Friday, November 30, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/30/2012

Okumura Masanobu,  Itinerant Vendor of shikishi and tanzaku (paper and books) 1720–1730
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Okumura_Masanobu_-_Itinerant_Vendor_of_shikishi_and_tanzaku_(paper_and_books).jpg


Daily Thoughts 11/30/2012

This morning on the train, I read some more of On Politics V.2.  The author is describing different ideas on imperialism and empires.  Alan Ryan describes the difference between colonization and conquest.  There is also a bit on the byproducts of empire, Aristotle's idea of "natural slavery", and the concept of "scientific racism".  There is also quite a bit on how nations try to justify wiping out native populations and extract resources.

This morning, I checked the Facebook and the Twitter for the library.  I did some more weeding in the 900s this morning.  I am pulling from a list which was generated.  I also checked the gift books and the displays.
The Mount Vernon Public Library Friends of the Library Book and Bake Sale is today. I am looking forward to getting a cup of coffee, a cookie, and looking at books.

I went to the Friends of the Library Book Sale and had a cup of coffee and a piece of cake.  I also bought a book, The Collected Sandman Covers 1989-1997 With a new story and commentary by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean.  It is a beautiful book.

I spent a little time thinking about weeding and ordering material.  How it is organized is important.

On the way home, I read some more of On Politics, V.2.  Alan Ryan is writing about different forms of totalitarianism: Stalinism, nazism, and fascism.  Totalitarianism is the traditional enemy of liberal democracy.

Web Bits

Publishers Brace for Authors to Reclaim Book Rights in 2013
http://paidcontent.org/2012/11/27/publishers-brace-for-authors-to-reclaim-book-rights-in-2013/

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/29/2012

Piles of French Novels, Vincent Van Gogh, 1887

Daily Thoughts 11/29/2012

This morning, I read some more of On Politics V.2.  I am reading about Karl Marx right now.  The concept of proledic or the dictatorship of the proletariat is something which makes me a bit uncomfortable.

I checked the Facebook and Twitter accounts for the library.  I also checked the displays.  The Friends of the Mount Vernon Public Library are getting the community room ready for the book sale tomorrow.

The computer lab is open from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. today.

I spent a little time weeding in the 900s.

On the way home, I read some more of On Politics V.2.  I find myself not identifying with concepts like bourgeoise, or capital, or even working class.  There are some more recent terms like intellectual or creative professional which make more sense to me.  One of the organizations that I find interesting is the IETF Internet Engineering Task Force who make it a point to have to have no voting, no kings, and make decisions by rough consensus.

25 Years of IETF: setting standards without kings or votes.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2011/01/25-years-of-ietf-setting-standards-without-kings-or-votes/

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/28/2012

Menzels Hände: die linke Hand mit Bleistift, die rechte Hand mit Pinsel. Bronze, vergoldet, 1904. Alte Nationalgalerie, Berlin. Reinhold Begas

Daily Thoughts 11/28/2012

On the way to work, I read some more of Help the Helper.  The writers are writing about how to manage energy levels in employees focusing on things like employee support and getting enough sleep.  I also read a little bit more of On Politics V.2.  Alan Ryan is writing about Alexis De Tocqueville who originally traveled to America to investigate the American penal system.  Alexis De Tocqueville wrote Democracy in America.

This morning, I checked the Facebook and Twitter for the library.  I also checked the displays.  The library is having the Friends of the Mount Vernon Public Library Book and Bake Sale this Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  It should be a pleasant experience.  I always like book sales.

I am going to Writing for the Library Press on December 6, 2012 between 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Metro, New York.  I have not gone to a training session in a little while.  It would be nice to write something a little different than a blog entry.

We have the Computer Lab open between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. today.  

Web Bits

Improbables Libraries, Improbables Bibliotheques
http://www.facebook.com/improbableslibrairiesimprobablesbibliotheques

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/27/2012

Claude Monet, In the Woods at Giverny: Blanche Hoschedé at Her Easel with Suzanne Hoschedé Reading, 1887

Daily Thoughts 11/27/2012

This morning, I read some more of Help the Helper on the train to work.  The authors are describing how metrics measure individual performance, but do not measure teamwork.  They describe how it is important to find people who will support the team as a whole, not just themselves.  I also read a little more on Hegel in the book On Politics V.2.

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

I am thinking of doing some more Spanish practice using the BBC languages website.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/

I spent a little time looking over the old services brochure for the library today.  I also checked the displays and the gift books.

This afternoon, I did a little bit more checking in the mezzanine in the 800s.

On the way home, I read some more of Help the Helper.  One of the questions in the book is posed is why do you do what you do?  What motivates you?  I think a large portion of what I am doing as a librarian is both for the self education of patrons as well as myself.  I think of self-education as practical skills like home repair, reading about health, computer use, resume writing, learning the classics, financial literacy, and similar activities.  Libraries have a civilizing influence.

 Andrew Carnegie said, "You cannot push anyone up a ladder unless he is willing to climb a little."
 I also read some more of On Politics V.2 by Alan Ryan.  Right now, I am reading about John Stuart Mill.  One of the interesting things about the book is that he includes many people I had never heard of like Saint-Simon and Jeremy Bentham.  I had heard of the panopticon before, but did not know that Jeremy Bentham invented it.

