Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Daily Thoughts 12/13/2011

The Lithographer, by Louis Prang, 1874.


Daily Thoughts 12/13/2011


This morning, I updated the Facebook and Twitter accounts for the library.  I like to put all the weekly events up on Sunday or Monday.


On the way to work, I finished reading Louis Prang: Color Lithographer Giant of a Man by Dr. Larry Freeman.  Louis Prang created popular prints for the home during the 19th century.  He used a process called chromolithography which is a multi-color system of lithography.  He is best known as the father of the American greeting card industry.  There was quite a bit on both Christmas cards and Valentines Day cards.  I was reading this book for the Biography Book Club which is today, Tuesday, December 13, 2011 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.


I also read some of The Sixth Gun which is a graphic novel set in the old west with supernatural elements.  I rather like the depictions of gunfights against the walking dead.  The graphic novel has some excellent color artistry by Bill Crabtree.  I read both the first and second volume of the graphic novel.  The second volume, The Sixth Gun: Crossroads was even better than the first.  The setting in 19th century New Orleans was terrific. There were gunfights against evil spirits from the swamps.  It had a voodoo element to it with giant snakes, alligators, zombies, cat people, and loas.


We had a staff meeting this morning which went very well.

The Biography Book Club met today from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  We talked about a number of different people including Louis Prang, Charlie Chaplin, Irving Berlin, and Maulana Karenga.  It was a fairly interesting meeting.

I also opened the lab today for the Intermediate Computer Classes this evening and made sure the computers were ready.

There was a press release this afternoon letting people know that the library is searching for a new director, we are open on the first Saturday of the month in January through June, and there is an amnesty for lost items.

On the way home, I read some more of The Doctor and the Kid A Weird Western by Mike Resnick.  It creates a mythical past, with Billy the Kid, Doc Holliday, Thomas Edison, Geronimo, and other larger than life characters.  The magic and steampunk make the story interesting, the characters drive the story.

Web Bits


Carnegie Libraries in the United States
http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/topics/carnegie.html



No comments: