Daily Thoughts 03/18/2015

Walter T. Crane, Laura Reading, 1885

Daily Thoughts 03/18/2015

This morning, I finished reading Messages The Communication Skills Book, 3rd Edition.  It is a solid general overview of different communication issues from public speaking to communicating with your family to basic listening.  I found it to be a useful book that was worth reading.

I have started reading The Occupiers The Making of the 99 Percent Movement by Michael A. Gould Wartofsky.  It is a first person account by a participant to the movement.

I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library.  I also checked the displays and the gift books.

I am working on what classes we may be offering going forward.

Next month, April is National Poetry month.  Audre Lord worked at the Mount Vernon Public Library from 1961 to 1963.  National Poem in Your Pocket Day is on April 30, 2015.  We are also having a poetry slam on April 16 and April 30 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.  I have quite a bit to plan.

The Adult Summer Reading theme this year is Escape the Ordinary.  It has a superhero theme.

I ordered the free poster for National Poetry Month from poets.org
http://www.poets.org/national-poetry-month/form/poster-request-form

I checked out the book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. I also checked out How to Find Wealth and Success by Developing the Skills Companies Actually Need by Nicholas Wyman.

I have a copy of April's Ingram Advance to read as well as a section called Ingram Advance Business Connections to look at.

I read some of How to Find Wealth and Success by Developing the Skills Companies Actually Need.  It is an argument for more trade and technical schools as well as additional certificates for people to get continuing education.  It argues against the notion that everyone should go to college.  There should be more diversity of skills and the trades should be better respected.

Web Bits

Public Libraries and Hispanics
http://www.pewhispanic.org/2015/03/17/public-libraries-and-hispanics/

Zimbabwe: Libraries A Must In Every Society
http://allafrica.com/stories/201503181308.html

Daily Thoughts 03/17/2015

The Art of Drawing, Eugene Grasset, 1894

Daily Thoughts 03/17/2015

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning. 

I read some more of Messages The Communication Skills Handbook.  I am reading about prejudgment during social situations where we make instant decisions about a person before knowing them.

I checked the displays and the gift books this morning.

There was a crochet class from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. today.  I brought out the supplies and refreshments and some books on crocheting handbags, hats, and other things.

I am looking at a list of all the items in our library that have not circulated in the last six years.

Tomorrow we have a programming meeting.  We are looking at Summer Reading as well as our computer classes tomorrow.

I read a little bit more of Messages The Communication Skills Book.  I am reading about couple skills and communicating with children.

Web Bits

Gifted Libraries

http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2015/03/managing-libraries/gifted-libraries/

5 Key Takeaways About Local News Media Ecosystem

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/03/05/5-takeaways-media-ecosystems/

Daily Thoughts 03/16/2015

At Home, Julius LeBlanc Stewart, 1897
Daily Thoughts 03/16/2015

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I finished reading The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.  I enjoyed reading the book.  It seems to be focused on women, however, the content is entertaining and appealing to a general audience.  I like the message that tidying up creates a delightful space and helps you decide what you want to do with your life.  The book even has a bit on feng shui at the end.

I worked on an order for new books this morning.

I read Hurricane Fever by Tobias Buckell.  It is a near future thriller set in the Caribbean. There is an alliance of Caribbean nations and a spy agency from the Caribbean.  It makes for an interesting.  The action also occurs during a major hurricane.

The main character, Prudence "Roo" Jones has enough different about him to make him a non cookie cutter hero.  Also, the super weapon which Roo ends up stopping is plausible.  There is plenty of action, some pathos, and a unique setting.

I enjoy reading Tobias Buckell's books.  http://www.tobiasbuckell.com

I also read some more of Messages The Communication Skills Book.  I am reading about conflict skills which includes assertiveness, fair fighting, and validation skills.

Web Bits

Berkeley Branch Deemed first Net Zero Energy Library in CA

http://www.ilovelibraries.org/article/berkeley-branch-deemed-first-%E2%80%98net-zero%E2%80%99-energy-library-ca

Library of Things Launches on Saturday

http://www.capradio.org/articles/2015/03/12/library-of-things-launches-on-saturday

Daily Thoughts 03/15/2015

Qing Emperor Xianfeng Reading, 19th Century, Beijing Palace Museum
Daily Thoughts 03/15/2015

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

I also spent some time looking through the library website.

I read some more of The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.  I am reading about how everything has a place.  I like that Marie Kondo reminds us not to send our excess things to our relatives for storage.

I also read a bit more of Messages The Communication Skills Book.  I am reading about different strategies for assertiveness in communication.

At the Laundromat, I read some more of The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.  I am reading about why shoeboxes are ideal storage devices.

Summer Reading Theme for 2015

http://www.slideshare.net/isl_pdo/escape-the-ordinary-2015-summer-reading-theme

 


Web Bits

When Did Books Get Page Numbers - And Are They Useful Anymore?

http://www.slate.com/blogs/lexicon_valley/2015/02/11/page_numbers_where_did_they_come_from_and_are_they_even_useful_anymore.html

In My Library: Hilary Mantel

http://nypost.com/2015/03/14/in-my-library-hilary-mantel/

In Japan, A Library Works to Restore What Was Lost During the Tsunami

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/11/japan-tsunamy-library_n_6848994.html

Daily Thoughts 03/14/2015

Alexandre Dumas, Jean Louis Ernest Meissonier, 1876
Daily Thoughts 03/14/2015

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook page this morning.

I read some more of The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.  There is a philosophy in this book of only keeping the objects you love and cherish.  Add in comments by Marie Kondo like my favorite book as a child was Alice In Wonderland and it makes for entertaining reading.

I read some more from Messages the Communication Skills Workbooks, 3rd Edition.  I am reading about how to clarify language when people make vague statements.

Web Bits

Will Volunteer Libraries Survive?

http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Kathie-McInnes-volunteer-run-libraries-survive/story-26166723-detail/story.html

The Literary Community Remembers Sir Terry Pratchett

http://www.adweek.com/galleycat/the-literary-community-remembers-sir-terry-pratchett/100431