Web Bits

December 1st is the Deadline to be a Host for World Book Night
http://www.us.worldbooknight.org/resources/all-resources

Monday, November 26, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/26/2012

Moments with genius Written by the Illinois Writers Project : presented by the Museum of Science & Industry / Poster for a radio presentation "Moments with genius" by the Barnum Radio Players on radio station WBBM, showing the stylized face of a man holding a test tube. 
Date Created/Published: Chicago : Illinois WPA Art Project, [between 1936 and 1941] 


Daily Thoughts 11/26/2012

This morning, I read a little more of On Politics V.2.  The book is an overview so it includes some material which is different than what I usually read. Alan Ryan describes royalist views and people who support constitutional monarchy which is not something which I usually read.  I also read some more of Help the Helper.  This book describes practices which support teamwork as well as exercises in how to help people work better together.  An example which the authors use repeatedly is how the staff in a five star restaurant work to meet customer needs as thoroughly as possible.

This morning, I checked the displays, gift books, and social media for the library.  I also spent some time looking at the new books.  I caught up on back issues of Library Journal and Booklist.  I read the latest New York Times Book Review today and prepared another order list for adult fiction.

On the way home, I read some more of On Politics V.2.  One of the nice things about reading overviews on a subject is that you get a little bit on a variety of people like Hegel and Thomas Paine who you do not plan on reading complete books by.  It allows for a more general sense of a time period in history.

Web Bits

Despite Ruin, Library Offers Books and Community-- About Queens Library in New York
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/26/nyregion/after-storm-destruction-rockaway-libraries-help-keep-community-afloat.html?hpw&_r=0

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/25/2012

Henry Robert Morland, Woman Reading by a Paper-Bell Shade, 1766

Daily Thoughts 11/25/2012

This morning, I checked Twitter and Facebook for the library. I also read a little bit more of On Politics V.2. I am reading about the logic of separation of powers and why the United States is a representative democracy. I watched a bit more of The Passions taught by Robert C. Solomon. Robert C. Solomon makes reference to Daniel Goleman's book Emotional Intelligence which is about how intelligent use of emotions can determine peoples success in life.

Today has been a quiet day.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/24/2012

Ignatz being marched off by Officer Pupp for trying to throw a brick at Krazy Kat. Behind the newspaper, Krazy is reading, and describing aloud, the very same cartoon they're appearing in. "Ooy, he's saying something at you— Ooy, it sims to be something in werra roughish, and werra uncootish lengwidge." Published April 16, 1922

Daily Thoughts 11/24/2012

I watched a bit of The Passions: Philosophy and the Intelligence of Emotions today.  Each video segment is about half an hour long.   There are 24 segments.  The segments cover a single aspect about emotion: grief, fear, love, etc. 

I also read some more of On Politics V.2.  Right now, I am reading about the political background of the American revolution.  The writings draw heavily on the Roman writers Cicero and Seneca.  They also are influenced by John Locke and Algernon Sidney.  I like that it mentions in the book that Jefferson sold his library to congress to found the Library of Congress.

I relaxed a bit and watched some cartoons.  Today has been a pleasant day.

Web Bits

Publishers Weekly Best Books
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/best-books/2012/top-10#book/book-1

Friday, November 23, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/23/2012


A Child's Garden of Verses, 1905, Jessie Wilcox Smith

Daily Thoughts 11/23/2012

This morning, I read a little bit more of On Politics V.2 by Alan Ryan.  I have started reading about Hobbes. I also checked the Twitter and Facebook accounts for the library, checked the gifts, and checked the displays.  There are a lot more new books coming in.  Quite a few of them are library oriented.  I checked out Management Basics for Information Professionals, Second Edition by G. Edward Evans and Patricia Layzell Ward.  Hopefully, it should have something to think about.  I also checked out A Curators Quest Building the Collection of Painting and Sculpture of the Museum of Modern Art, 1967-1988, by William Rubin which is a beautiful oversize illustrated book.

I have a copy of Publishers Weekly to read.  I spent a little bit of time looking at a report on which books had high circulation during the last year for fiction.  Some of the authors surprised me: Lisa See, Heinrich Boll, Claude McKay, Haruki Marukami, Luis Alberto Urrea, and Philippa Gregory.  James Patterson was hands down the most popular author.  In mystery, Janet Evanovich and Sue Grafton did very well.  For African American fiction, not including urban fiction, we had a lot of popular authors like Eric Jerome Dickey, Rochelle Alers, Zane, and Terry McMillan.  Paperback romance authors like Mary Balogh, Robyn Carr, Maureen Child, Cynthia Eden, Shannon McKenna, Mary Jo Putney, and Sherryl Woods did very well.

On the way home, I read some more of On Politics.  Right now, I am reading about Rousseau.  I have not read The Social Contract, but it is one of the classics which people discuss a lot.  It is impossible for me to read everything.

Web Bits

Picturing Books/ Tor.com
http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/07/picturing-books

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/22/2012


"The Chap Book--Thanksgiving no." "Art nouveau illustration showing two women holding trays of food." 1 print (poster) : color. 1895

Daily Thoughts 11/22/2012

Happy Thanksgiving.  The library is closed today.  I has some turkey, gravy, and stuffing for lunch and a slice of coconut custard pie.

