Development Block Grant program today.

Web Bits


Study  Ties College Success to Students' Exposure to a High School Librarian

$15.5  Million Expansion, Public Rooftop Garden Planned for Vancouver Public Library

Urban Libraries Conference Highlights STEAM for Kids, Programs for Adults, and DC Makers In Residence

Jeff Kinney Advocates for New York City Libraries

Why We Shouldn't Dismiss Digital Books

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/17/2016

File:George Bernard Shaw notebook.jpg
Anglo-Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw writing in notebook at time of first production of his play "Pygmalion.", 1914

Daily Thoughts 05/17/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some more of The Third Wave.  I am reading about early competition between America Online, Microsoft, Prodigy, and Compuserve.

I checked the gift books and the displays this morning.

I have a copy of Booklist to read.  I spent some time in the computer lab today.

I placed Children of Earth and Sky by Guy Gavriel Kay on hold today as well as War Factory by Neal Asher.

There are two computer classes tonight, A Fundamentals of Computers Class and a Beginning Microsoft Word class.

Web Bits

The Hushed Interiors of 19th Century Libraries
http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-hushed-interiors-of-19th-century-libraries

Monday, May 16, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/16/2016

Index
Art and Picture Collection, The New York Public Library., Edmund Dulac, She has read all the newspapers in the world, and forgotten them again, so clever is she. Retrieved from http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/6b27a1d9-1d64-b8da-e040-e00a18062c91

Daily Thoughts 05/16/2016

I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library this morning.

I checked the displays and the gift books.

I read some more of The Third Wave.  Before America Online, Steve Case had started an internet service provider called Quantumlink.

I checked out the book, This Census-Taker by China Mieville.  I read  a copy of the New York Times Book Review in the morning.

I spent some time in the computer lab.

A shipment for Better World Books was sent out today of books left from the booksale.

I read This Census Taker by China Mieville on the way home.  It is a very dark fantasy about a little boy living in a run down place whose father has made his mother disappear.  The story is convoluted and fearsome.  The language is beautiful and different.  It was a bit unsettling reading the story.

Web Bits


Library of My Heart: Buliding Community Through Diversity


Sunday, May 15, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/15/2016

Julie Listening - Berthe Morisot
Julie Listening, Berthe Morisot, 1888

Daily Thoughts 05/15/2016

I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library this morning.

I read some of The Third Wave this morning.  Steve Case was inspired by Alvin Toffler's book The Third Wave to become an internet entrepreneur.  Steve Case is describing The Internet of Things as the third wave of change that will come from the internet.  First there was connnectivity, then there was mobile and applications, and now there is the internet of things and the ubiquitous presence of the internet everywhere.

I read the Sunday New York Times today.  It is not something which I do often.

Web Bits


Books Are Back.  Only the Technodazzled Thought they Would Go Away

5 Reasons Why a Library is the Best Place to Hide During a Zombie Apocalypse


Saturday, May 14, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/14/2016

Woman Reading at a Dressing Table (Interieur, Nice) - Henri Matisse
Woman Reading at A Dressing Table, Henri Matisse, 1919

Daily Thoughts 05/14/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I finished reading The Invaders How Humans and Their Dogs Drove the Neanderthals to Extinction by Pat Shipman.  The last part of the book is very interesting.  It is not about warfare between neanderthals and homo sapiens.  It is about how homo sapiens took over the food supply by hunting with dogs, drove neanderthals into marginal lands, and developed better technology like needles and mammoth bone huts.

I have been reading more of What Happened, Miss Simone?  There is a tragic element to this story.  Nina Simone has mood swings, is sometimes suicidal, has multiple affairs, estranges herself from her family, and acts like a very demanding artist.

I checked the displays and the gift books.

I also did an order for new books today.

I placed The Disaster Diaries How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Apocalypse by Sam Sheridan on hold.


A local Westchester Community College professor, Dylan Emmons, left a book for me to look at called Living In Two Worlds, On Being A Social Chameleon with Asperger's.

