Daily Thoughts 09/17/2014

Vendor of Song Books, Vasily Perov, 1863-1864

Daily Thoughts 09/17/2014

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

On the way to work, I finished reading  The Warmth of Other Suns The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson.  Isabel Wilkerson shows a very solid grasp of the material, has an interesting writing style, and catches peoples personalities quite well.  I enjoyed reading the book.  The book also has extensive notes, an index, and quotes at the beginning of each chapter.  I am looking forward to discussing it on September 23, 2014 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Trustees Room.

I checked the gift books, checked the displays, and looked over the program flyers.  My order of Career Examination Passbooks came in from National Learning Corporation.  They sent a catalog as part of the order.  We get regular requests for test books.

I also spent some time working with the Job Information Center books.  In addition, I took some time work on the survey and check on adult program flyers.

Tonight, I am doing a presentation on my department during the board of trustees meeting.  The poetry workshop is also tonight from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the community room  as well as a Beginning Powerpoint 2013 class from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m..

Web Bits

Publishers Events During Banned Books Week
http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/how-publishers-plan-to-celebrate-banned-books-week_b90422

Daily Thoughts 09/16/2014

Rembrandt, The Parable of the Rich Fool, 1627

Daily Thoughts 09/16/2014

This morning, I read some more of The Warmth of Other Suns.  I am reading about the use of housing covenants designed to limit who can live in a community.  Housing covenants would legally designate which racial or ethnic group could live where. They were prevalent in the northern United States. They were often used to exclude African Americans.

I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library.  I also checked the gift books and displays.  I spent a little time going through some of my older paperwork.

I am going to be working with the job information center books.

The book, The Human Age The World Shaped By Us by Diane Ackerman came in for me to read. I now have a pile of books on my desk which I have not begun to read.

I spent some time working on Bookletters for the website so we have lists of suggested current titles.  I did the CD Audiobook list and the DVD list, but will have to call the company again to get the e-book list process done for new books in Overdrive Advantage.

We got a nice new donation of gift books of popular titles.  Some of them will be added.

There are two computer classes tonight, a Beginning Microsoft Word class from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and a Fundamentals of Computer Operations class from 6:35 p.m. to 7:35 p.m.

I am looking at The Kashmiri Shawl which is by Joanne Dobson who is a local author and teacher at the Hudson Valley Writers Center.  It is historical fiction.

Web Bits

After New Report, Councilman Calls for Unification of City Libraries

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2014/09/8552585/after-new-report-councilman-calls-unification-city-libraries

Daily Thoughts 09/15/2014

Young Man and Skull, Paul Cezanne, 1898

Daily Thoughts 09/15/2014

This morning, I read a little more of The Warmth of Other Suns.  I am reading about the Chicago Defender which was the largest African American newspaper.  It often wrote articles that encouraged people to migrate away from the south.

I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library.  I also checked the displays.  I also checked on some shelving that needed to be replaced.

I spent some time working on the test books.  I am ordering replacements for some of the outdated test books.  Things like the Paramedic Exam, the Series 7 Brokers License, the LPN exam, and other exams.

Web Bits

Advocate Today.  One Hour a Day Makes a Difference.
http://www.americanlibrariesmagazine.org/article/advocate-today

Daily Thoughts 09/14/2014

Roses In Glass, Waldmuller, 1831

Daily Thoughts 09/14/2014

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I have been reading a bit more of the Warmth of Other Suns.  Isabel Wilkerson is very good at characterization and describing people.  I like her descriptions of Ida Mae, Robert Foster, and George Starling.  The combination with the historical background makes an excellent piece of history.

I also read some more of The Organized Mind.  Daniel Levitin is describing how creating categories for things make them easier to remember.

I signed up for Lynda.com again.  I also took a one hour class on Merchandising from Webjunction called Merchandising that Works.

I am thinking about what I will say on Wednesday night to the board about my department.  The report appears to be in order.

Web Bits

Galleycat Exclusive: New York Times to Launch 12 New Monthly Bestseller Lists
http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/galleycat-exclusive-new-york-times-to-launch-12-new-monthly-best-sellers-lists_b90232

Daily Thoughts 09/12/2014

                                        

Adolphe Monet Reading in the Garden, Claude Monet, 1866

Daily Thoughts 09/12/2014

I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library this morning.  I also checked the displays and gift books.  I am using the book, Banned Books Challenging Our Freedom to Read by Robert P. Doyle to select books for our banned books display.  Banned Books Week is on September 21 through 27.

I spent some time talking to a colleague about our Adult Summer Reading statistics.  We turned in a summary report of statistics for Adult Summer Reading today.  I also spent a little time working on the survey for the library.  I am looking at the analytics available through Survey Monkey. I pulled the old GED books.  There is a new test in New York called the TASC -- Test Assessing Secondary Completion that replaces the GED.

I spent some time looking at options for an expanded computer lab space.   People want more computers in the library. They also want more computer training. I also worked with a colleague to order some e-books.

Web Bits

Is the library dead? The Answer Is Complicated
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/15327/20140911/is-the-library-dead-the-answer-is-complicated.htm

Steve Jobs Was a Low Tech Parent
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/11/fashion/steve-jobs-apple-was-a-low-tech-parent.html?_r=1

The Lost Libraries of the Sahara
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/09/11/the-lost-libraries-of-the-sahara.html

Knight News Challenge: How Can Libraries Innovate
http://www.pbs.org/idealab/2014/09/knight-news-challenge-how-can-libraries-innovate/

2015 Librarian Preview at Melville House
http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=9bf6688d862fa3f207663b22d&id=924be1c771&e=2dc69d13e4