This morning, I read a little bit more of On Politics Vol.2 by Alan Ryan.  I am reading about John Locke right now.  Hopefully when I finish reading this, I'll have a better understanding of political theory from a historical perspective.

I also watched some of the lectures from a kit consisting of a book and 4 dvds called The Passions: Philosophy and the Intelligence of Emotions taught by Professor Robert C. Solomon of the University of Texas at Austin.  Robert C. Solomon has a Ph.D. in philosophy.  This kit is a combination of philosophy and psychology.  Some of the people mentioned are Plato, Nietzsche, Freud, Adam Smith, and others.  It is historical in perspective and touches on concepts like agape and eros.  There are bits from different time periods including a little bit on the wrath of Achilles.  The kit is part of the series The Great Courses.

Web Bits

 Children's Book Campaign from Urban Librarians Unite
http://urbanlibrariansunite.org/2012/11/20/childrens-book-campaign-coming-to-your-community/ 



Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/21/2012


Une ville flottante ; Les Forceurs de blocus ;Aventures de trois Russes et de trois Anglais, 1872, Jules Verne

Daily Thoughts 11/21/2012

This morning, I read some of  Help the Helper Building A Culture of Extreme Teamwork by Kevin Pritchard and John Eliot, Ph.D.  The perspective of this book is one about teamwork from a view of both business and sports. Kevin Pritchard is the general manager for the Indiana Pacers and John Eliot, Ph.D. is a consultant for professional athletes and coaches. There is quite a bit on performance in both basketball and football. One of the subjects I read about was the concept of a "god culture" where there is one person who represents all of the hope for a company or team like Peyton Manning of the Colts, or Steve Jobs of Apple.

The book, On Politics V.2 A History of Political Thought: Hobbes to the Present by Alan Ryan came in for me to read.  I rather liked the first volume finding it very readable.

This morning, I checked the Facebook and Twitter accounts for the library, looked over the displays, and checked the gift books.  There was a nice copy of The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham in the gift books which will be added.

I am looking at a book which was left on my desk called The Book Group Book Edited by Ellen Slezak.

The computer lab is open from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. today.  I spent some time looking at online reviews in the afternoon and helped some people print pictures of artwork today.

One of my colleagues did a display of postcards on Mount Vernon, New York in the reference room.

On the way home, I read some of On Politics, Vol.2.  Alan Ryan argued that Hobbes is the first writer to be a political scientist separating him from the writers before.   I find the authoritarianism in Hobbes to be a bit uncomfortable.

Web Bits

Academic Librarians Get Graphic
http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/11/marketing/academic-librarians-get-graphic/

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/20/2012

Portrait of Alexander Benua by Lev Bakst. 1898 year

Daily Thoughts 11/20/2012

I finished reading The Start-up of You by Reid Hoffman.  This book is about a different approach to careers focused on networking, preparing for constant change, and being prepared for a variety of opportunities.  Each chapter has a set of suggestions at the end for networking, building up job opportunities, and being prepared for change.  The book is very much focused on new media and the new economy.  Reid Hoffman is one of the co-founders of Linkedin.  There are many suggestions on how to use Linkedin in this book.

The book, Help the Helper Building A Culture of Extreme Teamwork by Kevin Pritchard and John Eliot, Ph.D. has come in for me to read.  There are a lot of sports metaphors in this book about teamwork in business.

This morning, I checked the Twitter and Facebook accounts for the library, looked over the displays, and checked the gift books.

I brought up all of the holiday books from the mezzanine today for a display.  There are a lot of song books, short story books, and arts and crafts books.

On the way home, I read Sailor Twain or The Mermaid on the Hudson by Mark Siegel.  This is a graphic novel drawn with charcoal in shades of black and white.  It makes for dark shadows and mysteries.  Sailor Twain is the captain of a steamship during Victorian times plying the Hudson river in New York.

This tale has touches of gothic in it with a mermaid, curses, and magic.  It also has a touch of gothic romance in it and a bit of sex.  One of the characters, Lafayette,  is a bit of a rake in the French Victorian style.  I rather like how Lafayette has a very big nose almost like Cyrano De Bergerac. Many of the characters are quirky and odd.  

The story centers around Sailor Twain rescuing a wounded mermaid from the Hudson and nursing her back to health.  This is the old fashioned mermaid with the sirens call that lures sailors to their doom.  There are numerous literary allusions throughout the story.  Sailor Twains wife is crippled and in a wheelchair for example. This adds dramatic tension.

The book itself is 399 pages long.  There are no textboxes, and the dialog is short in length, but fits well with the pictures.  Some of the characters have big eyes which shows a bit of manga influence. The book is a very smooth read.

I like that there is a mysterious made up book called Secrets and Mysteries of the River Hudson by C.G. Beaverton in the story.  It makes the story even better.  Also there are letters and diaries added to the plot.  Sailor Twain was worth reading.

Web Bits

A Librarians Worth Infographic
http://ebookfriendly.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/What-are-librarians-worth-infographic.png

Monday, November 19, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/19/2012

Jean Baptiste Camille Corot, The Reader Wreathed with Flowers (Virgil's Muse), 1845

Daily Thoughts 11/19/2012

I checked the Twitter and Facebook accounts for the library this morning.  I also checked the displays and the gift books.  Some new books came in.  One of them is Protecting Intellectual Freedom In Your Public Library Scenarios From the Front Lines by June Pinnell-Stephens.  It should be interesting.