I finished reading What Happened, Miss Simone? by Alan Light.  I am ready for my book club next week on Thursday, May 19, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

I cracked open The Third Wave An Entrepreneur's Vision of the Future by Steve Case.  The title reminds me of the book, The Third Wave by Alvin Toffler. People cannot copyright the titles of books.

Web Bits


Palisades Park Library feature a local designer and a touch of controversy

Welcome to Everyone


Friday, May 13, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/13/2016

File:Gregor Perušek - At the studio.jpg
Harvey Gregory Prusheck, At The Studio, 1932

Daily Thoughts 05/13/2016

I read a bit more of The Invaders.  I am reading about the advantages of using dogs in hunting.  Dogs can make sure prey stays in place, make more meat available, find animals quicker, and carry small loads as pack animals.


Last night, there was a Prince dance party at the library, it was quite interesting.  Also the Westchester Library System was moving its data center from White Plains, New York to Harrison, New York.  The dance party was kind of fun.  It was part of a promotion done by Hoopla.  Hoopla recently go the rights to stream Prince to its service.



Mount Vernon Public Library Hosts A Dance Party
http://www.fios1news.com/lowerhudsonvalley/prince-celebration-mount-vernon#.VzXegdIrIdV


Hoopla Now Streaming Prince
https://www.clevnet.org/node/18

I checked the displays and the gift books this morning.

They moved the charging cabinets for laptops downstairs to the tech area.  We will soon be able to use laptops for programs in the community room.

There is a program today to demonstrate our Makerbot in the computer lab from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.  The program went quite well today.  We had good attendance and people were interested in experiencing further programs.

I spent some time checking scheduling for programs and ADP today.

I also checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library today.


Web Bits 


Sharp Dressed, Well Read: This Philly Library Lets Job Hunters Borrow Ties

Evolving Libraries  ‘Less About Collections, More About Connections’.
 

Thursday, May 12, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/12/2016

Index

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Art & Architecture Collection, The New York Public Library. (1893 - 1897).The Boston Sunday herald. Feb. 10. Retrieved from http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e2-8f29-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Daily Thoughts 05/12/2016

I checked the displays and gift books.  I read a copy of the Times Literary Supplement.

There is a Prince celebration at the Mount Vernon Public Library.  They are demonstrating Hoopla as part of the celebration. http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/westchester/mount-vernon/2016/05/10/mount-vernon-salutes-prince/84147508/

On the way to work, I read some more of What Happened, Miss Simone?  I am reading about Nina Simone's ties to the civil rights movement.

I also read some more of The Invaders.  I am reading about how homo sapiens competed for food sources with neanderthals and eventually started pushing the neanderthals to the margins because of better technology and adaptability.

Web Bits


Decision Maker’s Mull Future of Atlanta’s Central Library


Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/11/2016

The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs: Art & Architecture Collection, The New York Public Library. (1893 - 1924).The Red Letter Retrieved from http://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47df-f74f-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99

Daily Thoughts 05/11/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

Last night I started reading The Knowledge.  It is about what you would need to do to restart civilization if there was a collapse.  It is not a violent, survivalist book.  It is a meticulous science based approach to what would be necessary to do if a plague, asteroid, or other disaster nearly wiped out humanity.  It covers subjects like clothing, food, and shelter.  I am enjoying the book.

I checked the gift books and the displays.

I finished reading The Knowledge How to Rebuild Our World From Scratch by Lewis Dartnell.  I liked the book, there were very interesting technological ideas.  Part of this book is the realization that we might have to use more renewable energy because the infrastructure for oil will have been destroyed.

I read a copy of the New York Review of Books and the New York Times Book Review.  I also am reading a copy of the Ingram Advance for June.

I placed a hold on the book, The Census Taker by China Mieville.

On the way home, I read a little bit more of What Happened, Miss Simone? Nina Simone had a house and an office in Mount Vernon, New York where the library I work is.

