Daily Thoughts 07/05/2017

This Certainly Is Reading, Francisco Goya, 1799

Daily Thoughts 07/05/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

On the way to work, I finished reading Small Hours by Jennifer Kitses.  I like that the story was left open ended.  It is not hard to imagine what might happen next.  I think it will be easy to discuss for a book club.

I also read some more of Visual Intelligence Sharpen Your Perception Change Your Life. Amy Herman discusses confirmation bias and change blindness which are tendencies to overlook differences or unusual occurrences in every day life.  She also describes how it is important to keep track of your environment especially in dangerous situations.

I checked the displays and the gift books.  I put in an order for new books today.  I also put in some stories in the display cabinet next to the computer lab from Share Your Story.

I am working on a few different programs right now.

More of our swag for the Summer Reading program has come in.  We just got in our cups.

Next week on July 13, 2017 we are having a discussion about the Central Library Status with the Westchester Library System at 6:00 p.m. This is a very important conversation for the Mount Vernon Public Library.  http://www.mvinquirer.com/westc-lib.html

There is an Intermediate Microsoft Excel class tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The book, The Wealth of Humans, Work, Power, and Status in the Twenty First Century by Ryan Avent.

Web Bits

Anchorage Library Systems Adopts 'No Porn' Policy

https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/anchorage/2017/07/03/anchorage-library-system-adopts-no-porn-policy-after-debate/

Thousands of Books Donated to Mosul So Libraries Can Be Rebuilt

http://theweek.com/speedreads/709961/thousands-books-donated-mosul-libraries-rebuilt

Nedap Transforms Libraries With Intelligent Shelves

http://designraid.net/5403/nedap-transforms-libraries-intelligent-shelves/

Daily Thoughts 07/04/2017

Man Reading A Newspaper, Rene Magritte, 1928

Daily Thoughts 07/04/2017

Happy 4th of July!

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook today.

I read some more of Small Hours A Novel.  Jennifer Kitses does a good job of describing the kind of every day cruelties and mistakes which people can make which destroy their lives slowly.

I started reading Visual Intelligence Sharpen Your Perception, Change Your Life by Amy E. Herman.  This book is about how to pay attention visually.  The author uses training in how to see like an artist to increase the ability to pick up visual cues and see items in your environment.  I just spent a little bit of time doing an exercise in the book focused on drawing things from memory.  The artwork which we used was Rene Magritte, The Portrait, 1935.

I finished making my viewfinder and my picture plane as described by Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.  I drew my hand a few times with an erasable marker.  I was surprised how easy and accurate it was to do this with a picture plane and a viewfinder.

I worked a little bit on my class, Planning and Management of Library Buildings today.  I am reading about maintenance and operations of library buildings.

Web Bits

'The Library of Unread Books' is an Epic Global Library Project

http://www.scoutmag.ph/section/culture/books/the-library-of-unread-books-epic-global-library-project/

At 10,000 Feet in Colorado's Rockies, A Library Takes Shape, Blending  Nature and Books

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-colorado-library-2017-story.html

This Man Is Trying to Rebuild A Library Burned Down By Isis
https://www.buzzfeed.com/anupkaphle/people-from-all-over-the-world-are-sending-books-to-help?utm_term=.ja34b9k9N#.icWz4kykm

Daily Thoughts 07/03/2017

Abend im Cafe Bauer, Lesser Ury, 1898

Daily Thoughts 07/03/2017

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

I did another exercise in Drawing On the Right Side of the Brain this morning.  I need to buy some more drawing supplies to do the next exercises.  I bought a few more things to make some devices needed for the drawing class.

I spent some time figuring out my schedule for the week.

Tomorrow is July 4, 2017, Independence Day.

I finished reading Extreme Ownership How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin.  This book is about leadership as done by the Navy Seals in the Iraq war.  This book focuses on how to maintain discipline both in the board room and in warfare.  It is a very patriotic book.  It is a book which focuses on teaching people to take responsibility for their actions and lead.  I found the writing to be quite intense and the examples to be gripping because they came from the battlefield and then were applied to business.  The writing is very straightforward and the explanations are very clear.  It was worth reading.

I read some more of Small Hours by Jennifer Klein.  I am enjoying reading the scenes with Tom where he works in wire service at the lowest level.

Web Bits

LBJ  Library Honors Public Broadcasting's  History With a New Exhibit

https://current.org/2017/06/lbj-library-honors-public-broadcastings-history-with-new-exhibit/

Nearly 200 Immigrants Take Citizenship Oaths at New York Public Library

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/manhattan/immigrants-citizenship-oaths-new-york-public-library-article-1.3292037

Daily Thoughts 07/02/2017

Cigarette smuggling with a book. This exhibit was on display in the main customs office in Munich., 2011, Public Domain

Daily Thoughts 07/02/2017

I checked the library Twitter and Facebook this morning.

I placed a hold on the book, The Wealth of Humans by Ryan Avent.

I am looking at the Human Library site. This site allows you to setup conversations with people which your patrons can then arrange to have.

http://humanlibrary.org/

Another site that is interesting is http://www.code.org   They are the organization which is famous for The Hour of Code.

I did some more exercises in Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Today.  I drew an upside down picture of Spiderman and an upside down picture of a man.  I found it enjoyable and relaxing.

I also read some more of Extreme Ownership.  I am reading about the concept of owning up to your mistakes because you are in a position of authority.

I read some of Small Hours: A Novel by Jennifer Kitses.  We are reading it for a book club on Thursday, July 27 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m..  The story is about the life of a couple during a twenty four hour period.

Web Bits

A Tiny Indian Publisher Is Translating Hidden Gems of World Literature for Global Readers

https://qz.com/1011933/a-tiny-indian-publisher-is-translating-hidden-gems-of-world-literature-for-global-readers/

The Joy of Reading About Cooking
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/29/books/review/the-joy-of-reading-about-cooking.html?smid=fb-nytbooks&smtyp=cur

Daily Thoughts 07/01/2017

Mikhail Vrubel, Pencils, 1905

Daily Thoughts 07/01/2017

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

I started reading Extreme Ownership how U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin.  This book is about leadership, it focuses on team work. 

I went out and bought some drawing supplies.  I did the first three exercises in the book, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain A Course In Enhancing Creativity and Artistic Confidence.   I found it to be relaxing and enjoyable.