I read a bit more of The Startup of You and Mindsight.  I rather like the idea in Mindsight that everyone has a "core-self" or ipse.

I did a little more inventory in the mezzanine 800s. I also spent some time reading the latest Booklist and the New York Times Book Review.

I am spending a little time looking at a report generated which lists items that have circulated 5+ times in the last year.  Hopefully, this should give us a better sense of what people want.

Web Bits

Stop the press: half of self-published authors earn less than $500
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/may/24/self-published-author-earnings

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/18/2012


Daydreaming, A. Seifert, 1901

Daily Thoughts 11/18/2012

This morning, I did my laundry and read some more of True North.  I am almost finished reading it.  It has helped me focus a little bit more on what I would like to do.  It helped me do a short rewrite of the beginning of my Linkedin profile.

I learned today that there are some new limits on Twitter.  There is a maximum of 2000 people which an account can be following.  This encouraged me to go back using the application Friend or Follow and make some adjustments to the library Twitter account.  It should be a bit more effective now.

I received my membership application yesterday from the American Library Association.  I am taking a serious look at what I should spend my money on.  American Library Association has not been as helpful as ASIS&T (American Society of Information Science and Technology) to me when I have gone to librarian events.   However, the ALA online classes have been excellent.

 I am considering ASIS&T instead of ALA.  I won't be able to afford both.  The most helpful organizations to me so far have been the New York Librarians Meetup which is free as well as New York My Metro which will definitely continue being a member of.  I have not been to many events lately.  A lot of this has been about focusing on what I should do.

I finished reading True North Discover Your Authentic Leadership by Bill George.  This book is different than almost every book on leadership that I have ever read.  A lot of it is about having a moral compass, self awareness, and being able to lead through a variety of styles most of which are not control oriented.  I learned about how knowledge, learning, persuasion, delegating and empowering other people are ways to lead. The book had sets of exercises at the end of every chapter which touched on subjects like purpose, family life, interests, and many things outside of the job which give people character.  It was well worth reading.

Web Bits

Lessons for Book Publishing from the Music Industrys Digital Street Fight
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2012/lessons-for-book-publishing-from-the-music-industrys-digital-street-fight/

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/17/2012

Edward Lamson Henry, Library Interior, 1900

Daily Thoughts 11/17/2012

It has been a quiet, peaceful day.  I read some more of True North.  I also read a little bit more of Mindshift.  Mindshift seems to focus on integrating different parts of ones psyche.  One of the chapters was about someone who had a disconnect between her body and her mind, another chapter was about a gentleman who was very intellectual and had trouble connecting his feelings with being rational.

I am also reading a little bit more of The Startup of You.  Reid Hoffman is describing the process of creating connections between people that matter.  He points out that quality of connections is far more important than large numbers of people.

Things are back to normal for the most part where I live.  There was no line at the gas station which was a pleasant surprise.

Right now, it is very relaxing.  The most exciting thing I did today was watch Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss.  I am a huge fan of Dr. Seuss.

I also checked the Facebook and Twitter for the library and my social media accounts.  Sometimes there is a lull in articles.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/16/2012

Three Reading Women in a Summer Landscape, Johan Krouthen, 1908

Daily Thoughts 11/16/2012

I spent some time this morning checking the Facebook and Twitter for the library.  Sometimes life is about being consistent.

I put the book, Help the Helper by Kevin Pritchard on hold.  It is a book about teamwork.

This morning, I finished checking a missing items list.  I also checked the displays.  Right now, the clerical staff are putting new books in and taking some of the older books out of the new books section.

I have a meeting with Baker and Taylor today.  The meeting went well.  November 18 is the last ordering day for BWI.  We will be transitioning to Titlesource 3 soon.

I spent a bit of time looking around the stacks.  Things are in much better order.  I also spent some time thinking about Overdrive who is the ebook provider for the system.  There are two other sets of ebooks which interest me, Safari Books online http://www.safaribooksonline.com/ which provides computer ebooks, and the Rough Guide and Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness travel guides which are available as ebooks http://www.dkcontent.biz/products-services/digital-products/.

On the way home, I read some more of True North.  I am finding the exercises which go with each chapter far more useful than the contents of the chapters.  The exercises ask questions about your values, what you want from work, what is important to you, your strengths and weaknesses, how family focused you want to be, and other essentials about life.


Web Bits

Whither the Ereader? Tablets gaining as preferred ereading device according to new BISG/Bowker study.

http://www.bookbusinessmag.com/article/whither-e-reader-tablets-gaining-preferred-e-reading-device-according-new-bisg-bowker-study/1?goback=.gmp_1515307.gde_1515307_member_186300954

ALA Overdrive Ebook Survey

http://overdriveblogs.com/library/files/2012/11/ALA_ODSurvey.pdf
This further confirms that people are starting to buy tablets over e-readers.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/15/2012

Portrait of Mrs. Jens Wolff, Between 1803 and 1815 by Thomas Lawrence

Daily Thoughts 11/15/2012

This morning, I read some more from True North.  I also read a little bit more of Mindsight.  The author is describing how meditation can change the brain based on recent findings in neuroscience.  He is describing meditation as a variety of different types of awareness training from prayer to chanting to breathing exercises and walking meditation.  Some people think of meditation as purely religious.  An excellent book which is not religious on relaxation is The Relaxation Response by Herbert Benson, M.D.