I also read some more of The Invaders.  It is meant for an academic audience, but the writing is clear enough for a lay reader.  The book mixes archaeology, anthropology, and ecology in its content.

Web Bits


BEA 2016: How the Creator of the World Wide Web Sees the Future of Publishing

Chronicle Books Partners with San Francisco Public Library to Promote Literacy

Weeding Without Worry -- Rebecca Vnuk

Are fines cutting off library access to low income patrons?

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/10/2016


Daily Thoughts 05/10/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I checked the gift books and the displays.

I worked on some scheduling this morning.

I have a copy of the New York Review of Books, the New York Times Book Review, and the Ingram Advance to read.

We had a management today where we discussed scheduling and time clocks.

There is a Fundamentals of Computers Class and a Beginning Microsoft Word class tonight in the computer lab.

I wrote the monthly report for my department.

Two books came in for me to read, The Knowledge How to Rebuild Our World from Scratch by Lewis Dartnell and The Third Wave An Entrepreneur's Vision of the Future by Steve Case.

Monday, May 9, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/09/2016

Still Life. Skull and Writing Quill, Peter Claesz, 1628

Daily Thoughts 05/09/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook.

I also read some more of The Invaders.  I am reading about how neanderthals were ambush predators who attacked their prey close in and homo sapiens in contrast used distance weapons like throwing spears.  I am also reading about how neanderthals and homo sapiens competed for food sources.  I rather like a picture of a hut made of mammoth bones on P.86.

I also read another chapter in What Happened, Miss Simone?.  Nina Simone's signature song is "I Loves You Porgy."


Web Bits


360 Degree Fundraising Budgets & Funding


Reader Analytics Is no Silver Bullet

This is also true of circulation statistics

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/08/2016

Old Man Reading - Vincent van Gogh
Old Man Reading, Vincent Van Gogh, 1882

Daily Thoughts 05/08/2016

I checked the Twitter and Facebook this morning for the library.

I read some more of What Happened, Miss Simone?  I am reading about her training as a classical pianist and her focus on Bach.

I also read some more of The Invaders.  I am reading about whether the Neanderthals died off because of climate change or because homo sapiens killed them off.

Web Bits


Invite Thomas Paine to Your Library and Support Intellectual Freedom
http://www.ala.org/news/member-news/2016/02/invite-thomas-paine-your-library-and-support-intellectual-freedom

An Ode to Bookish Moms

America's Most Beautiful Public Library

There's Lots of New Things to Check Out at the Modern Public Library


Saturday, May 7, 2016

Daily Thoughts 05/07/2016

PococurantesLibrary.jpg
Pococurante's Library in Voltaire's Candide, or Optimism, 1759

Daily Thoughts 05/07/2016

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I read some of What Happened, Miss Simone? as well.  Nina Simone played the piano in church and her family was interested in music.  I am reading the book for a book club.  Also, Nina Simone lived in Mount Vernon, New York.

I placed a hold on The Knowledge How to Rebuild Our World from Scratch by Lewis Dartnell.

Web Bits

These Minimalist Papers of Famous Libraries Want to Hang On Your Wall Just Beside Your Bookshelf


Urban Librarians Conference, May 6, 2016 at Brooklyn Public Library, Weird Library Science

The conference was interesting.  It is the second year I have gone to this conference.  The speakers are always interesting.

The first speaker was the keynote, David Lankes-- Rocket Science Made Easy.

David Lankes talked about the difference between complicated problems which might be solved by equations and complex problems that are quite variable.  He described library science as solving complex problems with many different variables.  It is unlike Google in that it is about uncovering different aspects of problems that might not exist currently.

He describes the libraries mission as to solve complex problems for the community that the library resides in.  Complex problems are not necessarily technical, they involve human variables like gender, sex, race, sexual orientation, religion, and political preferences which are often not fixed and can be more changeable than raw information.  He gives the example of hurricane forecasting as being closer to the type of problem libraries solve as compared to an equation like page rank.