I checked the Twitter and Facebook accounts for the library this morning.  I also spent some more time checking the missing items list and looked over the displays and gift books.  I am meeting with the Baker and Taylor representative on Friday for the transition between BWI and Baker and Taylor.

The book, How To Create A Mind The Secret of Human Thought Revealed by Ray Kurzweil has come in for me to read.  I also checked out the graphic novel, Sailor Twain or The Mermaid on the Hudson by Mark Siegel.

Web Bits

National Book Awards 2012
http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2012/11/prepub/national-book-awards-2012/#_

Print On Demand Through Facebook-- Snowfall Facebook Application
http://blog.outlawsalesgroup.com/facebook-bookstore-application/

Libraries: Cathedrals of Our Souls
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/caitlin-moran/libraries-cathedrals-of-o_b_2103362.html

Why Good Libraries Are Important for Education
http://www.chicagonow.com/poli-chi/2012/11/why-good-libraries-are-important

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/14/2012

Andrew Carnegie, 1835-1919 3/4 lgth., seated at desk, left profile; reading. 
Date Created/Published: c1913. 


Daily Thoughts 11/14/2012

I spent some time this morning checking the Twitter and Facebook pages for the library.  I also spent a little bit of time looking at databases.

On the way to work, I read some more of Mindshift.  Daniel J. Siegel is writing about mirror neurons which are neurons which help us recognize empathy and reciprocal actions like smiling.  He also discusses the concept of integration in the sense of integrating the left and right side of the brain, the brain and body so people have more body awareness, and having a balanced sense of memory.  I like this idea.

I also started reading The Start Up of You by Reid Hoffman.  He is arguing that you need a more entrepreneurial mindset to succeed these days in your career, there is no set career path for many people.  Reid Hoffman was one of the founders of Linkedin.

This morning, I checked the displays and gift books.  I also read the latest Publishers Weekly.

This afternoon we have the computer lab open between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.  I spent some time reading through back issues of Shelf Awareness for their reviews.  I also did some checking on the missing items list.

I ordered more fiction titles today including a couple of books by Jorge Amado who is an excellent Brazilian fiction writer.

On the way home, I did some of the exercises in the back of the book from True North.  I also read some more of The Startup of You.  One of the arguments presented in this book is that the world is no longer that stable and there is no guarantee of steady longer term jobs.  People need to have a more adaptable career strategy than in the past.  Reid Hoffman even states that books like True North and What Color Is Your Parachute are no longer flexible enough.  In his view people need to be more ready to learn new skills, have backup plans, and be ready to change direction quickly.

Web Bits

Over a Third of E-readers are Used Just Once Before Being Set Aside
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/2012/11/11/over-a-third-of-ereaders-are-used-just-once-before-being-set-aside/#.UKOjbIeCm3G
My thought is that people prefer more multi-function devices like tablets over ebooks.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/13/2012

Portrait of Jules Verne, from the 1876–1883 Men of Mark series by the photographers Lock & Whitfield.

Daily Thoughts 11/13/2012

On the train to work, I read some more of True North.  The book gives some examples of how self awareness affects job performance.  I also read some of Mindsight.  The author is describing how the different areas in the brain work.

This morning, I checked the Twitter and Facebook for the library.  I also checked the gifts and the displays.  We are getting even more new books.  It is nice to see them.

I spent today looking at some books like The Early Novels and Stories of James Baldwin, The Grapes of Wrath and Other Writings 1936 to 1941 of John Steinbeck, Harlem Renaissance Novels: Five Novels of the 1920s and some plays like Ruined by Lynn Nottage, Zoot Suit by Luis Valdez, and The Heidi Chronicles by Wendy Wasserstein.  I also took some time to look at Earlyword, reviews from Library Journal online, and other online reviews.

I read the latest New York Times Book Review and picked out some titles to order.  I also got another short list of missing items and reordered a few titles today.  We have the computer classes tonight.  Last week was canceled because we were closed on election day, and the week before that we had the hurricane.  It is nice to see the Tuesday night computer classes restarting.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/12/2012


"Banish lonely hours in camp! Help provide libraries filled with books for soldiers A million dollars for a million books for a million men--Leave your money at the public library or at any bank. The Library War Council - appointed by the War Department through the American Library Association - is raising one million dollars during Camp Library Week, Sept. 24-30, to build and maintain a library at every training camp and cantonment for soldiers, sailors and airmen, at home and abroad. Massachusetts Library War Council." 1917

Daily Thoughts 11/12/2012

It is Veterans Day today.

I finished reading The End of Business as Usual by Brian Solis.  This book pushes the envelope of new media think.  Brian Solis even describes the reader as a change agent for simply reading the book.  He consistently describes social media as an interactive tool where the purpose of the tool is to create a dialogue between the customer and the company, become more customer centric, and manage the changes which come because of social media proactively.  This book at times was uncomfortable, it could be overbearing in its enthusiastic push for new ideas.  I had to put the book down for a few minutes at points because it pushed my thinking hard. However, some of the ideas were useful and forward thinking.

I spent a little time checking my Facebook and Twitter account.  I also read a bit more of True North which is talking about how self awareness is an important quality in leadership.

I also started reading Mindsight The Science of Personal Transformation by Daniel J. Siegel.  Daniel J. Siegel is a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and co-director of the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center.  The author is describing a process of self awareness where people learn to redirect destructive thoughts  and rewire the thinking process.  Daniel Siegel calls this mindsight.

Web Bits

The Fight for Free Information: Liberate Our Cultural Assets From Economic Prisons Blatant Berry
http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/11/opinion/john-berry/the-fight-for-free-information-liberate-our-cultural-assets-from-economic-prisons-blatant-berry/

Google Presses Fair Use Case In Book Scanning Appeal
http://paidcontent.org/2012/11/12/google-presses-fair-use-case-in-book-scanning-appeal/

Drawing On the Ipad-- NYPL
http://www.nypl.org/blog/2012/10/25/drawing-on-ipad

Remember Veterans ans Share Books With Our Troops
http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/celebrate-veterans-day-share-books-with-our-troops_b60627

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Daily Thoughts 10/11/2012

Portrait of Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), John White Alexander, 1912 or 1913

Daily Thoughts 10/11/2012

I spent some time looking at the classics section of the Strand Bookstore online.  I am thinking of getting some of the very high quailty editions from Library of America http://www.loa.org/ of authors like Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin, John Cheever, Isaac Bashevis Singer, and Carson McCullers which you cannot get anywhere else.  I am also looking at Dalkey Archive Press which publishers literary works.
http://www.dalkeyarchive.com/aboutus/?fa=presentation  Another press which has literary works is Black Sparrow Books http://www.blacksparrowbooks.com/index.asp   Many literary works and classics are hard to find from mainstream presses.

I try and follow fair use.  This is an article from NOLO, The Fair Use Rule When Use of Copyrighted Material is Acceptable. http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/fair-use-rule-copyright-material-30100.html   There are also issues of professional courtesy, not everyone wants their images or names to be in a blog.  I have removed peoples names at their request as well as a few images that were part of an organization even though the image itself was no longer under copyright.  This is a matter of professional courtesy which is important.  I try and use images that are no longer under copyright.  I try and not use creative commons images that much because it is rather interesting what people will consider a commercial use.  Many organizations and people use digital watermarks to track where their images are.  It is possible to do reverse image searches using a search engine called TinEye to find out where an image is posted.
http://www.tineye.com/

This afternoon, I read some more of The End of Business As Usual by Brian Solis.  Brian Solis is describing corporate culture and social responsibilty.  He writes about how companies are using things like fair trade to brand their products as being responsible as well as messages about how happy you will be to buy their products.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/10/2012


 Niccolò Machiavelli (3 May 1469 – 21 June 1527) was a Florentine statesman, political philosopher, historian, musician, poet, and comedic playwright. Statue by Lorenzo Bartolini outside the Uffizi, Florence. Own photo - photo made on 12 October 2005. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Macchiavelli01.jpg

Daily Thoughts 11/10/2012

This morning, I finished reading On Politics by Alan Ryan.  I went to the Barnes and Noble near my house today.  I took a look at classic novels like War and Peace by Tolstoy, 1984 by George Orwell, and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.  I also took a look through the drama section and am considering getting some Shakespeare, Eugene Ionesco, Arthur Miller, Henrik Ibsen, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw and other playrights.

 I tried to get gas in the morning.  I lined up with the other cars.  Then one of the drivers got out of their car and went into the station.  It turned out that there was no gas, so we all drove away.  I have to be very careful using my car because of the gas shortage.  This is often the feeling of what it is like right now.  While I was at the mall, it was almost empty of cars, people are afraid to drive their cars because of the fuel shortage.  There were sale posters all over the mall. People are not spending money as well.

I read some more of The End of Business As Usual by Brian Solis.  This is a book about technical changes in business strategy brought about by social technologies.  There are so many new ideas in this book it is hard to keep track of all of them.  The ideas range from cobranding to big data to customer centrism.  It is very much a book which uses the language of the digerati. 

I read a little bit more of True North by Bill George.  I am on Chapter 3 which is about moving away from being self centered from everything being about I to "We".  It is very much about how people are more willing to work with leaders who consider the needs of others.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/09/2012


Portrait of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam with Renaissance Pilaster by Hans Holbein The Younger, 1523 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Holbein-erasmus.jpg

Daily Thoughts 11/09/2012

This morning, I read some more of On Politics by Alan RyanThe author is writing about the establishment of humanism.  He specifically is discussing the impact of Erasmus and Sir Thomas More.  I rather like that Erasmus described how violence is counter to education. Sir Thomas More wrote Utopia.  I put the second volume of On Politics on hold last night.

I checked the Facebook and Twitter account for the library and checked the displays. 

We are getting many more new titles in.  I have ordered over 1800 individual new titles of books in the last month for both fiction and nonfiction for the adult collection.   There has also been a lot of ordering in all the different sections; dvds, cds, childrens, young adult, and other sections. Hopefully, this should help bring our collection more up to date.  The new arrivals section is packed with material.

I checked out the book, The Startup of You by Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha.  Reid Hoffman is a cofounder of Linkedin.  I am looking at The One World School House Education Reimagined by Salman Khan who founded the Khan Academy which is a collection of online learning videos across a great range of subjects.