In his view libraries are about learning, identity, aspirations, governance, and sense making.  His argument is to move away from a statistical model to a more story driven model for how libraries measure success.  What are the dreams of the community?  What do they want in terms of access, opportunity, and learning. It is a different approach than the statistical approach focusing on circulation statistics.

We are seeking to create allies in the community not customers, members or patrons.  As libraries we empower our allies with our values and aspirations.

The next session I went to was Identifying and Curating Your Libraries Supporters by Patrick Sweeney.  

Patrick Sweeney works for Everylibrary http://www.everylibrary.org which is a 501c4 Political Action Committee that supports libraries.  Patrick Sweeney describes the NRA and the Sierra Club as examples of 501c4 organizations.  Their mottto is Any Library Initiative Anywhere Matters to Every Library Everywhere.  http://www.pcsweeney.com .  This is the link to the Slideshare set from ULU conference http://www.slideshare.net/pcsweeney.  I donated to Everylibrary at one point.  I like their style and mission.  The founder, John Chrastka was there as well.

Every Library does community organizing.  In public libraries 80-90% of funding comes from local money.  Every Library is a Pro Bono organization.  It is supported by many library vendors like Demco and Brainfuse.  The last study about library funding was in 2008 called From Awareness to Funding. https://www.oclc.org/en-CA/reports/funding.html This shows how important Every Library is.

Mr. Sweeney gave some quotes.
94% of parents say libraries are important for children.

Voter Attitudes on average national irregardless of political party affiliation
37% will vote yes
37% will probably vote yes
26% will vote no based on voting against bureaucracy and taxation.

The objective is to talk to the middle to convert them to yes.  Party affiliation does not matter with the exception of the far right like libertarians or tea party members.

To the average voter, library statistics do not matter.  What matters most is the librarian.  Every single person who works for the library is a candidate in the budget election.

The guiding principle in being a good candidate called the Haycock Rule is to convince people that you like them.  

Politicians respond to people and money.  People in the form of supporters is the main resource for libraries.  Libraries need to be organized as a cause not a business.  The objective is to create a movements towards great awareness.
There is a progression of awareness that looks similar to this.
unaware -->  observers --->  supporters -->  advocates

For social media, Facebook is the most important.  It will reach 76% of your audience.  Pay for ads.  $100 will reach 10,000 people.  The other tool which works best is email.  84% of your audience can be reached by email.  These are the two most important social tools.  


The next program was Pounding the Pavement by Maxine Bielwis who retired recently from Westport, Connecticut

This was a session about how to reach out to the business community.  Libraries need to be able to speak the language of town and city managers.  They need to help generate income to help people pay taxes.

The library has an opportunity to create business incubators and support entrepreneurship.  Jobs create taxes for the city.  People need to start by practicing inside their library first.  This mind finding the business people who are currently working inside the library.  Many of them are right under your nose.

A Makerspace can be a zone for budding entrepreneurship.  

Libraries provide places to plug in devices, clean bathrooms, wifi, and a workspace for business.  

The last session I attended was Urban Librarian Unite 101 by Christian Zabriskie the founder of Urban Librarians Unite.    

Urban Librarian Unite started as a social gathering for urban librarians over beer.  

When the budget cuts under Mayor Bloomberg in New York Public Library happened, the organization started. 

The initial logo was the We Will Not Be Shushed logo.  It started with a postcard campaign to save libraries.  Urban Librarian Unites also does the things which the libraries themselves cannot do like the Zombie Walk for Libraries over the Brooklyn Bridge, building mini libraries, and 24 hour read ins supporting libraries.


They have given over 10,000 books as part of their mini-libraries campaign.  This includes giving away books to children during Hurricane Katrina in Long Island.

Christian Zabriskie will support ideas if you can come up with a proposal and send it to him.  These are things that the library would not be able to do directly, but might support being done.

His organization is unlike other American library support organizations because it is urban in its focus.

They also do 15-20 minute coffee break webinars by local librarians.