I finished putting in my nonfiction central library district orders which are focused on lost items today.

On the way home, I read some more On Politics by Alan Ryan. I am reading about Machiavelli right now who wrote The Prince.  The Prince is very popular at our library.  On Politics helps create a context to better understand The Prince by describing Niccolo Machiavelli's life and the structure of Florentine politics.

There are some other books on military and political strategy which are also very popular like The Art of War by Sun Zi, and The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi.

Web Bits

A new meetup, Publishing Tech Meetup
http://www.meetup.com/publishingtech/

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/08/2012



Endpapers of the original run of books in the Everyman's Library, 1906, based on the art of William Morris's Kelmscott Press (Arts and Crafts movement style). Quote from the play Everyman.

Daily Thoughts 11/08/2012

This morning I read some more of On Politics by Paul Ryan on the train.  I am learning how politically charged Dante's Divine Comedy was in its time.

I also updated the Twitter and Facebook account for the library.  I also spent a little time checking the new books.  We have lots of new mysteries.  Mysteries are extremely popular here.

I had a very pleasant night last night, the power came back on, we had hot water, and it was very comfortable in the house I live in.  It was also easy to get home.  I am hoping it will get more like this for everyone.

We have the computer lab open today from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m..  I am reading the latest Library Journal. There is an interesting section in the Prepub Alerts called Nonfiction: Post-Election Wake-Up Calls.  Some of the titles are calls to action: Other People's Money: Inside the Housing Crisis and the Demise of the Greatest Real Estate Deal Ever Made by Charles V. Bagli coming out in April 2013 which is about the purchase of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village in Manhattan, and Act of Congress: How America's Essential Institution Works and How It Doesn't Work by Robert G. Kaiser  also coming out in April 2013 focuses on the Dodd-Frank Act should be illuminating.  Another book which stands out by Jaron Lanier is The Fate of Power and the Future of Dignity.  

I have been steadily reading a little bit more of On Politics.  Right now, I am reading about the medieval Italian city states like Venice.  The author is describing the rule by aristocratic merchants.

Web Bits

DC Comics Entire Line is now available digitally.
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2012/superman-batman-and-justice-league-come-to-nook-kindle-ibookstore/?et_mid=588689&rid=233624721

Why You Should Write by Hand
http://www.mediabistro.com/galleycat/write-by-hand-nanowrimo-tip-8_b60422

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/07/2012


James Abbott McNeill Whistler, 1858, Reading By Lamplight

Daily Thoughts 11/07/2012

Yesterday, I voted.  The polls were full of people.  The power trucks are working on a downed tree and a power pole near my house.  It has been my eighth day without power.  There is supposed to be a Noreaster coming.  I did not get a whole lot of reading done today.

The book Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon came in for me to read.  It should be interesting.  I checked the gifts, the displays, and the Twitter and Facebook accounts for the library.  I am putting together a display on books about books near the rotunda.

I also spent a little more time checking a list of books.  I am checking the last two weeks of the New York Times Book Review.  I am also checking the last three weeks of Publishers Weekly.  I put the book, The Signal and the Noise Why Most Predictions Fail, But Some Don't by Nate Silver on hold.  There is a new autobiography of J.G. Ballard coming out in February of 2013 called Miracles of Life. Shanghai to Shepperton.

The Computer Lab was open today between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.

I spent some time this afternoon looking at fiction titles.  I also took some time to look at the new books section.  We are getting lots of new books in.  Some people have commented that they like the new computer books.  It is snowing heavily outside right now.



Web Bits

Libraries Weather the Superstorm
http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/features/11042012/libraries-weather-superstorm

Surviving Sandy Stories from the Publishing World
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/54641-surviving-sandy-stories-from-the-publishing-world.html

Personal Branding for Librarians
http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/features/11062012/personal-branding-librarians

Monday, November 5, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/05/2012

Interieur Burg Kreuzenstein, Bibliothek, signiert Franz Poledne, Aquarell auf Papier, 24 x 30 cm, Franz Poledne (1873-1932)

Daily Thoughts 11/05/2012

This morning, I caught the train early to get to work and I got in early to work which is kind of amazing.  The Metropolitan Transit Authority is doing a good job considering what happened.  I even got a seat and was able to read on the train both last night and in the morning.  Things ran smoothly and on time.
Last night it was very cold.   We piled up blankets. The electricity is still out on my block.   I am still listening to 1010 WINS every night.  Con Edison has to redo the power pole at the end of my block.  My father told me that he saw convoys of power trucks leaving from Washington State to go to New York.  There are trucks from all over the country fixing the electricity right now.

The library came out of the hurricane relatively unscathed which is a blessing. 
Tomorrow is election day.  I will be voting. 

There are three books which I have been reading.  The first is On Politics by Paul Ryan.  Right now, I am reading about medieval western politics which is often a struggle between the emperors and the popes.  In the medieval western mind there is no separation between church and state. 

The second book I am reading is The End of Business as Usual by Brian Solis.  Brian Solis at one point describes how the law of attraction is based partially on the Greek philosopher Empedocles' who lived between 495 and 435 b.c. which is interesting.  I did not think there was a philosophical basis to it.  I thought it was purely new age thinking.

I am also reading True North by Bill George.  Each chapter has a set of exercises to think about what it means to be a leader in an appendix.  These exercises consist of a series of very self reflective questions about how people live their lives.  It is very different from most books on leadership I have read.

I checked the Facebook and Twitter when I got to the library.  I also worked on placing some orders.  One of my colleagues gave me a list of suggested titles to purchase which were not in the library system.  Many of the titles are by mystery and noire writers like Jim Thompson and John Mortimer.

I also spent a little more time going through the missing items list.  People are always asking for nursing assistant exam books, GED preparation books, and ASVAB books. 

I have two magazines to read, Publishers Weekly for October 22 and October 29, 2012. I spent some time looking through the Publishers Weekly Bestseller lists.  I have a little bit of catching up to do.  The storm disrupted things slightly.


Web Bits
New York City Libraries Relatively Unscathed New Jersey Still Taking Stock
http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/11/industry-news/new-york-city-libraries-relatively-unscathed-new-jersey-still-taking-stock/

Sandy Libraries Photos of Libraries in the Storms Aftermath
http://www.slj.com/2012/10/featured/sandy-libraries-photos-of-libraries-in-the-storms-aftermath/#_

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Daily Thoughts 11/03/2012



Daily Thoughts 11/03/2012

I got back to work on Friday, but was incredibly busy.  This last week has been a week for dealing with the aftermath of the hurricane.  On Sunday we closed all the windows, made sure all the shopping and laundry was done, got some flashlights and led lanterns.

By Tuesday we lost power and internet access, but the phones were working.  We also had a radio which is on all the time tuned to 1010 WINS which is the all news channel.  Listening to the radio was harrowing, but necessary because of the reports on travel, transportation, and electricity.  They reminded us to clean out our refrigerators because there was no power and other tips.

I had to provide the access codes for social media to one of my colleagues because I had no internet access.

I spent a lot of time reading.  I had a chance to finishing reading Paradiso by Dante which was interesting more from a historical perspective than anything else.  I also finished reading a graphic novel, The Hammer and the Anvil, Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln and the End of Slavery in America by Dwight John Zimmerman, Illustrated by Wayne Vansant.  It was split into parallel lives, one the biography of Abraham Lincoln, and the other, the biography of Frederick Douglass.  It was interesting because as the story progressed, the parts of the book came closer together.  A lot of the story is about the abolition movement and the United States civil war.  The story has a lot of text in it with speech bubbles and text boxes in every frame. The Frederick Douglass story tends to have a blue background, and the Abraham Lincoln story has a light orange background.  I liked how the graphic novel was crafted.  It made for a different way to view history.  James McPherson gave the foreword.

Because I could not watch anything, I also read the paper every single day.  It was sobering to see how lucky I was compared to many of the things I saw outside.  At night, it was black outside.  Still, it was not far to walk, about four blocks before the lights came back on in the local shopping strip.  During the day, I could see where trees had fallen over, and some power poles had split in half.  There were lots of down trees.  I tried not to drive which is a good thing because right now, there are gasoline shortages.  We were not far from a supermarket, that opened after a couple days with back up generators.  It was odd.  One block would have power and the next would not.


I spent a lot of time reading books as well.  I read more of On Politics by Alan Ryan.  Right now, I am reading more about Augustine of Hippo's philosophy.  I am also reading The End of Business As Usual by Brian Solis.  One of the most interesting ideas I found in the book was that people now have audiences of audiences where a person can have followers who will write about what they are writing about.  He brings up the common happenstance of people tweeting in meetings or taking videos in meetings so that what is being said spreads quickly and is interpreted in new ways.  I am also reading True North by Bill George.  Bill George has a business philosophy called authentic leadership which focuses on finding out what makes an individual successful instead of trying to create cookie cutter methods of leading.

There has been a lot to do.  I started doing social media again.  I also checked the displays and the gift books.  I am also checking a list of missing items to make sure that they are not in the system.  In addition, I spent some more time ordering.  I have been looking at the Center For Fictions new acquisitions.  The Center For Fiction used to be called the Mercantile Library.  I also have been looking at some mystery titles, Latino fiction titles, and other new fiction books.

I started going through the lost items list which covers the last five years and selecting titles to reorder in nonfiction.  I am mainly looking at very popular titles like Rich Dad Poor Dad, What to Expect When You Are  Expecting, PCs for Dummies, Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, and other popular nonfiction books.

It has been busy.  It has also been a challenge to get to work using the subways and trains.  On Friday, I took a train got off and thought I should go outside and catch a bus.  The buses were free on Friday.  I stood in line for an hour while people ran at the open back doors and front doors of the buses packing them so full that people were standing in the doorways.  There were lots of people wandering around upper Manhattan.  it was like the whole of southern Manhattan made its way uptown.

After a while, I decided to go in one of the suvs that were driving people into Manhattan for ten dollars per person.  The drivers would wait until the suvs were full.  Learning a little bit of Spanish helped.  I got into Grand Central station that way.  It was easy from there.  Needless to say, it was impossible to read anything on the trains.

Today, Saturday, it was much easier.  The trains were still full, but not so hard to get around on.  One of the tunnels on the subway I normally take is full of water, so it only makes part of the trip.  Hopefully, it will be pumped out soon.

The library was very busy.  The library had wifi access today which I think drew in some people as well plugs for laptops and a well lit comfortable place to sit in.